“Why didn’t we do this before?” the development of Making Safeguarding Personal in the London borough of Sutton

Purpose – Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP) is a national programme to increase the involvement of adults at risk in the adult safeguarding process. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach – The implementation of MSP in the London Borough of Sutton involved three areas of analysis: a quantitative analysis of 47 safeguarding cases in which adults at risk were asked what they wanted the safeguarding intervention to achieve and whether or not these outcomes had been achieved; qualitative analysis of the service users’ experience of the safeguarding process using focus groups led by creative arts therapists; and interviews with social workers, team managers and administrators on their experience of the implementation of MSP. Findings – In 81 per cent of safeguarding cases, outcomes were achieved satisfactorily. The focus groups identified the importance of freedom of movement, freedom of association, being listened to and regular communication with a consistent person. The practitioner interviews identified themes of increased efficiency, increased effectiveness, empowerment; the transformation of relationships and the practice of new skills. Research limitations/implications – This research shows that focus groups led by therapists can be used to explore safety and safeguarding and supports the effectiveness of MSP in achieving person-centred outcomes. No baselines or control groups were used, so the extent of effectiveness is difficult to determine. The sample size is relatively small, so results may not be generalised. Practical implications – A number of learning points for practice are identified including how to chair and where to hold safeguarding meetings and changes to practice required to implement MSP. Originality/value – This is the first research into MSP using art, drama and music therapists to explore the experiences and view of adults at risk of safety and safeguarding.