NYSAB Newsletter – March 2026
The We Care Scheme – Helping People Stay Safe and Supported
We Care is a North Yorkshire Police scheme designed to support anyone who may be vulnerable when they’re out and about or even at home.
Created with input from York People First, the scheme helps people feel more confident and secure in their communities while making sure the police have the right information to offer tailored support when it’s needed most. It means if they ever need to dial 999 or 101, the police are aware of any special needs the caller has and can better assist them and make them feel safer. Anyone of any age living in North Yorkshire or York can join the scheme. It’s particularly helpful for people who may experience:
- Learning disabilities
- Physical disabilities
- Neurodiversity
- Dementia or Alzheimer’s
- Sensory impairments
- Communication issues
How does the scheme work?
When someone signs up, they receive a joining pack, which includes two important elements:
1) A ‘help me’ card. Members can carry this card in their purse or wallet.
If they ever feel confused, lost, or in need of help, they can show the card to someone nearby, such as a shop worker, a passerby, or a police officer. The card explains the We Care scheme and provides emergency contact details such as a parent, carer, or next of kin.
2) An Information Form. This form gathers key information about the scheme member. . This information will be stored securely by the police and will be used to identify the scheme member if they should ever need to contact 999 or 101. This means that the Force Control Room will automatically see their details, including any communication needs, so they can provide the right support quickly and appropriately.
The We Care scheme ensures that people who may be vulnerable can live independently while knowing help is always there when needed.
For the police, it means they can respond with greater understanding and provide a level of service tailored to each individual.
For more information, or if you would like to join, please contact:
WeCare@northyorkshire.police.uk
National Spotlight: Baroness Casey Calls for Major Reform of Adult Safeguarding
There has been a significant national development this month that could reshape how adult safeguarding is led across England. Speaking at the Nuffield Trust Summit on 5 March, Baroness Louise Casey issued a call for urgent government action to strengthen the national safeguarding system. In her speech, she highlighted an “abdication of responsibility” by successive governments when it comes to national oversight of adult safeguarding. She stated:
“Instead of a robust national safeguarding system, serious safeguarding failures are addressed as isolated local problems, meaning the same concerns are identified repeatedly without national scrutiny, action, or consequences.”
Her view is that adults at risk are being failed by the absence of a coordinated national approach, with learning from serious cases too often repeated rather than acted on. Baroness Casey has written formally to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) who have now responded and agreed to action her two key recommendations she believes are essential to protect adults at risk:
1. A new National Safeguarding Board
A new statutory National Safeguarding Board for adults, chaired by Sarah McClinton (the Chief Social Worker) and reporting directly to the Minister for Social Care. The board would take on national responsibilities including spotting emerging risks and commissioning thematic reviews to support system wide learning
2. An urgent review of safeguarding duties and powers
Baroness Casey was concerned that the Care Act doesn’t always give practitioners or boards the clarity and authority they need in high risk situations. A urgent review has been agreed, looking at what statutory powers the new board may need and may look again at Section 42 duties, information sharing, and how partner agencies are held to account.
What this might mean for local safeguarding
Although this is early in the national conversation, the proposals could have implications for Safeguarding Adults Boards, including:
- Greater national consistency in how SARs are reviewed and learned from
- Stronger accountability for partner agencies
- Improved support for tackling complex or high risk safeguarding issues
We will continue to monitor developments and share updates as soon as further detail is published. Read the full letter here: Baroness Casey’s letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
and the response here: Letter from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to Baroness Casey of Blackstock DBE CB – GOV.UK
Launching Soon: NYSAB Workforce Champions!
From the end of March, NYSAB will be launching a brand-new Workforce Champions Programme! This is an exciting development designed to strengthen safeguarding awareness, confidence and good practice across organisations in North Yorkshire.
Why are we launching Workforce Champions?
The programme supports our Confident Practice priority by helping staff feel more informed, engaged and confident about safeguarding. We know there are still gaps in how well our messages reach frontline teams and this aims to close that. By creating a network of champions we aim to empower interested staff to play a part in improving safeguarding from within their everyday role. Champions can be from any part of the workforce in any role, they just need an interest in safeguarding adults and a willingness to share learning.
What will Workforce Champions do?
- Support staff to recognise early indicators of abuse and neglect
- Share NYSAB comms, learning, and resources with colleagues
- Promote a culture of continuous learning by sharing good practice and lessons learned
- Strengthen two way communication between NYSAB and the wider workforce
What support will Champions receive
· Welcome & Introductory Pack
With key safeguarding guidance, useful resources and branded communication materials.
· Access to an Online Safeguarding Champions Space
Where Champions can access updates, resources, engagement opportunities, peer support, and campaign materials.
· Annual Online Safeguarding Champions Forum
An annual event with updates, expert speakers, networking, and Q&A for Safeguarding Champions.
· Regular Communication & Updates
Key safeguarding messages and learning from safeguarding adult reviews.
· Training & Learning Opportunities
Learning bites, toolkits, and good practice case studies to support their safeguarding knowledge and development
· Direct link to NYSAB
To share feedback, contribute to consultations or coproduction of safeguarding priorities and resources.
How to Join
More information will follow shortly through NYSAB communications, but to pre-register your interest please contact: nysab@northyorks.gov.uk
“Friends of the Board” – exploring a new way for people with lived experience to shape safeguarding in North Yorkshire
We are excited to share that NYSAB is exploring a new approach to hearing from people with lived and living experience through a proposed Friends of the Board model.
At our Connection and Involvement meeting in February, members heard how other areas, including Leeds, have successfully used a flexible Friends of the Board network to bring the voices of local people directly into strategic safeguarding work. Their model enables community members, self-advocates and voluntary groups to inform campaigns, strengthen co-production and help shape board priorities.
The SAB have agreed that this is a promising way to help us meet our “Connection” strategic priority. The board will now continue scope what a network could look like here, drawing on national best practice and most importantly by getting out and asking people what they want.
A new network could help us:
- Build a wider pool of community voices to shape safeguarding messages and materials
- Test whether our information is accessible and meaningful
- Co-produce campaigns and resources in a way that reflects real experiences
- Develop more targeted engagement with specific communities or groups
This work is at an early stage, but we will share more updates as the scoping progresses. If you or your organisation already work with people who have lived experience of safeguarding, abuse, neglect or care services, and you think they may want to be involved in future conversations, please let us know via: nysab@northyorks.gov.uk
Together, we can ensure the voices of our communities sit at the heart of safeguarding in North Yorkshire.
Safeguarding & Mental Capacity Act Training – Opportunities for SAB Partners
A wide range of safeguarding and Mental Capacity Act (MCA) training opportunities are available to support ongoing learning across the partnership. Courses range from introductory safeguarding awareness to specialist MCA and DoLS modules, with options for both classroom and e-learning.
For help accessing the Learning Zone or for bespoke training queries, contact the Learning & Development Team: learninganddevelopment@northyorks.gov.uk
Safeguarding Courses Available
· Safeguarding Adults Level 1 – Raising a Concern – an essential introduction to recognising abuse, understanding the ten types of harm, and knowing how and when to raise a concern. Ideal for anyone who may encounter adults at risk.
· Safeguarding Adults Level 2 – Safeguarding Concerns Manager – designed for those responsible for managing safeguarding concerns within their organisation. The course covers disclosures, reporting procedures, recording standards, and multi agency information sharing.
· Safeguarding Adults Under the Care Act (e Learning) – a flexible online module covering how to recognise abuse, listen to adults at risk, and make safeguarding referrals in line with statutory guidance. Suitable for staff or volunteers with limited contact or as a refresher.
MCA/DoLS Courses Available?
· Mental Capacity Act (MCA) – Supporting Individuals to Make Decisions – a foundation course covering the principles of the MCA, the two stage capacity test, best interest decision making, and the roles of IMCAs and LPAs. For anyone supporting adults with day to day or significant decisions.
· Mental Capacity Act (MCA) – Intermediate – a practical, case study based course exploring how to support and assess decision making, record assessments, understand unwise decisions, and apply best interest principles.
· Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) – provides a clear understanding of the DoLS legal framework, including the “Acid Test,” required forms, authorisation processes, and responsibilities when a DoL ends or is suspended. For Registered Managers, deputies, and staff in care or hospital settings.
· DoLS E Learning Module – an online introduction to DoLS, covering deprivation vs. restriction, key legal considerations, and referral, assessment, and review processes. Suitable for all health and social care staff.
Spotlight on: Train the Trainer: Safeguarding Adults Raising a Concern
As well as the courses already noted earlier, did you know that NYSAB, through North Yorkshire Council (NYC), offers a free train the trainer course allowing you to deliver the Level 1 Safeguarding Adults Raising a Concern training within your own organisation?
The course is designed for organisations that have 50 or more staff who need to undertake Level 1 Raising a Concern training, or organisations who support a large number of volunteers.
This approach aims to improve accessibility. Organisations can nominate a Safeguarding Champion trainer to deliver this training in their own organisations, helping the board to further build confidence and capacity in Safeguarding awareness.
All delegates attending Raising a Concern Champions must have previously undertaken Safeguarding Adults Raising a Concern Level 1 (booked on the Learning Zone). You will receive a Champions contract and other materials when you attend the course.
What Does the Course Cover?
The course explores the Raising a Concern content in greater depth, giving Champions the chance to build confidence in delivering safeguarding sessions to colleagues or volunteers. Champions will learn how to access the full training package, evaluate learning outcomes and maintain proper records of who has been trained. This includes reporting training figures back to the Safeguarding Adults Board, helping build a clearer picture of safeguarding awareness across the region.
What Will I Learn?
At the end of the course participants will be able to:
- Identify which adults may be at risk
- Explain the different forms of abuse that can occur, where abuse may occur and who abusers could be
- Recognise the signs and symptoms of different forms of abuse
- Explain how raising awareness helps to prevent abuse
- Demonstrate when and how to report and record abuse
- Recognise the Safeguarding Adults’ policy and procedure as a resource for clarifying roles, responsibilities and process
- Understand how to access and use the training materials and provide the figures for any training that you deliver
- Know how to gain further support / guidance to enable you to fulfil your role as a Champion Trainer.
Dates and Access
Courses can be access via the NYC Learning Zone here: Learning Zone Create an account then search for the course title “Safeguarding Adults Raising a Concern Champions (Train the Trainer)”
The following dates are currently available, however if there is interest we will look to put on an additional date later in 2026. If you are interested in this, please e-mail nysab@northyorks.gov.uk to register your interest.
· 09 April 2026 – 09:30 to: 16:30 – Project Room D, County Hall, Northallerton
· 05 April 2027 – 09:30 to: 16:30 – Project Room D, County Hall, Northallerton
CONTACT US
We’re always looking for passionate individuals and organisations to get involved with the Safeguarding Adults Board.
If you’re interested in contributing to the work of any of our subgroups, please reach out to us at nysab@northyorks.gov.uk
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