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Referrals Procedure

Referrals Procedure

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1. Referrals

Referrals to Adult Social Care in Nottinghamshire are the responsibility of the Adult Safeguarding Contact Officers.

To access the Adult Safeguarding Contact Officer details or information on how to report abuse click on the appropriate area below:

The timescale for making a referral is immediate if an emergency or within the same working day (this should be within 4 working hours).

If referring to the Local Authority within one working day see timescales Nottinghamshire Safeguarding Adults Procedure and Guidance.

Before making a referral, the Adult Safeguarding Contact Officer should:

  • Consider the immediate health and welfare needs of the alleged victim and anyone else who may be affected;
  • Consider whether emergency services are required (e.g. Ambulance or Police);
  • Clarify the facts, including speaking to the ‘alerter’;
  • Keep a detailed record of the concerns and the action taken;
  • Consider whether a referral to Adult Social Care is required (see Nottinghamshire Safeguarding Adults Guidance.

When making a Safeguarding Adults Referral, the Adult Safeguarding Contact Officer should:

  • Contact the Adult Social Care and Health Department for the area where the adult lives, and provide the information as set out in the Referral Pro Forma;
  • Inform his or her Line Manager.

To access the Adult Social Care and Health Department contact details click on the appropriate area below:

If a decision is made not to make a Safeguarding Adults Referral, the Adult Safeguarding Contact Officer should:

  • Record the decision and the reasons;
  • Consider whether any further action is required to meet the needs of the Adult at Risk;
  • Inform his or her line manager.

 

  • What Happens Next?
    • Upon receipt of a referral, Adult Social Care will determine if the concern raised needs to be investigated under the adults safeguarding procedures, or if the concern might best be addressed in another way. As part of this process Adults Social Care will gather as much relevant information as they can, including if this would not put the person at further risk, talking to the Adult at Risk who might be at risk as well as to the person who raised the concern;
    • This decision must be taken within one working day of receipt of the referral. It will take account of: the wishes of the Adult at Risk regarding any further action they may or may not wish to be taken; the seriousness of the allegation; and whether anyone else is affected by the allegation or concern raised;
    • Once a referral has been made, the referrer should be contacted in the first day or two to tell them what has happened e.g. if the matter is being Investigated under the safeguarding procedures or not and what level of investigation. If no contact is made, the referrer should call Adult Social Care and ask them for feedback.

2.1 Power to Refer

The power to refer relates to when the Council is not acting as a regulated activity provider (employer). This will normally be when the Council is undertaking its safeguarding role. The Council has the power to refer a person to the DBS where the following two conditions are met:

The first condition is that the Council thinks a person has:

  1. Harmed or poses a risk of harm to a child or Adult at Risk;
  2. Satisfies the harm test; or
  3. Received a caution or conviction for a relevant offence.

The second condition is that the Council thinks:

  1. That the person they are referring is or has been, or might in the future be engaged in regulated activity; and
  2. That the DBS may consider it appropriate for the person to be included in a barred list.

2.2 Duty to Refer

As an employer (i.e. when acting as a regulated activity provider) the Council is under a legal duty to refer a person to the DBS if they have withdrawn permission for a person to work in regulated activity, either through dismissal or by moving the person to another area of work that is not regulated activity, or would or might have done so had the person not otherwise ceased to engage in regulated activity because they have:

  1. Harmed or poses a risk of harm to a child or Adult at Risk;
  2. Satisfied the harm test; or
  3. Received a caution or conviction for a relevant offence.

Referrals should be made using the DBS Referral Form however, no referrals should be made to the DBS without prior discussion with HR and the Named Senior Manager and the LADO if deemed necessary.

Last Updated: October 25, 2023

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