Nellie on the Sofa | April 2026 – Safeguarding, Deputies & the Law with Kirsty Findlay

This month we're joined by Kirsty Findlay — independent social worker, former NHS senior safeguarding practitioner, and co-founder of Beyond the File. With a background spanning law, forensic social work, youth justice, Court of Protection, and domestic homicide reviews, Kirsty brings a rare and powerful mix of legal and social care knowledge to the sofa. We cover a huge amount of ground in this one — from what safeguarding actually means for professional deputies and solicitors, to how the Mental Capacity Act can (and can't) be used when vulnerable people are at risk. In this episode we discuss: Kirsty's journey from law to social work How MARAC works and why it doesn't yet have a statutory footing Domestic homicide reviews, safeguarding adult reviews, and why "lessons will be learned" isn't always the eye-roll moment the media makes it. Care leavers, domestic abuse, and the Government's new review into their deaths Safeguarding responsibilities for professional deputies and solicitors — including the Care Act, the SRA, and the OPG What to do when you have a gut feeling (or "professional ick") about financial exploitation but no evidence The difference between capacity concerns and safeguarding thresholds — and why the MCA cannot be used as a workaround The recently published Court of Protection case JW 2026 — and the complex intersection of domestic abuse, coercive control, and mental capacity assessment The child safeguarding continuum: universal services → early help → child in need → child protection Whether you're a deputy, solicitor, social worker, or anyone who works with vulnerable adults and children — this one is essential listening. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode of Nellie on the Sofa. Kirsty Findlay | Beyond the File: www.beyondthefile.com Nellie Supports: www.nelliesupports.com Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome & introducing Kirsty ~02:00 – Kirsty's background: law, America, and retraining as a social worker ~03:00 – Forensic social work explained ~04:00 – Beyond the File: what they do ~06:00 – MARAC: what it is and how it works ~12:00 – Domestic homicide reviews and safeguarding adult reviews ~17:00 – "Lessons will be learned" — what really happens after tragedies ~20:00 – The Bronson Battersby case ~24:00 – Care leavers and domestic abuse ~31:00 – Safeguarding duties for deputies and solicitors ~36:00 – Data protection vs safeguarding: the myth that stops information sharing ~40:00 – Financial vulnerability, sudden inheritance, and undue influence ~42:00 – Child safeguarding: the continuum of need ~51:00 – Mental Capacity Act — what it can and can't do in safeguarding ~54:00 – JW 2026: the Court of Protection case on coercive control and capacity