Today marks the start of National Safeguarding Adults Week, and we are raising awareness of this very important issue.

Earlier this year we launched our safeguarding approach, It matters that was developed with the support of our tenants.

A number of tenant engagement events took place across the country. Tenants learnt more about the signs of abuse and told us what they expect from us, as their landlord, in helping to keep them safe.

By jointly working across our teams, with safeguarding adult boards, the police and adult social care and support providers, we can help to keep our tenants safe and achieve the outcomes they wish.

From April 2018-October 2019, we raised 85 safeguarding concerns to local authorities across the country. Together we are making a real difference.

Rod dugher, director of housing explains, “Helping to keep our tenants safe from abuse can only be achieved where we continue to work effectively and jointly with our local authority colleagues and with support providers. Our staff have received training and they understand how to raise a concern if they believe a tenant is at risk of abuse. With the expansion of Resolve Solutions, our in-house repairs team, more staff are building relationships with tenants right across the country. We are rolling out further training to every member of staff from front line to executive members in January 2020.”

Brian Harold, operative from our in-house repairs team, Resolve Solutions says, “The Resolve Solutions team work in our tenant’s homes every day, and find out first hand what a person likes or doesn’t like. Over time we gain a good understanding about a person. Having the training has helped us to identify what is a safeguarding concern is and how to report it. We can pick up when something isn’t right. I’ve raised a safeguarding concern about a tenant and worked with my manager and the housing team – and, they took it forward with the health authority – it’s important to help people.”

For more information

You can find more information about our safeguarding approach, go to It matters page on our website or contact our safeguarding deputy, Becky Arrowsmith.