The start of Safeguarding Adults Week 2021 has given the NWG Network the opportunity to reflect on the work that it has undertaken on exploitation and the transition into adulthood. Our journey started with members and young people voicing concerns over the “cliff-edge “ in support and safeguarding services when reaching 18  and we wanted to explore this in more detail.

For the past five years, we have worked with children’s and adult safeguarding partnerships across the whole country delivering presentations, workshops, training etc to raise awareness of this issue and support areas to improve their transition response.

We have continually shared learning, practice, research and resources. We have published the report It Does Not Stop Because You Turn 18 and a Support and Safeguarding 16 to 18-year-old Benchmarking tool that included a section on transition. We have also been part of the small partnership working group that developed the Bridging The Gap – Transitional Safeguarding Briefing which was published earlier in the year.

When looking at exploitation and the transition into adulthood we must look wider than those children becoming 18 and who are at risk of or who are suffering exploitation. Consideration also needs to be given to adults who have not been exploited as children but become at risk of or suffer exploitation in their adulthood. There is also the consequential impact of childhood exploitation into adulthood.

One reflection working across the country is the focus on structures, procedures, policies protocols etc which are vital in safeguarding. However, it is all-important to reflect on organisational and partnership safeguarding cultures too.

Earlier in the year we published Making Words Matter to support reflection on the use and impact of language used in safeguarding. The document has been so positively received.

The NWG Network focus is on child exploitation and on this journey we have learned so much from adult services, for example, Making Safeguarding Personal, the Care Act, the Mental Capacity Act. We have been fortunate to meet with so many fantastic committed and passionate people who have informed our learning journey. Thank you to all of you.

It is so encouraging to see this long-standing issue being prioritised and actioned in so many areas. Doing nothing would no longer appear to be an option. Despite all the positive developments, there is still so much more to do.  We will continue to support areas to further develop their exploitation and transition into adulthood responses. Our new website with several themed knowledge hubs including transition will go live this year.

Finally, remember that transition is a process and not an event.

Steve Baguley NWG        

#SafeguardingAdultsWeek