What is a Safeguarding Adults Review
Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SAR’s) are a statutory review process, under Section 44 of the Care Act 2014, for adults with care and support needs who have died or been seriously harmed through abuse or neglect. The review aims to find out what agencies did well and what they could’ve done better as a partnership.
The aim of the process is to learn lessons and make improvements, not to apportion blame to individual people or organisations.
A SAR is about promoting effective learning and improvement to prevent future deaths or serious harm occurring again.
Further information can be found in the Care and Support Statutory Guidance, Chapter 14, paragraphs 14.133 and 14.134.
More information on Safeguarding Adults Reviews and how they are undertaken across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough can be found in Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Safeguarding Adults Boards Safeguarding Adults Review Guidance
Referring a case for a Safeguarding Adults Review
Referring a case for a Safeguarding Adults Review: The referral form for a SAR can be found here: SAR Referral Form 2025 Completed forms should be returned to the Safeguarding Board Team Mailbox: safeguardingboards@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
IMPORTANT – do not use the SAR Referral form to make a safeguarding adult referral. To make a referral please visit Professionals – Making a Referral
Safeguarding Adults Review Criteria
There are three broad circumstances under which the Care Act 2014 legislation suggests a Safeguarding Adults Review may take place. The legislation makes a distinction between those circumstances where the SAB must or may arrange a SAR.
The SAB must arrange for there to be a review of a case involving an adult in its area with needs for care and support (whether or not the local authority has been meeting any of those needs) if:
- There is reasonable cause for concern about the SAB, members of it or other persons with relevant functions worked together to safeguard the adult; and
- Either
- The adult has died and the SAB knows or suspects that the death resulted from abuse or neglect (whether or not it knew about or suspected the abuse or neglect before the adult died; Or
- The adult is still alive and the SAB knows or suspects that the adult has experienced serious abuse or neglect
A SAB may arrange for there to be a review of any other case involving an adult in its area with needs for care and support (whether or not the local authority has been meeting any of those needs).
Published Safeguarding Adult Reviews
| Review Name | Date of Publication | Local Authority Area | Review document links | Themes |
Chris | 9 February 2026 | Peterborough | Chris SAR Executive Summary |
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Ben | 19 January 2026 | Peterborough | Ben Safeguarding Adults Review |
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Jessica | 19 January 2026 | Cambridgeshire | Jessica Safeguarding Adults Review |
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Norman | 19 January 2026 | Cambridgeshire | Norman Safeguarding Adults Review |
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Joe | 6 May 2025 | Cambridgeshire |
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Patricia | 6 May 2025 | Cambridgeshire |
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Richard | 6 May 2025 | Cambridgeshire |
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Declan | 4 October 2025 | Cambridgeshire | Declan Safeguarding Adults Review |
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Esther | 2 December 2022 | Cambridgeshire |
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Mark | 2 December 2022 | Cambridgeshire |
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John | 2 December 2022 | Cambridgeshire | John Safeguarding Adults Review |
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Miss Y | 18 January 2022 | Cambridgeshire | Miss Y Safeguarding Adults Review |
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Carol | 17 December 2021 | Cambridgeshire | Carol Safeguarding Adults Review |
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Simon | 17 December 2021 | Cambridgeshire | Simon Safeguarding Adults Review Briefing |
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Dorothy | 11 June 2021 | Peterborough |
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Peter | 16 November 2020 | Cambridgeshire |
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Arthur | 14 August 2019 | Peterborough |
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Katharine | 11 June 2018 | Cambridgeshire | Katherine Safeguarding Adults Review |
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Care Home A | 7 April 2016 | Peterborough |
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Mrs MX | 7 March 2016 | Peterborough |
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