This awareness raising campaign aims to give people the information and confidence they need to Stand Up and Speak Out if they have any concerns at all that someone is being abused or neglected.
For concerns relating to children and young people, please call the City of Wolverhampton Council on 01902 555392. If the concerns relate to adults, please call 01902 551199. Out of office hours, please call 01902 552999 and in an emergency, always dial 999.
Sally Roberts, Chair of Wolverhampton Safeguarding Together Executive group, said: “Safeguarding is everyone's business, and Wolverhampton Safeguarding Week is an opportunity for us to highlight the vitally important role we all have to play in helping keep vulnerable people safe.
“The message is clear; if you are worried about the safety or wellbeing of any adult or child, you must Stand Up and Speak Out about your concerns so that the person at risk is able to live their lives free from abuse or neglect.”
Throughout the week, Wolverhampton Safeguarding Together will be using its social media channels – Twitter and Facebook – to highlight a range of key issues including exploitation and grooming, mental health and safeguarding, and how to spot the signs of abuse and neglect. It will also highlight the roles people can play in safeguarding vulnerable people of all ages from abuse and neglect.
There will be 2 virtual information and question and answer sessions for parents and carers focusing on the issue of child exploitation on Tuesday, starting at 11am and 6pm; for details and to your place book please email WST@wolverhampton.gov.uk.
Wolverhampton Carer Support Team is giving carers the chance to come together with a virtual Tea and Chat gathering via Zoom on Friday from 2pm to 4pm. It will also include a session on spotting the signs of abuse and neglect. To find out more, please email carer.support@wolverhampton.gov.uk. There will also be a virtual session on the same subject for frontline professionals, service providers and other groups the same day – for more details and to book, please email WST@wolverhampton.gov.uk.
Meanwhile, a series of videos featuring people describing their role in safeguarding will be published on social media throughout the week.
Abuse is mistreatment by any other person which violates the victim’s human and civil rights. It can happen anywhere – at home or in residential care, hospital, in the workplace, at a day centre or educational establishment, in supported housing or in the street – and can include physical or sexual abuse, psychological or emotional abuse, financial abuse like theft or fraud, exploitation and neglect.
Councillor John Reynolds, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: "Our teams work very hard protecting vulnerable people who are at risk of abuse – but they also need the help of members of the public to identify people who may be in danger in any way."
Councillor Linda Leach, Cabinet Member for Adult Services, added: "We want people to Stand Up and Speak Out – to know what to look out for, and know how they can go about reporting any concerns they may have – so that agencies can provide the right support at the right time."
For more information about the work of Wolverhampton Safeguarding Together, please visit Wolverhampton Safeguarding Together.
Wolverhampton Safeguarding Week was postponed in June because of the Covid-19 pandemic and will now take place from Monday 16 November to Sunday 22 November, alongside National Safeguarding Adults Week, organised by the Ann Craft Trust. For more details of National Safeguarding Adults Week, please visit Ann Craft Trust.
