In February 2025, the SSCP conducted an Insight Visit to both Emergency Departments (EDs) at SFT. This assurance visit followed the Somerset Joint Targeted Area Inspection (JTAI) and forms part of SSCP’s rolling programme of insight visits to partner organisations.
Focus Areas:
- Improvements and actions within the past 12 months that have strengthened safeguarding practice.
- Staff knowledge of how to access safeguarding policies, procedures, and guidance.
- Knowledge of safeguarding leads and their contact details, including out-of-hours.
- Identifying and maintaining records for vulnerable children and young people.
- Progress and initiatives related to Serious Youth Violence and Child Exploitation.
- Examples of good safeguarding practice observed during the visit.
The Insight Visit included four stages:
- Prior to the visit, SFT safeguarding leads submitted assurance data.
- A focus group was held with ED leads
- Face to face conversations with practitioners in both EDs were undertaken.
- Feedback to ED and safeguarding leads within SFT.
Despite both EDs being extremely busy, staff were notably open, engaged, and welcoming to the visiting team.
Key Findings:
- Clear Messaging: There was effective triangulation of safeguarding messages from strategic safeguarding leads through to ED managers and frontline staff, reinforcing consistency and clarity across the organisation.
- Knowledge and Accessibility: ED staff were confident in accessing policies and contacting SFT safeguarding leads for support, including during out-of-hours.
- Youth Violence and Exploitation: There was strong awareness and understanding of what Serious Youth Violence (SYV) looked like in practice, with examples given of staff responses to cases where SYV and Child Exploitation were a feature.
- Areas for Development: A small number of improvement areas were identified. SFT is currently drafting an action plan in response, which will be published under the “Insight Visit” tab of the SSCP action plan on SharePoint once finalised.
- Staff feedback Frontline practitioners shared that they valued being part of the Insight Visit and felt it was a positive and inclusive experience. Their involvement was clearly appreciated, and it was seen as a meaningful opportunity to contribute to ongoing safeguarding improvements. SFT have now adopted this approach as a Peer Audit model.
