Mark Goodwin

Background

About Mark Goodwin

Experience in children's and adults safeguarding since 2001 including working in children's homes, child protection social work teams, disabilities teams, managing a safeguarding social work team and now managing and developing adult safeguarding and VARM (Vulnerable Adult Risk Management) in Sheffield. VARM is a safeguarding process used throughout the UK to risk manage individuals who are at risk of serious life threatening harm or death. My role focus's on collaborative working and risk management of highly complex cases often involving multiple forms of abuse including human trafficking, exploitation, self neglect, homelessness, domestic violence and dual diagnosis between mental health and substance misuse. These cases are coordinated across multiple services including police, probation, adult social care, mental health, substance misuse, housing and immigration. Due to the level of complexity and risk associated with these cases, often new and creative models of working are needed while challenging those already in place. I am currently developing a new process called Complex Case Management (CCM) which provides a process to support collaborative multi agency working with vulnerable adults who do not come under Safeguarding. This is a process looks at addressing risk earlier (before cases meet safeguarding criteria) and working preventatively (Care Act 2014) by increasing expertise around a case, sharing responsibility between services and enabling services to respond earlier. I currently provide multi agency safeguarding training to help share expertise and ideas across all service areas. I welcome discussion and ideas from other services and professionals across the UK to help develop risk management and collaborative working.