The Contribution Of Safeguarding Adult Reviews To The Social Construction of Social Work With Adults In England

Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs) are a form of inquiry conducted retrospectively when it is agreed that an individual was not adequately safeguarded from harm and neglect. SARs are inquiries into tragic events structured by considering how the infrastructure tasked with safeguarding adults including social work services could have worked differently to prevent this tragedy. This thesis explores the contribution of SARs to the socially constructed narratives concerning what social work practice with adults in England is, and what social workers should do.

SARs as an evidence base are born from tragedy and therefore the services discussed within a SAR (including social work) will be appraised based on a negative outcome. I hypothesise that SARs contribute to a negative portrayal of social work and that they reinforce the narrative of failure. This research is a qualitative study grounded in the theoretical framework of Social Constructionism. Evidence of the contribution of SARs is sought by documentary analysis of a sample of SARs, and analysis of data from two focus groups and twenty-five interviews with social workers, senior adult safeguarding leads, and SAR authors.

The thesis finds that several contexts and objectives are shaping the work of SARs and that these infuse into the story of social work that is presented within. This thesis concludes that SARs hold considerable power in their ability to present a narrative about contemporary social work in England. This research implies that SARs can have a negative effect on social workers’ professional confidence which in turn will most likely impact their ability to advocate on behalf of people who use their services. Consequently, it has been suggested that the SAR process should prioritize enhancing the confidence of social workers as a key objective. This study provides new insights into contemporary practices in the field of SARs, adult safeguarding, and social work more broadly.