Island holds first safeguarding week to highlight vulnerable

Lesley Walker said professionals had a duty build up skills to recognise abuse or neglect

Improved awareness of how to protect society's most vulnerable is needed, a safeguarding body has said.

The Isle of Man Safeguarding Board is hosting its inaugural Safeguarding Week of information, advice and support.

Events are set to include workshops, seminars, webinars and online and social media campaigns are taking place across the island.

Independent chairwoman Lesley Walker said the consequences of not taking action could be "catastrophic".

Last year a review revealed seven adults had died as a result of self-neglect on the island since 2018, which sparked an overhaul of safeguarding practices.

Ms Walker said it had highlighted vulnerable "citizens who were living in plain sight of others".

However people "weren't clear about where to seek help" or how to refer those individuals, despite "indicators that things were really not right".

'Professionally curious'

The week of events was designed to "make sure that all professionals and others on the Isle of Man are really clear about best practice", Ms Walker said.

The board encouraged everyone to "not be afraid to ask questions" as it was important to be "professionally curious", she said.

The events had been designed to focus on professionals who were likely to come into contact with vulnerable adults or children "who may be likely to suffer some sort of harm", with information covering a wide range of areas and industries from sports to faith sectors, she explained.

Ms Walker said Safeguarding "really is everybody's business" and it was important to "talk to each other, share information, find out what might really be going on in that person's life".

She said the many agencies that offered support would be represented across the range of events throughout the week.

Anyone with a concern for a vulnerable adult is urged to contact the Manx Care adult safeguarding team, or the children's multi-agency safeguarding hub for young people.

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