The Hampshire Safeguarding Adults Board (HSAB) has today published an independent thematic Safeguarding Adults Review (SAR) into the circumstances surrounding three individuals who have sadly died in separate instances, where each experienced cuckooing and exploitation.
Firstly, the HSAB would like to express its sincere condolences to each of the individual’s families. The HSAB would also like to acknowledge the input from advocates who have worked with practitioners and family, where possible, to ensure the views and experiences of the individuals have been central to the review.
The purpose of this SAR was to:
- Seek to understand what happened for each of the three individuals and why.
- Gain any learning from what is understood already through national cuckooing research and relevant SAR findings.
- Understand how the local safeguarding system is working together to identify cuckooing and whether there are strategies in place to effectively support individuals.
This review has identified some good local practice in Hampshire, both in single agencies and existing partnership mechanisms to prevent or minimise risk to adults. However, learning has been identified regarding a need for a coordinated and formalised multi-agency adult exploitation strategy, including cuckooing.
This needs to consider how well understood cuckooing is across the partnership, beyond the standard definition, and how different relationships between victim and perpetrator are effectively identified, assessed, and safeguarded in a way that is tailored to that relationship.
Relevant agencies will now develop actions to address the learning and continue to strive for positive change for the adults we support. Progress will be reviewed and monitored by the Board.
Slingshot