Safeguarding is about preventing harm happening to people using social services and responding effectively when it occurs. Drawing on examples from Malta, the United Kingdom, Spain and Ireland, this panel discussion will explore different safeguarding measures put in place by social services across Europe in their community care interventions.

First, the session will start by exploring the importance of adequately training staff in human rights based approaches to prevent neglect or abuse with vulnerable adults, with specific examples from the Ireland and the UK.

Second, representatives from the Social Care Standards Authority in Malta will take us through the work they have done to ensure the safety of children and prospective parents in the implementation of blockchain technology in adoption processes.

Finally, we will hear about the work of the Catalan Social Services Ethics Committee, created with the aim to establish a dialogue among public authorities, professionals and people using services about decision-making processes in services, the provision of feedback about the services that they receive, and how people using services are involved in the development of these services and other community interventions.

Training staff to prevent abuse of adults with learning disabilities
Herculano Castro, Senior Group Operations Manager, Mentaur Group, United Kingdom

Supporting staff to implement a human rights-based approach in community care
Deirdre Connolly, Standards Development Lead, Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), Ireland

Ensuring safety in the implementation of blockchain technology for adoption
Matthew Vella, Chief Executive Officer, Social Care Standards Authority, Malta

The Catalan Social Services Ethics Committee: involving people using services in decision-making
Francesc Iglesies, Coordinator of the Catalan Social Services Ethics Committee and Secretary of Social Affairs and Families, Regional Government of Catalunya, Spain