Embedding a radical safeguarding approach in adult social care

How can we use a radical safeguarding approach to challenge structural inequalities? An open access toolkit offers a new approach to safeguarding adults experiencing homelessness and disadvantage.

Rooted in social justice movements, radical safeguarding is an approach that the notices gaps, inequalities and injustices in services and takes steps to change them. Use the toolkit to explore the principles of radical safeguarding and how this approach can help find potential opportunities to improve equity in adult safeguarding.  

Created by a group of people and practitioners with lived experience of homelessness, institutional detention and/or social care the toolkit is inspired by the pioneering work of  Maslaha. Working predominantly with Muslim communities, Maslaha takes a multi-layered and creative approach to challenge systems of inequality. 

The co-produced toolkit shares information, ideas, exercises and inspiration for anti-oppressive approaches to safeguarding adults experiencing homelessness. The resource aims to activate critical reflection about traditional ways of working in homelessness and social care, offering an accessible, interesting and reflective approach to explore radical principles and anti-oppressive practice.

A new podcast also explores the concept of radical safeguarding in the context of homelessness, and the background of social justice movements for this work.  

The resources invite practitioners to consider the role of solidarity, autonomy, power and accountability in their work.

Using professional curiosity to support people experiencing homelessness

Taking a radical approach to safeguarding requires us to carefully reflect on an individual’s experiences and critically consider the wider context for safeguarding, including experiences of and responses to social inequalities and injustice. 

A new blog explores how hidden disabilities and differences, including brain injuries and trauma, can influence executive function in the lives of people experiencing street homelessness ahead of an upcoming webinar.