Safeguarding policy and practice in Medway

This paper examines the road to current safeguarding management and practice in Medway. This has been influenced by organisational change with Medway Council, a separate unitary authority formed from the previous Medway and Swale Area of Kent County Council in the government's first wave of unitary authorities. Medway was a shadow authority in 1997 and became a full unitary council in 1998. Locally, this brought together Rochester upon Medway City Council with Gillingham Borough Council under one local government regime with singular political and management leadership. These changes brought particular challenges for adult protection; this paper maps out these demands and discusses the management and practice solutions adopted.