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Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP)

Making Safeguarding Personal: Empowering Individuals, Preserving Dignity

Introduction to Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP)

Safeguarding is about protecting vulnerable individuals from harm, abuse, or neglect. However, traditional safeguarding approaches may overlook the individual's voice and choices, focusing primarily on risk management. Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP) represents a paradigm shift, placing the person at the heart of the safeguarding process. 

At its core, MSP emphasises the empowerment of individuals, ensuring their concerns, wishes and needs drive safeguarding interventions. This approach acknowledges the uniqueness of each person's situation, advocating for tailored responses that preserve dignity and autonomy. 

Principles of Making Safeguarding Personal

  1. Empowerment and Engagement

MSP prioritises empowering individuals by actively involving them in safeguarding discussions. It encourages open dialogue, respecting their views, preferences, and choices. Engaging the person at risk or in need of protection fosters a collaborative approach, promoting their active participation in decision-making processes. 

  1. Individualised Approach

Recognising that one size does not fit all, MSP tailors safeguarding responses to each person's circumstances. It considers their cultural, social, and personal context while crafting interventions, ensuring solutions are meaningful and appropriate to the individual. 

  1. Respect for Autonomy and Dignity

Respecting an individual's autonomy is fundamental to MSP. It acknowledges their right to make decisions, even if these decisions may not align with professional opinions. Preserving dignity throughout the safeguarding process remains a central tenet, ensuring that interventions are respectful, sensitive, and uphold the person's dignity. 

  1. Outcome Focus

MSP shifts the focus from just managing risks to achieving positive outcomes for the individual. It aims for improvements in their quality of life, well-being, and safety. This involves setting clear goals, monitoring progress, and continuously reviewing the effectiveness of interventions.

Implementing Making Safeguarding Personal

Training and Awareness

Implementing MSP requires education and awareness-building among professionals involved in safeguarding. Training programs should emphasise person-centred approaches, effective communication, and ethical considerations to ensure a comprehensive understanding of MSP principles. 

Collaboration and Multi-Agency Working

Collaboration between various agencies, including health, social care, police, and community organisations, is crucial. Effective communication and information sharing among these entities facilitate a holistic approach to safeguarding, ensuring a coordinated response that reflects MSP principles. 

Review and Feedback Mechanisms

Regular reviews and feedback loops are essential to assess the effectiveness of MSP in practice. Soliciting feedback from individuals receiving safeguarding support, as well as professionals involved, allows for continuous improvement and adaptation of approaches. 

Conclusion

Making Safeguarding Personal is a progressive approach that redefines safeguarding practices by placing individuals at the forefront. It champions empowerment, respects autonomy, and emphasises tailored interventions that uphold dignity. By embracing MSP principles, we strive not just to protect individuals from harm but to empower them to lead fulfilling lives free from abuse or neglect. 

For further information or assistance regarding MSP, please contact adult.services@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

Further details on MSP are also on our professionals page.

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[Disclaimer: This webpage provides general information on the concept of Making Safeguarding Personal and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice or guidance in specific cases. Please seek appropriate professional support when dealing with safeguarding concerns.]