Annual evaluations of how well social workers across adult and children’s social care respond to individuals at risk of abuse, neglect or harm were presented to the County Council’s Cabinet this week, showing that the response to the safeguarding of vulnerable people is strong. This is despite demand for social care increasing year on year, with child protection investigations having risen by 20 per cent in the last year and a 56 per cent increase in adult safeguarding referrals since 2020/21.
Commenting, Councillor Nick Adams-King, Leader of Hampshire County Council, said: “Safeguarding the most vulnerable members of our society is our core purpose and therefore will remain front and centre of our work. We continue to see unprecedented demand for social care across Hampshire, reflecting wider societal changes, which are also having an impact on the volume of reported concerns that our teams are managing. In addition, much better awareness of abuse and how to report it among both the public and professionals - which is positive - and the increasing complexity of cases, are challenging our social workers like never before. In response, we continue to invest significant resource in new ways of working and an ongoing programme of specialist training to ensure our teams are well positioned to deal with the current challenges, as well as those of the next decade.”
He added: “We are enormously grateful to everyone involved in this sensitive and hugely important area of work which is so often hidden from public gaze – not just those teams across the County Council, but also within our wider partner organisations too, such as the Police and local NHS.”
Over a 12-month period, Children’s social care saw a 24 per cent increase in the number of safeguarding concerns being reported, emphasising the continuing pressures across the child protection system - which are reflected nationally. Demand within adult social care remained broadly remain in line with the previous year.
Councillor Adams-King concluded: “While there is much that we do to protect our most vulnerable across Hampshire, safeguarding is everybody’s business, and we would urge the public to continue coming forward to report it – whatever form it may take. Please be assured, that you will never be wasting anyone’s time – if you have a concern, even it’s just a ‘feeling’ – tell us!”
Contact the County Council to report a concern about an adult in confidence 24/7.
Contact the County Council to report a concern about a child in confidence 24/7.
Always call 999 in the event of an emergency.
Hampshire County Council works collaboratively with partner agencies such as the Police, NHS and district and borough councils via Children’s and Adults Safeguarding Boards to ensure that systems are in place locally to protect people at risk.