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The Partnership

The North Somerset Safeguarding Adults Partnership (`the Partnership') was set up to ensure that all agencies work together to reduce the risk of abuse to vulnerable adults.

The Partnership is committed to learning from experience and to a process of continuous improvement in its work.

The Partnership also facilitates joint training, raises public awareness and monitors and reviews the quality of services relating to safeguarding vulnerable adults in North Somerset

In 2000 the Government produced a document called "No Secrets". This was in response to concerns that the abuse of vulnerable adults was passing largely unrecognised and unreported.

No Secrets stated that every local authority had to produce a Policy to address allegations of the abuse of vulnerable adults. It also stated that local authorities had to work in partnership with a range of statutory, independent and voluntary organisations.

In recent years the terminology in relation to the protection of vulnerable adults has changed. The word 'protection' has been replaced with 'safeguarding'. This reflects the change in Government policy. The emphasis is now on agencies supporting adults to access services of their choice, rather than 'stepping in' to provide protection.