SSASPB has an appointed Independent Chair, Adrian Green. Our activity is supported by a core team that includes a Business Manager and Administration support. The activity is led by our partners through various subgroups. Each subgroup has agreed terms of reference (ToR) that set out their role in delivering the agreed priorities.
Subgroup information
Below is an overview of the current subgroup spurpose of each group.You can find further information about these groups in the Terms of Reference.
Executive Group: The Executive Group is a point of escalation and has delegated decision-making functions on behalf of the wider partnership. Membership consists of the Independent Chair, Business Manager, statutory partner representatives and subgroup Chairs.
Members have responsibility for ensuring progression of the SSASPB priorities and provide an additional level of scrutiny and support. The Executive group are responsible for monitoring the performance of all subgroups in relation to their agreed business plans. Chairs will routinely report on subgroup activity and progress and make formal requests for escalation and support.
The group also holds overall responsibility for the development, ratification and review of SAB duties and governance functions, including:
- proposing strategic priorities based on local need and producing the SAB Strategic Pan (annual review)
- producing the SSASPB Annual Report and presenting this through agreed scrutiny pathways
- oversight and management of SAB Risk Register and budget decisions
- ratification, review and development of SAB multi-agency policies, procedures, guidance and resources.
Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SAR) Subgroup: The SAR Subgroup discharges SAB duties related to Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs) under the Care Act 2014. A SAR is carried out when an adult at risk dies or has experienced serious neglect or abuse, and there is a concern that agencies could have worked more effectively to protect the adult. This is a multi-agency learning process that aims to identify and promote good practice, encourage effective learning and make recommendations for future practice so that deaths or serious harm can be prevented from happening again.
This group leads the Safeguarding Adult Review process to identifying learning, make recommendations and reporting on actions taken. They also consider how other local, regional and national activity should influence and improve local practice e.g. legislative changes, case law, other review processes and other area SAR learning.
Communication and Engagement (C&E) Subgroup: The C&E subgroup lead in ensuring an effective, coordinated approach to the sharing of key learning, best practice and emerging themes, communicated widely across services in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. This ensures keys messages are consistent and disseminated across partners to supported joined up approached and implementation into practice.
The subgroup also seeks assurance from individual agencies that safeguarding information, services and support are accessible to all adults and that services engage with and are influenced by the views of adults, their families and carers to meet Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP) principles and empower adults at risk.
Under the 2025-2028 strategic priorities, the group will be supporting the SSASPB to raise its profile with professionals and the public so we can improve our feedback mechanisms and ensure the voice of adults remains at the heart of SSASPB activity.
Audit and Assurance (A&A) sub-group: The A&A subgroup are responsible for reviewing local data and intelligence to highlight themes, areas for SSASPB focus and evidencing the implementation of multi-agency learning in practice. The SSASPB Performance Framework includes data analysis and assurance activity that supports the monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of safeguarding activity, both individually and collectively.
Partners have a responsibility to share information and intelligence that enables the wider partnership to understand local population needs, risks and to define our strategic priorities and outcomes.
Prevention Subgroup: The Prevention Subgroup was established to support delivery of the 2025-2028 delivery plan. It will lead in scoping the experience and risk to adults in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent related to rough sleeping, self-neglect and young people transitioning into adulthood. This will support SSASPBs understanding of local need, risks and challenges and support partners to work together effectively to prevent harm and address systemic barriers.
Policies and Procedures (P&P) Subgroup: The P&P Subgroup leads on the development and review of multi-agency policies and procedures to promote effective and consistent practice across organisations who work with adults at risk within Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. This includes engaging and supporting regional and national policy and guidance development based on lessons learnt, best practice and legislative duties.