Adult Safeguarding

Important: All scenarios in this resource are fictional. This material supports reflection and learning - it does not replace your local safeguarding adults board procedures, current statutory guidance or legal advice. Always follow your local safeguarding procedures.

Learning Outcomes

Reconnect with core adult safeguarding concepts and principles
Connect legislation and principles to practice through fictional scenarios
Reflect on professional curiosity, consent, risk and multi-agency working
Strengthen recording rationale and escalation confidence

Step 1: Watch the Practical Guide

A practical walk-through of adult safeguarding for social workers. Watch it as a refresher - note what confirms your current practice and what prompts a question.

While you watch, notice:

What confirms something you already do well?
What prompts a question, or something you want to check in local procedures?
Where does 'making safeguarding personal' show up in the guidance?
What does proportionality mean for the decisions you make day to day?

Group Discussion Prompts

Use these after watching. Keep discussion general - do not share identifiable details about real cases or people. If something live is troubling you, take it to supervision or your safeguarding lead.

What does 'making safeguarding personal' actually look like in your day-to-day practice?

When did professional curiosity last change your understanding of a situation? What prompted it?

How do we balance respecting a person's choices with our duty to protect?

What makes a safeguarding concern proportionate to act on - and who decides?

How confident do we feel recording the rationale for safeguarding decisions, including decisions not to act?

Where does multi-agency working strengthen safeguarding - and where does it get difficult?

What would make it easier to raise or escalate a concern in this team?

Choose Your Session Length

Each plan uses the same videos and resources, adapted for the time available.

45-Minute Quick-Start Session

Best for: busy teams, team meeting slot

0-5 min

Welcome: ground rules - fictional scenarios only, nothing identifiable, follow local procedures for anything live.

5-20 min

Watch: play the practical guide. Ask people to note one thing that confirms their practice and one question.

20-35 min

Discuss: use two or three prompts from the bank above. Pairs first if the group is quiet.

35-42 min

Scenario: pick one fictional scenario from the worksheet - what would professional curiosity look like here?

42-45 min

Close: one takeaway each. Signpost the CPD reflection template.

60-Minute Team Session

Best for: team development slots, ASYE group sessions

0-5 min

Welcome: ground rules and learning outcomes.

5-20 min

Watch: play the video with the worksheet. Pause once or twice at natural points.

20-35 min

Discuss: group discussion using four or five prompts from the bank.

35-50 min

Scenario work: pairs or small groups work through one fictional scenario each from the worksheet. One insight per group fed back.

50-55 min

Connect to practice: what does this mean for my next safeguarding conversation? What would I record, and why?

55-60 min

Close and CPD: complete the reflection template. One word each to close.

Download Resources

Everything you need to run this session with your team. All resources are free to use for learning and reflection.

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Facilitator Guide

Session plans, prompt bank, fictional scenarios and facilitator tips

Download PDF

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Participant Worksheet

Reflection prompts, three fictional scenario cards and professional curiosity questions

Download PDF

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CPD Reflection Template

Typeable Word template aligned with Social Work England CPD expectations

Download Word

Professional Standards This Resource Supports

Mapping is indicative, to help you evidence CPD and connect the learning to professional frameworks.

Social Work England professional standards

Standard 1 (promote rights, strengths and wellbeing), Standard 2 (establish and maintain trust), Standard 3 (be accountable for the quality of my practice), Standard 4 (CPD)

Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF)

Rights, justice and economic wellbeing; Knowledge; Critical reflection and analysis; Contexts and organisations

Care Act 2014 principles

Supports reflection on the six safeguarding principles: empowerment, prevention, proportionality, protection, partnership and accountability

CPD Reflection Prompts

Use these to record your learning. They align with Social Work England CPD expectations, including the value placed on peer reflection.

What did I watch, read or discuss?

What stood out to me and why?

What did I discuss with a peer, supervisor or team?

How has this challenged, confirmed or developed my practice thinking?

What might I do differently in future?

What further learning or supervision do I need?

Using This With Your Team

This resource works in team meetings (45-minute quick-start), ASYE group sessions, reflective supervision, practice development days and lunch-and-learn slots. The fictional scenarios are deliberately incomplete - like real referrals often are - which makes them rich discussion material.

You do not need to be a safeguarding specialist to facilitate. The video and prompts do the heavy lifting. Your role is to hold a safe, reflective space and gently redirect any live-case discussion to the proper route.

Using this resource?

If your team, authority or university is using this resource, I would love to hear from you. Your feedback helps me improve it.

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Want this delivered live?

I can deliver this as an interactive workshop, reflective practice session or conference talk, tailored to your audience.

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Related Resources

Last reviewed: June 2026. Educational resource only - follow local policy and current guidance. Created by Kayleigh Rose Evans.