SCIE to encourage care providers to think differently about safeguarding at Care Show Birmingham
The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) will be encouraging care providers to think differently about safeguarding at the upcoming Care Show Birmingham, the UK event for the social care sector which takes place at the NEC Birmingham on 7 and 8 October 2026.
According to the SCIE, care providers are operating in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing social care landscape, and safeguarding is fundamental to ensuring people who draw on care and support can live with dignity, choice and control.
The Supreme Court’s deprivation of liberty judgment, and the Government’s subsequent response, have brought renewed attention to how people’s rights and freedoms are protected in practice, while the establishment of the National Adult Safeguarding Board signals a wider focus on strengthening safeguarding across the country.
For providers, the SCIE states that this is a period of change and heightened scrutiny, with a growing need for clarity and practical support as the implications of these developments take shape.
Vijay Patel, Head of Safeguarding at SCIE, said: “The immediate challenge is understanding what these changes mean in practice.
“SCIE can support care providers through them to anticipate and manage risks, building resilient safeguarding cultures that keep people safe and uphold their rights.
“We can help them to get ahead by connecting legal and policy developments with evidence about their practical consequences, evaluating their current approaches, implementing new ones, and, overall, navigating this period of uncertainty with confidence.
“Consistent, high-quality support can make a significant difference to people’s lives. We have successfully delivered several hundred projects over the last three years that have demonstrably changed safeguarding cultures, ranging from training on transitions from adolescence into adulthood and self-neglect to audits of national organisations, and we will be happy to discuss our insights and evidence from them at the Care Show in October.”
Alongside its focus on safeguarding, SCIE will also provide trusted expertise on wider social care issues at the Care Show.
With major programmes of social care, NHS and housing reform unfolding, SCIE states that its focus is on using our consultancy, training, insights and resources to drive meaningful change.
On 8 October at 13:30, the Chair of SCIE Board, Baroness Glenys Thornton, and its Head of Social Care Transformation and Improvement, Ellie Haworth, will deliver a keynote address titled ‘Policy and practice: building the future of adult social care together’ on the Keynote Stage. This will consider how the sector can become more consistent, more equitable and more confident in its own potential.
Ellie Haworth said: “This is a once-in-a-generation moment for social care. With reform firmly on the Government’s agenda, we have the chance to move beyond managing pressures and towards a more effective, efficient and safe future for the sector.
“Lasting transformation will depend on translating ambition into practice, with decisions grounded in evidence, informed by learning and focused on what makes the greatest difference to people’s lives.”
The SCIE invites attendees to visit Exhibition Stand N43 to learn more about how they can best be supported.
To view the full Care Show Birmingham conference programme and to register for free visit here.
