Welcome to Leeds Safeguarding Week!
This year, for the first time, we’re pleased to offer an extra week of free learning and training for practitioners in Leeds, whose role involves safeguarding.
Leeds Safeguarding Week is hosted by three multi-agency partnerships: Leeds Safeguarding Adults Board, Leeds Safeguarding Children Partnership and Safer Stronger Communities.
The Leeds Safeguarding Week programme covers many different topics, with several sessions running each day. This is a great opportunity to increase your knowledge by hearing from experts on specific topics. Whether you work with children or adults, there’s something for everyone!
Running alongside our week in Leeds is National Safeguarding Adults Week, hosted by Ann Craft Trust. So, we've included details of their events too.
The Leeds Safeguarding Week programme is full and varied and there’s something for everyone. Book your place today!
Monday 18 November 2024
10:00 - 12.00 - Safeguarding children: Basic Safeguarding for Volunteers
An introduction to safeguarding before taking the Level 1 Introduction to Safeguarding. If English is not your first language or you need to understand more about what safeguarding means, this is the pre-course for you.
Delivered by Ann Crossland (Young Lives Leeds)
10:30-12:00 - What is Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) Team Briefing
This is an opportunity to develop an understanding of the FDAC model and service within Leeds and the role within pre-proceedings and care proceedings for families and children.
Delivered by Maddie Cristea, Specialist Substance Misuse Worker (FDAC) and Zhenya Blonsky, Specialist Substance Misuse Worker (FDAC)
10:00 - 12:00 - Safeguarding children: What you need to know about Fabricated or Induced Illness, Perplexing Presentations or Medically Unexplained Symptoms
An awareness session for health, social care, police and voluntary practitioners only who work with children and their families.
Delivered by Louise Barnes (Named Nurse) and Rochelle Wilder (Consultant paediatrician and Named Doctor) LTHT
12.00 - 13.00 - Children Missing out on Education with a focus on Elective Home Education (EHE) - A Practitioners guide.
An explanation of the processes around children missing out on education and EHE in Leeds and how other services can support the safeguarding of EHE children.
Delivered by Alison Finley and Lynne Bentley (Leeds City Council)
13:00 - 14:00 - Illegal Money Lending/ Loan Shark
This session is aimed at anyone working with families and children in the community. It will help you to understand what a loan shark is, identify the signs that someone may be involved with a loan shark and confidently signpost for support.
Loan sharks, also known as illegal money lenders have many personas, ranging from the friendly granny in the school playground, to the local businessman who offers financial help or that generous work colleague seeing you through until pay day. Most people who take an unlicensed loan, do not consider the person to be a loan shark and they initially view the loan as a lifeline. That is until the victim struggles to repay or questions the interest being charged, at this point that friendly helpful mask slips and a wide range of threats, control and intimidation are exposed. Loan sharks have been known to threaten and abuse borrowers, their children and wider family circle. Most victims struggle to afford basic household necessities as repayments to the loan shark are taking priority.
Anti-social behaviour, poor attendance at school and wider criminality have all been seen in situations where individuals are involved with a loan shark
Delivered by: Trish Cassidy, Liaise Officer for Leeds (Illegal Money Lending Team)
13:30 - 14:45- Ann Craft Trust AGM and Safeguarding Seminar Understanding Consent and Choice
The session will begin with the Ann Craft Trust AGM followed by a free online seminar to mark the start of Safeguarding Adults Week.
This will include a summary of our activities over the previous 12 months, plus the appointment of new trustees.
After Ann Craft Trust's online Annual General Meeting, Sense will lead a seminar on Understanding Consent and Choice.
Consent and choice are crucial to someone understanding their rights relating to safeguarding and keeping safe. Individuals with complex needs often do not have the opportunity to learn about how they can keep themselves safe. This year Sense ran a pilot project with individuals attending their college and day service to better understand the concepts of consent and choice.
Delivered by: Ann Craft Trust
14:00 - 15:00 - Advocacy within safeguarding processes
This webinar covers:
- The criteria for using care act advocacy through safeguarding processes.
- What clients (and professionals) can expect of the advocate, and the role of the local authority in facilitating advocacy involvement.
- What ‘substantial difficulty’ means under the Care Act.
- Who may be an ‘appropriate individual’ to facilitate a person’s involvement in the safeguarding processes and the overlap between Care Act advocacy and other types of statutory and non-statutory advocacy.
Delivered by Libby Plum (Advonet)
Safeguarding in Sport
Come and meet Nicola Holmes, Senior Sport Welfare Officer from Yorkshire Sport Foundation and Sam Webb, Safeguarding Lead for Active Leeds. This is an opportunity to hear about the free support available to clubs and activity providers within Leeds, and to learn more about safeguarding and welfare within sport.
There will be three time-slots available to see the presentation; two in person and one online. There will also be a drop-in session where you’re able to come and have a chat about your own club or group.
Session One – 2.30pm to 3.15pm
Online Session – 3.30pm to 4.15pm
Drop-In Session – 4.30pm to 6.00pm (Grandstand at the John Charles stadium)
Session Two – 6.30pm to 7.15pm
Free safeguarding posters will be available to take away with you.
Delivered by Nicola Holmes (Yorkshire Sport Foundation) and Sam Webb (Active Leeds) and
Tuesday 19 November 2024
10:00 - 11:00 - Safeguarding Adults: The voice of lived experience
In this online seminar from Ann Craft Trust, co-production team members from Camphill Village Trust will discuss how they draw from the lived experience of the people they support to develop safeguarding best practice.
UK learning disability charity Camphill Village Trust offers supported living and day opportunities for over 600 adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental ill-health, and complex needs.
Delivered by Ann Craft Trust
11:00-12:00 - Non-Fatal Strangulation briefing
In 2022 a new offence of non-fatal strangulation and suffocation came into force in England and Wales. Strangulation is now widely recognised as a particularly high-risk element of domestic abuse, and we know that victims are seven times more likely to be murdered by their partner if there has been strangulation beforehand.
Even when strangulation and suffocation are not fatal, it poses significant risks to those experiencing it, and yet there are frequently no visible signs of injury. This 1-hr briefing will cover:
- What is Non-fatal Strangulation & Suffocation (NFS)
- What is the prevalence of NFS
- Why is it essential for the Leeds workforce to know about it
- Potential impact of NFS (short term and longer term)
- Issues around NFS
Delivered by (Leeds City Council Safeguarding and Domestic Violence Team)
13:30 – 15.00 - Office of the Public Guardian Supervision & Investigation services
Lasting power of attorneys (LPAs) and Deputyships from the Court of Protection both involve a nominated person or people making important decisions for others who cannot decide for themselves.
In this free webinar by officers from the Office of the Public Guardian you will hear about
- Purpose of LPAs and Deputyships
- How LPAs and Deputyships might be misused
- What to do if you suspect misuse
- Investigation and supervision by OPG
Delivered by: OPG
13:30 - 14:30 - Safeguarding Adults: Understanding Professional Boundaries
This free online session by Ann Craft Trust explores what professional boundaries are, and how you can implement them. It will also explore the benefits and challenges that professional boundaries can bring, along with the impact of not having clear boundaries in place.
Understanding the importance of professional boundaries is vital when creating a safe culture in organisations for both users and staff.
Delivered by: Ann Craft Trust
14:00 - 15:00 - Suicide Prevention Awareness
Ideation vs intent, signs and behaviours, risk factors, how to support people (LEAN technique).
Delivered by Natalie Kirby and Suzy Flattery (Leeds Survivor-Led Crisis Service)
Wednesday 20 November 2024
09:00 - 10:00 Information sharing
Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers.
The session will be an introduction to the updated Information Sharing Guidance (2024) to explore how changes can inform and support practitioners to make appropriate and secure decisions when sharing information to keep children and young people safe. The focus will be on how the content of the document can be used to underpin effective practice.
Delivered by Kirsty McMullan (Leeds Safeguarding Children Partnership)
10:00 – 11:30 - Safeguarding children: Signs of young people having their properties cuckooed and how to safeguard them
This webinar by GIPSIL focuses on awareness and signs of young people having their properties cuckooed and how to safeguard them.
GIPSIL provides housing support to young people aged 16- 25 years old.
To book: Email eileen.fox@ourwayleeds.org.uk
Delivered by: Eileen Fox (GIPSIL)
11:00 - 12:00 - Autism and Suicide Awareness
This training is based on research conducted by the Zero Suicide Alliance and has been developed by colleagues in the Further Education sector, who specialise in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Safeguarding. It draws on insights from leading suicide prevention organisations and has been co-produced with members of the autistic community.
While the session is primarily designed for those who support young people or adults in educational settings, the information and resources provided are applicable to a broader audience.
The training aims to deepen your understanding of autism and the associated suicide risks. It addresses the challenges autistic individuals may encounter that could contribute to suicidal ideation.
The session will help you identify signs and indicators of suicide risk, suggest support strategies, explore factors that increase suicide risk, and provide resources for further assistance.
Delivered by: Rebecca Riley and Kelly Greenwood (Luminate)
12:00 - 13:00 - Lets Talk Chemsex
An honest, open and frank discussion about Chemsex. Exploring what the term chemsex means, the substances used, the behaviours it encourages, risks, the apps used to help facilitate Chemsex, Criminality attached, Harm Reduction and support that can be offered. The training is delivered by Darren Murphy who has both Professional and lived experience with Chemsex.
Delivered by Darren Murphy
13.00 - 14.00 - Using the Mental Capacity Act to support individuals presenting with Self Neglect
This free webinar uses a case study to develop some understanding of how the Mental Capacity Act can be used to safeguard those presenting with self-neglect.
Delivered by Mary Kadzirange (NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board)
14:00-15:30 - Understanding The Needs of Looked After Children & Care Orders
This online refresher session is about the health needs of looked after children and care leavers in Leeds. Sharing information about services available and key contacts.
To book: Email: leedsth-tr.safeguardingadmin@nhs.net
Delivered by Angela Dillon (LTHT)
Thursday 21 November 2024
9:30 - 11:30 - Thematic Learning from Domestic Homicide Reviews
This is a virtual briefing to look at best practices and thematic learning from Domestic Homicide Reviews in Leeds. The aim of this briefing is to improve our ways of working with people who have experienced Domestic Violence and Abuse.
This free session will involve sharing an overview of the reviews and exploring with colleagues the key themes that have emerged. Through a mixture of presentations and some case studies, participants will reflect on the cases and identify ways that their own practice can be improved upon in light of the learning.
Delivered by Safer Leeds Safeguarding and DV Team
10:00 - 11:00- Safeguarding children: Safeguarding Through Effective PSHE Lessons
- Understand how high-quality PSHE lessons contribute to safeguarding children and young people.
- Identify key elements that make PSHE lessons effective in promoting pupil wellbeing and safety.
- Explore strategies for creating a safe and inclusive classroom environment.
- Discuss practical examples and case studies where PSHE has played a role in safeguarding.
Delivered by: Helen Lord (Leeds City Council)
10:00 - 11:00 - Safeguarding Adults: Understanding County Lines
In this online session by Ann Craft Trust, Detective Inspector Richard Weber will provide attendees with a baseline understanding of the County Lines threat.
The seminar will explore signs and symptoms of County Lines activity, while providing an overview of the County Lines picture locally and nationally. There will be a discussion about how your organisation can help tackle exploitation in your community.
Delivered by: Ann Craft Trust
11:00 – 12:00 - Trauma & Resilience Informed Practice – what it is, what it isn’t, and how it can change the world
In this webinar Dr Warren Larkin will provide a definition of terms and outline a case for change.
Meeting the increasing demand facing services with an increasingly depleted workforce (both in terms of numbers and resilience), while at the same time creating trauma informed services and investing in prevention is the huge challenge we are faced with.
This challenge may seem insurmountable, however, we know that by adopting a public health approach to trauma and adversity we can transform population health within a generation if we have a shared, long-term commitment to preventing childhood adversity, supporting child and family wellbeing, detecting and mitigating the impact of trauma more routinely and promoting resilience across the life course.
Dr Larkin will also talk about the nature of resilience, staying well at work and the power of relationships.
Delivered by Dr Warren Larkin
12:00 - 14:00 - Safeguarding children: Child Sexual Exploitation hasn't gone away
In recent years the profile and referrals for CSE have fallen whilst the profile of issues of serious youth violence and criminal exploitation have grown. This session will seek to help professionals recognise and respond to CSE in its various forms, drawing on first hand experience from a team of specialist child sexual exploitation workers.
Delivered by Rebekah Vickers-Patel (Basis Yorkshire)
14:00-15:00 - Information sharing
Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers.
The session will be an introduction to the updated Information Sharing Guidance (2024) to explore how changes can inform and support practitioners to make appropriate and secure decisions when sharing information to keep children and young people safe. The focus will be on how the content of the document can be used to underpin effective practice.
Delivered by Kirsty McMullan (Leeds Safeguarding Children Partnership)
15:00 - 16:00 - Introduction to Modern Day Slavery and Human Trafficking
Modern slavery could be happening anywhere: on your street, in your workplace, at your favourite hotel or nail bar, at the hand car wash, building site or farm that you pass every day. Victims could be adults or children, of any gender and any nationality. They may be trafficked from other countries or trafficked within the UK. They may be forced to work, have sex, get married or commit crime.
This introductory session is delivered by the Safeguarding and Domestic Violence Team at Leeds City Council. Participants will gain an understanding of:
- What modern slavery is
- The different types of modern slavery
- The prevalence of modern slavery
- Why and how victims are exploited
- Potential signs that someone may be a victim
- The National Referral Mechanism (NRM)
- What can you do to help potential victims
- Support services for victims of modern slavery
Delivered by Nicola Stewart (Leeds City Council)
Friday 22 November 2024
9:00 - 10:30 - Safeguarding children: Risks Outside the Home and Contextual Safeguarding in Leeds
This session will focus on extra familial harm in Leeds, considering sexual, criminal and financial exploitation of children and young people.
Within the session we aim to upskill workers with current knowledge about contextual themes and issues within Leeds that impact our children. The session will consider indicators of exploitation and barriers to disclosure as well as what professionals can do when they are concerned about a child being at risk of exploitation.
This will cover the processes within Leeds including ROTH, Project Shield and MACE. We will also introduce the new Child Exploitation Practice Guidance for children and families staff.
Delivered by Rebecca Mauganai (Leeds City Council)
10:00 – 11:00 - Safeguarding Adults: Financial Exploitation and Abuse; A guide for professionals
The West Yorkshire Financial Exploitation and Abuse Team (WYFEAT) are based within West Yorkshire Trading Standards, the key objective of the team is to protect vulnerable people from financial abuse relating to goods, services and/or scams/fraud and to detect and investigate incidents of financial abuse of adults at risk including offences relating to adult social care funding, leading to successful prosecutions and convictions of offenders.
This 1 hour training session provides an overview of WYFEAT and the type of work undertaken, how to spot the signs of financial abuse and how WYFEAT can help if you suspect an adult at risk has been targeted.
Delivered by Diane Sharpe (WYFEAT)
10:00 - 11:00 - Safeguarding Adults: Mental Health & Wellbeing in sport
This online session by Ann Craft Trust will explore how we can think about mental health through a different lens. It will look at how we can create environments in sport that will help participants avoid distress and poor mental health in the first place. It will also look at how building better relationships can help us respond more effectively to incidents, so we can offer the support people need, when they need it.
The seminar will feature two facilitators from Sport Wales – Harriet Frampton (Clinical Psychologist) and Cath Shearer (Athlete Environment Lead)
11:00-11:30 - Introduction to the A&E Navigator Service
Navigator programmes were established at hospitals across the UK due to an increase in admittances resulting from serious youth violence, such as knife crime and machete assaults. Leeds Teaching Hospitals was the first NHS Trust in West Yorkshire to introduce an A&E Navigator service in early 2021 and worked with over 800 11 – 25 year olds in the first two years.
In this short session you will hear how dedicated youth workers (Navigators) based within the emergency departments, build relationships with the young person, and develop tailored plans around the circumstances that led to their admittance.
Book your place: Email leedsth-tr.safeguardingadmin@nhs.net
Delivered by Charlotte Boyes (LTHT)
11:00 - 12:00 - Urban Street Gangs across Leeds and emerging groups
This briefing session is aimed at practitioners that work with young people involved or at risk of serious youth violence. The session aims to increase the knowledge of existing urban streets gangs and emerging groups and provide a better understanding of the risks, threats and harms that are posed.
Delivered by Sgt Katie Earnshaw, DS Frankie Morgan supported by Bev Yearwood (Leeds City Council), Sgt Mark Rothery (West Yorkshire Police) Lutel James ( CYDC ) for Q + A session
Book your place: Email your contact details to: beverley.yearwood@leeds.gov.uk
14:00 – 16:00 - Safeguarding Adults training for Volunteers
This popular online training by Leeds City Council is specifically aimed at volunteers in Leeds. It covers:
- what safeguarding adults is and why this is important
- the role and responsibility of the volunteer in safeguarding adults
- different types of abuse, and what signs to potentially look out for how to raise a concern and what happens next.
Delivered by A&H Charlotte Brewster (Vicky Robbins)
Leeds Safeguarding Adults Board provides free talks for members of the public about the different ways that adults can experience abuse and how to get help to be safe. We attend events like community groups, coffee mornings, lunch clubs, activity sessions and general meetings. If you'd like to book a talk or find out more, please email LSAB@leeds.gov.uk