6746 Multi-agency safeguarding: moving from ‘everyone’s responsibility’ to a ‘collective responsibility’

Objectives Health Professionals are often required to work collaboratively with other professionals to protect vulnerable people from abuse and neglect. There is a general consensus that multi-agency collaboration is both a positive and a necessary way of working with groups of people with complex needs1 such as within the arena of safeguarding. This is evident through policy.2 3 However, there are persistent challenges to maintaining an effective, inclusive and consistent multi-agency safeguarding response and implementation of multi-agency working remains a challenge.4 There is an absence of a framework which can document the intricacies involved in fulfilling a multi-agency safeguarding responsibility, as well as evidencing the impact of multi-agency safeguarding, to understand the effectiveness of safeguarding practice. This study provides the robust research evidence base which has contributed to such a framework. Methods A national evaluation was undertaken in Wales, commissioned by the National Independent Safeguarding Board, exploring multi-agency safeguarding arrangements to determine what 'good' looks like. This included interviews with 138 practitioners, (many of which were health professionals) across strategic and operational roles and sectors, interviews and focus groups with 10 experts by experience who had accessed services, in addition to interviews with 20 data analysts and a review of over 600 data safeguarding metrics. Transcripts were analysed thematically through coding and developing a thematic framework on Nvivio. Results Results identified key themes which directly contributed the development of the Collective Safeguarding Responsibility Model.5 The Model highlights key factors which facilitate effective multi-agency safeguarding practice. The Model has an inner circle which focusses on key components relating to Practitioners and Agencies: Clarity, Confidence, Competence and Capacity. The outer circle focusses on Structures and Processes and encompasses the following components: Congruence in Strategy and Operations, Co-location and Cooperation, Culture of Inclusion, Transparency and Challenge, Cohesion between Services, Continuity, Consistency and Stability, Coordination of Data Collection, Collaboration Forums and Pathways and Commitment and Creativity. Conclusion This research addresses current challenges in multi-agency safeguarding and an opportunity to generate a consistent approach in applying a collective safeguarding responsibility, within and between organisations and sectors, of which Health is a key partner. There is also Self-Assessment tool which can be used to evidence qualitatively and quantitatively a scale of effectiveness. References Solomon M. Becoming comfortable with chaos: making collaborative multi-agency working work, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 2019;24(4):391–404. Department for education The munroe report. 2011; Available at: Munro-Review.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk) Department for education working together to safeguard children. Available at: Working together to safeguard children 2018 (publishing.service.gov.uk) 2018. Shorrock S, McManus M, Kirby S. Practitioner perspectives of multi-agency safeguarding hubs (MASH), The Journal of Adult Protection, 2020;22(1):9–20. Ball E, McManus M. The collective safeguarding responsibility model: the 12Cs. Available at: 12Cs-Collective-Safeguarding-Responsibility-MMU.pdf (mcrmetropolis.uk). 2023.