Understanding the outcome of police safeguarding notifications to social services in South Wales. (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ford, Kat; Newbury, Annemarie; Meredith, Zoe; Evans, Jessica; Hughes, Karen; Roderick, Janine; Davies, Alisha R; Bellis, Mark A
• Is Part Of: Police journal. Volume 93:Number 2(2020)
• Page Start: 87
• Page End: 108
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: Safeguarding -- vulnerability -- policing -- prevention; Police -- Periodicals; Police -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 363.205
• DOI: 10.1177/0032258X19836144
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-258X

Abstract

In the UK, demand for the police has changed, with the majority of calls now vulnerability-related. Police safeguarding notifications (N=3, 466) over a one-year period for a local authority in Wales were matched to social care records. Over half (57.5%) of notifications were referred to social services and only 4.8% received social service input (e.g. social worker intervention). Over a third of individuals had repeat notifications in the study year. Findings evidence high levels of police-identified vulnerability and an imbalance in vulnerability-related risk thresholds across agencies. Furthermore, some individuals require more appropriate action to mitigate the risk of future safeguarding notifications.