NHS Birmingham and Solihull has an agreed strategic approach to maintain safe and effective safeguarding services and to strengthen arrangements for safeguarding children and adults at risk from abuse and neglect across Birmingham and Solihull.
The Care Act 2014 provides that local authorities, integrated care boards and the chief officer of the local police must be members of the Safeguarding Adults Board. In addition, the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and statutory guidance outlines a new system for multi-agency safeguarding arrangements and child death arrangements. NHS Birmingham and Solihull is an active member of Birmingham and Solihull Safeguarding Adults Board, as well as Birmingham Safeguarding Children’s Board and Solihull Local Safeguarding Children’s Board.
Other partnership board examples are: local authority community safety partnerships; early help boards; Prevent partnership boards; local and regional modern slavery and human trafficking boards.
- People who live and work in Birmingham and Solihull know what signs and indicators of abuse to look out for and who to contact for advice and support
- We have been tested our processes to ensure the best processes are in place to help protect people who are victims of abuse, including exploitation such as child sexual exploitation, modern slavery and human trafficking
- Our member practices and local organisations respond in a timely and effective way to concerns about abuse and neglect. This activity may go beyond prevention, identification and referral but also might include a role in monitoring and providing on-going support or intervention
- People who work within the ICB and people across Birmingham and Solihull identify problems early, act on and provide support for problems as soon as they arise, drawing in, where necessary, support from other services
- We understand the journey of children and adults with care and support needs. We have heard their voices and their carers’ voices within the services we commission; and we have heard their voices through other early help services provided via partnership arrangements or the respective safeguarding processes
- Our patients, family and friends and carers and those who work in Birmingham and Solihull know about consent and the relationship with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The Act empowers people to make their own decisions wherever possible, and protects people who lack capacity by providing a flexible framework that places individuals at the very heart of the decision-making process
- We have evidenced that we have embedded Making Safeguarding Personal, No decision about Me without Me!
Birmingham
Solihull
- Solihull Safeguarding Adults Board
- Call: 0121 704 8007 (Outside office hours in an emergency: 0121 605 6060)
- Report online
Domestic violence and abuse helplines, as well as website addresses for organisations offering help and advice, are available below.
Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid
- Freephone helpline: 0808 800 0028
- Freephone helpline: 0808 2000 247
Mankind (Supporting male victims of domestic abuse)
- Helpline: 01823 334 244, open Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm
Cranstoun (Support for male victims of domestic abuse)
Birmingham LGBT Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA)
- West Midlands Forced Marriage and ‘Honour’ Based Abuse Helpline: 0800 953 9777
Other contacts
Child Protection Medical Assessment Pathway - a toolkit for practitioners working in Birmingham and Solihull
This toolkit provides guidance for professionals (such as those in education, healthcare, social services and police) who work with children aged 0-18 and have identified worrying marks, bruises or injuries or have concerns about possible safeguarding or child protection.
The toolkit includes:
- step-by-step guidance for professionals to follow
- a simple screening tool graphic to help professionals to quickly recognise concerning bruising on the body
- guidance around what a child protection medical assessment is
- explanations of language and medical terms that may be used in reports.