In figures reported by the Local Government Association the number of safeguarding enquiries doubled in the first six months of the Care Act.
The Care Act introduced a statutory threshold which needs to be met to trigger safeguarding enquires. Prior to the introduction of the Care Act local authorities had complete discretion to decide when a safeguarding enquiry should be raised.
The figure for safeguarding enquiries stood at 103,900 which could signify an increase brought in by arbitrary rules or provide evidence of historic reluctance by local authorities to use their safeguarding powers depending on the viewpoint that one wishes to take. Commentators on the figures have also suggested that the increase in figures could be as a result of increased reporting and awareness of the need to carry out safeguarding enquiries.
The definition of what is required to trigger a safeguarding enquiry is contained in section 42 of the Care Act 2014 and essentially states that a safeguarding enquiry should be made where a person has needs for care and support and is unable to protect themselves against abuse/neglect or the risk of such incidents. It is worth noting that a safeguarding enquiry is not a safeguarding investigation and the Act grants the local authority the discretion to take action as it sees fit in assessing the safeguarding situation.
The increased figures alone don’t particularly point to conclusions that can be objectively drawn other than the fact that more enquiries have been recorded following the Care Act’s introduction. This could have the impact of adding to the caseload of local adult social care departments at a time of increased cost pressures; a positive effect of this provision of the Care Act could be to regularise, as far as possible, national approaches to safeguarding enquiries.
