Alzheimer’s Society received 2,859 reports of safeguarding concerns in 2021-22, a 35% rise on the year before, according to recently filed documents.
The charity expanded its safeguarding team and a commissioned an independent review during the year after a concern was raised over its ability to process cases.
Of those cases reported in 2021-22, the charity assessed 45% as not reaching the safeguarding threshold and 37% were reported to a local authority.
Safeguarding cases increased from 2,113 in 2020-21, of which 71% were reported to a council.
“The capacity of our safeguarding team was expanded in [the] year. This included the appointment of an interim head of safeguarding in response to a concern raised as to the safeguarding team's capacity to process cases raised,” its accounts read.
“An independent review confirmed there were no significant issues and recommended some minor improvements.”
Alzheimer’s Society reported six serious incidents to the Charity Commission in 2021-22, in line with its three-year average, which it said were related to fraud, use of data and safeguarding.
Clare Livens, associate director of practice, safeguarding and learning at Alzheimer's Society, told Civil Society News: “Our central safeguarding team provides direct support across Alzheimer's Society for the management and oversight of safeguarding concerns. When a case meets the threshold for local authority involvement, we always refer people directly to their local authority to ensure their case is dealt with in a timely and effective way.”
She added that following an increase of safeguarding concerns shared to its central team, the charity commissioned an independent safeguarding review.
“This concluded no safeguarding concerns or resourcing issues within the team, it highlighted recommendations around our procedures, which we were already in the process of implementing as part of a commitment to continuous learning and improvement, to ensure efficient and supportive safeguarding responses.
“We train all our staff and volunteers to know what to do when there are safeguarding concerns about an individual they come into contact with, and continue to upskill and develop our whole workforce to better understand thresholds relating to adults at risk,” Livens said.
Increase in legacy income
Meanwhile, the charity posted a “record-breaking” fundraised income of £93.3m last year.
Its accounts for the year to 31 March 2022 show the fundraised income included £89m in donations and legacies, and £4.3m from trading.
Legacies drove the increase in fundraising income, increasing to £38.7m from £27.8m in 2020-21.
The accounts read: “Our income held up well following the easing of pandemic lockdowns and restrictions” adding that total income was £116.5m compared to £111.1m the year prior.
In a message from the director of finance and corporate resources, the accounts state 2021-22 “was another challenging and unpredictable year, as we slowly emerged from the global pandemic” though “we carefully managed the need to make some key investments whilst maintaining focus on our financial sustainability”.
The message adds the charity invested in fundraising through the return of some events, and increased research grants commitments, some of which had been paused due to the pandemic.
Expenditure increased to £91.9m, £4.8m more than in 2020-21, and the charity attributes this to reinvesting in external fundraising, awareness, and research activities.
Free reserves excluding designated funds were £59.8m, which is £27.8m above the charity’s reserves ceiling target.
Its mean gender pay gap as of 5 April 2021 was 22.2%, while the highest paid member of staff received between £150,001 - £160,000 in the financial year.
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