What is Making Safeguarding Personal?

Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP) is the approach now taken to all safeguarding work. The key principle of MSP is to support and empower each adult to make choices and have control about how they want to live their own life. It is a shift in culture and practice in response to what is now known about what makes safeguarding more or less effective from the perspective of the adult being safeguarded.

MSP is about having conversations with people about how responses to safeguarding situations can be made in a way that enhances their involvement, choice and control as well as improving their quality of life, well-being and safety. It is about seeing people as experts in their own lives, and working alongside them to identify the outcomes they want.

MSP focuses on achieving meaningful improvements to people’s lives to prevent abuse and neglect occurring in the future, including ways for them to protect themselves. People are individuals with a variety of different preferences, histories, circumstances and life-styles; so safeguarding arrangements should not prescribe a process that must be followed whenever a concern is raised, but instead take a more personalised approach.

MSP in practice

When adults at risk disclose abuse, social workers must build trusting relationships with them, avoid making assumptions and put them in control of the process to achieve good outcomes.

Putting the person at the centre of your practice is the only way to ensure the achievement of the life outcomes that they want and deserve, and it is also the best way to help people at risk of harm to deal with abuse and stay safe.

The guidance (link) outlines what should be at the heart of any intervention. It is aimed at the whole multiagency who deal with people who have been abused and offers a staged approach to take them through the journey from disclosure to achieving a safe outcome. It must be noted that this is only a general outline. It does not replace the multi-agency procedures or the need for good recording.

It assumes that the person has capacity to make their own decisions but the principles apply equally to those without capacity. Where there is lack of capacity the work can be done in conjunction with their advocate or trusted representative, but always including the person themselves.

There are 6 stages to this process:

Stage 1: Building a trusting relationship 

Stage 2: Helping people to disclose 

Stage 3: Establishing what the person wants

Stage 4: Personalising risk management 

Stage 5: Putting the person in control

Stage 6: Finding the right time to end 

Leading Making Safeguarding Personal

The Local Government Association publication in November 2017 set out the principles that Bolton Safeguarding Adult Board adopts to ensure that it is leading MSP in Bolton.

Empowerment 

People being supported and encouraged to make their own decisions and informed consent. 

“I am asked what I want as the outcomes from the safeguarding process, and these directly inform what happens.” 

Prevention 

It is better to take action before harm occurs. 

“I receive clear and simple information about what abuse is, how to recognise the signs and what I can do to seek help.” 

Proportionality 

The least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented. 

“I am sure that the professionals will work in my interest, as I see them, and they will only get involved as much as needed.” 

Protection 

Support and representation for those in greatest need. 

“I get help and support to report abuse and neglect. I get help so that I am able to take part in the safeguarding process to the extent to which I want.” 

Partnership 

Local solutions through services working with their communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse. 

“I know that staff treat any personal and sensitive information in confidence, only sharing what is helpful and necessary. I am confident that professionals will work together and with me to get the best result for me.” 

Accountability 

Accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding. 

“I understand the role of everyone involved in my life and so do they.”