Have we learned the lessons from Steven Hoskin's murder?
Safeguarding adults in practice
What is the video about?
Steven Hoskin was tortured and murdered by people who targeted him because of his learning disabilities. The serious case review into Steven’s murder found there had been serious failings by the agencies that should have been protecting him, but they had subsequently made significant improvements. But over 10 years after the case, have we really learned the lessons from Steven Hoskin’s murder? In this film we hear from Professor Michael Preston-Shoot and Hugh Constant who indicate that although we have moved forward, many of the problems from that time still persist. We must be doing better to protect vulnerable people like Steven.
They say for real progress, we should be addressing key themes for development:
- Information sharing and joint working
- Partnership working
- Legal literacy and proper training
- Convening the system
Getting it right at strategic level, is absolutely key to ensuring every other level, in each partner agency, is able to contribute to good-quality multi-agency working.
Key messages for practice
At a case level
- Ensure a case worker and lead officer are appointed
- Agree a plan and a contingency
- Put the person at the centre of everything you do
At a frontline level
- Raise awareness about safeguarding among frontline workers, people using services, carers and the public
- Encourage vigilance, ensure everyone knows how to spot abuse and neglect
- Publicise the contact details and ways of reporting concerns
At an operational level
- Encourage an open culture in organisations
- Promote positive working relationships and joint working across key sectors
- Ensure managers understand information sharing law to enable them to share information with the right people at the right time
At a strategic level
- Develop local joint working strategies to enable effective information sharing and coordinated responses
- Ensure accountability is clear and a named lead officer is appointed in each key organisation
- Support from the Safeguarding Adults Board for lead officers to ensure compliance with partnership duties across sectors
Who will find this useful?
Directors of adult social services, social work managers, social workers, police, ambulance service, accident and emergency departments.
