About the Safeguarding Adults Board

The West Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Board was formed on 1st April 2026, following the end of the tri-borough West of Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Board. 

We will update the pages below as the new board reviews and updates information.

The Safeguarding Adults Board is a statutory mechanism for ensuring that there is a robust multi-agency safeguarding framework in place and for monitoring the effect this has on protecting adults.

The main objective of the Board, as set out by the Care Act 2014, is to gain assurance that local safeguarding arrangements help and protect adults with care and support needs who are at risk of or experiencing abuse. The Board aims to make sure that all of the organisations involved have effective safeguarding policies and procedures and work together in the best way possible to protect adults at risk. The three core duties of the Board are to:

• publish an annual strategic plan
• publish an annual report
• conduct Safeguarding Adults Reviews of serious cases in specific circumstances

Statutory safeguarding responsibilities arise where there is reasonable cause to suspect that an adult:

• has needs for care and support (whether or not the authority is meeting any of those needs)
• is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect
• as a result of those needs is unable to protect themselves against the abuse or neglect, or the risk of it

Key functions of the Board

The key functions of the Board are to:

• offer advice and assistance regarding safeguarding responsibilities and promote the understanding that 'safeguarding is everyone's responsibility'
• co-ordinate what is done by each person or body represented on the Board for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults in the area
• ensure the effectiveness of what is done by each person or body for safeguarding adults

Board Meetings are chaired by an Independent Chair and the Board is supported by a Business Manager.

Other forums and boards

The Board is committed to working with other local forums and boards to ensure efforts are not duplicated and that there are no gaps in policy or practice. The Board continues to strengthen its links with HealthWatch, Local Safeguarding Children's Boards, the Community Safety Partnerships, Domestic Abuse Forums and the Health and Well-being Boards.

A Protocol has been agreed with the Health and Well-being Boards to ensure there is an on-going and direct relationship with regular communication:  Protocol between the Health and Well-being Boards and the Safeguarding Adults Board [90KB] .