Wales Safeguarding Repository

The Wales Safeguarding Repository (WSR) is a digital repository that brings together safeguarding reviews carried out in Wales since 2008 into a single, searchable location.

Reviews into a death or serious safeguarding incident can offer a significant source of learning for professionals across a range of agencies. Typically, reviews are large documents with many pages of detailed information brought together from different agencies involved in the case, interviews with those directly involved and other relevant reports. This project brings together skills from social sciences and computer science to create a single, searchable repository of safeguarding information using Natural Language Processing (NLP) and qualitative coding to extract themes and keywords.

Types of review located in the repository:

Domestic Homicide Reviews
Mental Health Homicide Reviews
Adult Practice Reviews
Child Practice Reviews

From 2024, a Single Unified Safeguarding Review (SUSR) replaces the multiple types noted above, becoming the template for all future safeguarding reviews carried out in Wales. As they are published, SUSRs will be uploaded to the WSR and available for searching.

Wales Safeguarding Repository users

Agencies such as Police, Social Services, Local Authorities
Individuals involved in safeguarding
Safeguarding review Chairs and Reviewers
Academic researchers

The importance of Wales Safeguarding Repository

There is currently no other existing repository that brings together the different types of historical reviews or makes their content searchable by keyword and theme. The repository is funded by Welsh Government to aid faster learning and will form a key part of the new SUSR process.

The repository will:

Make reports accessible to registered users in one location
Facilitate increased accountability for the implementation of recommendations
Support safeguarding professionals and agencies to implement learning more quickly on a local, regional and national level
Provide evidence to inform training and improve professional practice

Project Background

In 2018, two evidence-based reports were published: an academic analysis of death reviews led by Professor Amanda Robinson and an analysis of safeguarding practitioner perspectives led by Assistant Chief Constable Liane James on behalf of Welsh Government. Both reports analysed the existing safeguarding review landscape in Wales, as well as a sample of Domestic Homicide Reviews, Mental Health Homicide Reviews, Adult Practice Reviews and Child Practice Reviews. They highlighted the need for improved coordination, collaboration, communication and governance when conducting reviews, and recommendations from both pieces of work are reflected in the new Single Unified Safeguarding Review process. Following the reports by Robinson and James, Cardiff University was commissioned to develop the Wales Safeguarding Repository.