Adult Safeguarding data 2022 to 2023

In 2022/23 7,204 safeguarding referrals have been received. Demand (referral received) remains relatively steady with the numbers received in 2022/23 reducing by 238 (-3.2%) compared to 2021/22. The longer term trend is upward with the number of referrals received in 2022/23 50.7% higher than the number received in 2018/19.

7,183 safeguarding referrals were completed under the triage process (as opposed received), and of these 873 (12.2%) were triaged as a safeguarding concern, i.e. met the Care Act definition for a statutory safeguarding response. This means that the conversion rate from referral to concern has significantly dropped for the second successive year. In 2022/23 12.2% of referrals became a concern, down from 18.3% in 2021/22.

The number of safeguarding concerns completed in 2022/23 is 860, 35.2% less than the 1,328 completed in 2021/22. The number of Section 42 safeguarding enquiries completed in 2022/23 was 382, 54.9% less than the 846 completed in 2021/22. With several alternative responses to a concern being part of the safeguarding process since August 2020, we expected numbers of s42 enquiries to continue to drop in 2022/23. The chart below illustrates that during 2021/22, 65% of completed concerns resulted in a s42 enquiry. NFA indicates no further action under the safeguarding process but other interventions may have resulted.  

A person’s own home (which could include a number of settings) continues to be the highest percentage of locations reported, in 2022/23, 62% of completed enquiries were recorded under that location, up from 61% in 2021/22.

The percentage of s42 enquiries reported within a care home setting (nursing or residential) has fallen from 22% (177) to 19% (85).

The distribution of safeguarding across other location settings has remained relatively unchanged in 2022/23. The ‘other’ category is again third highest with 12% (54) and no other type of location had more than 4% of reports.

Due to the significant drops in safeguarding enquiries in the last year, all but one of the types of abuse have seen considerable decreases in actual numbers. The incidences of discriminatory abuse actually increased by one, but numbers remain very small (9) and a very small percentage of all abuse recorded.

In 2021/22 the numbers of s42 enquiries relating to organisational abuse increased from 122 to 178 (+45.9%), recording of this type of abuse has now increased in the past two years.

The five most common categories of abuse are unchanged in 2022/23. The most commonly reported is neglect/ acts of omission (16.7%), financial/ material abuse (16.3%), physical abuse (14.8%), self-neglect (13.1%), and psychological abuse (12.6%).

Of note, the percentage of enquiries relating to domestic abuse has increased from 5.8% to 8.9% and the percentage of financial/material abuse has increased from 14.2% to 16.3%.

In 2021/22 people aged 65 and over were the subject of a safeguarding concern more often than those aged 18 to 64. The difference between the two age groups is wider in 2022/23, with 54.8% of concerns involving those aged 65 and over, compared to 44.5.0% aged 18 to 64 (compared to 50.6% and 49% in 2021/22 respectively). Five ages were unknown.

The split is the same for s42 enquiries, arguably a better measure as these are cases that have been progressed for investigation. This however is a change from 2021/22 when those aged 18 to 64 were more commonly a victim to abuse.

The difference between the two age groups is similar to concerns, with 53.6% aged 65 and over and 46.4% aged 18 to 64 (compared to 47.8% and 52.1% in 2021/22 respectively).

Females are the most likely subjects for safeguarding, at 54% (393) for concerns, and also 55% (190) for a s42 enquiry.