Safeguarding Adults Reviews

The Care Act 2014 sets out a clear legal framework for how local authorities and other parts of the system should protect adults at risk of abuse or neglect.

The Care Act 2014 created a new legal framework for Adult Safeguarding.  Section 44 of the Act requires Safeguarding Adults Boards (SAB) to undertake a Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR) in specific circumstances and places a duty on all Board members to contribute in undertaking the review, sharing information and applying the lessons learnt.

The law requires local SABs to arrange a SAR when an adult in its area dies as a result of abuse or neglect, whether known or suspected, and there is concern that partner agencies could have worked more effectively to protect the person at risk.

The purpose of a SAR is not to hold any individual or organisation to account as there are other processes available for that purpose; they are about learning lessons for the future. SARs ensure that SABs get the full picture of what happened, so that all organisations involved can improve as a result.

SAR Toolkit

This toolkit has been devised to assist staff across all agencies in understanding the aims and purpose of a SAR, including:

• When and how to refer.
• The correct forms to use.
• The SAR decision making tool.
• The types of review and methodologies that are available.
• A process flow chart for SARSG decisions and associated activity.

Multi-Agency Learning and Review Framework

The Multi-Agency Learning and Review Framework (Updated February 2017), which includes information on the SAR process and criteria, can be found below.

Making a Referral

If you would like to make a referral, please use the referral form below and email it to LSAB@iow.gov.uk .

Once this has been received, the LSAB Team will complete Part 1 of the Referral Response Form (below) and send this to the agencies involved with the individual to complete and return. This information will then be reviewed by the members of the SAR Sub-Group.

We will shortly be publishing a SAR Toolkit which will include everything you need to know about the SAR process.  

Safeguarding Adult Reviews: –

Any SARs conducted by the IOWSAB will be published here:

Mrs X – Report Completed May 2015:

Mr W – Report Completed May 2015:

Multi-Agency Learning Reviews: –

Mr V – Report Completed October 2015:

Miss T – Report Approved November 2016:

Mrs P – Report Completed December 2017:

Howard – Report Completed October 2018: