Speak Up For Safety

Community Integrated Care’s national Speak Up For Safety campaign is co-produced with people who draw on care and support, alongside their care teams. It addresses the real issues that people within social care face and focuses on the areas where they most want to build skills and understanding, to access support and feel safer in their local communities.

The campaign began when we saw the barriers that many of the people we support face when accessing their communities, due to past experiences of discrimination. To address this, we established a focus group of people with lived experience, collaborating closely with representatives from the police force.

Together, we developed resources and solutions tailored to real safety needs, offering practical guidance, building confidence, and fostering greater independence. This has now become a really important annual campaign for Community Integrated Care, always taking place during October’s National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Last year, almost 100 care services and community groups across the country participated in the programme, with feedback showing a significant increase in confidence among colleagues and individuals in recognising, reporting, and responding to crime.

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Some of the key topics covered by our programme include:

• Building stronger relationships between care services and local police.
• Supporting people to recognise and respond to anti-social behaviour and hate crime.
• Understanding what resources are available.
• Practical guidance on reporting crimes, helping people access support, and advocating for the rights of people with disabilities.

In the coming years, we plan to continue working the people with lived experience and representatives from local and national police forces, to offer annual campaigns, ongoing training for our teams, and accessible resources. Together, we’re laying the foundation for safer, more inclusive communities – where everyone has the tools, support and encouragement to live boldly and independently.