How To Safeguard Adults

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PUBLISHED JANUARY 2011 REVIEW JANUARY 2014 ADULTS’ SERVICES SCIE REPORT 39 Protecting adults at risk: London multi-agency policy and procedures to safeguard adults from abuse ADULTs’ sERVICEs sCIE REPORT 39 ADULTs’ sERVICEs Protecting adults at risk: London multi-agency policy and procedures to safeguard adults from abuse Produced by the Social Care Institute for Excellence with the Pan London Adult Safeguarding Editorial Board i First published in Great Britain in January 2011 by the Social Care Institute for Excellence © SCIE 2011 All rights reserved ISBN 1-904812-50-0 Produced by SCIE with the Pan London Adult Safeguarding Editorial Board This report is available online www.scie.org.uk Social Care Institute for Excellence…show more content…
• Actions to protect the adult from abuse should always be given high priority by all organisations involved. Concerns or allegations should be reported without delay and given high priority. • Organisations working to safeguard adults at risk should make the dignity, safety and well-being of the individual a priority in their actions. • As far as possible organisations must respect the rights of the person causing harm. If that person is also an adult at risk they must receive support and their needs must be addressed. • Staff will understand their role and responsibilities in regard to this policy and procedures. • Every effort should be made to ensure that adults at risk are afforded appropriate protection under the law. • Organisations will have their own internal operational procedures which relate to these multi-agency Safeguarding Adults policy and procedures, including complaints, and in respect of support to staff who raise concerns (‘whistleblowing’) to comply with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. • Organisations will ensure that all staff and volunteers are familiar with policies relating to Safeguarding Adults, know how to recognise abuse and how to report and respond to it. • Organisations will ensure that staff and volunteers will have access to training that is appropriate to their level of responsibility and…show more content…
This is because the term ‘vulnerable adult’ may wrongly imply that some of the fault for the abuse lies with the adult abused. The term ‘adult at risk’ is used as an exact replacement for ‘vulnerable adult’, as used throughout No secrets. However, this section gives some more detail as to what this term can mean in practice. An adult aged 18 years or over ‘who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation’ (DH, 2000). This definition is taken from the current Department of Health guidance to local partnerships. Other definitions exist in partner organisations. An adult at risk may therefore be a person who: is elderly and frail due to ill health, physical disability or cognitive impairment has a learning disability has a physical disability and/or a sensory impairment has mental health needs including dementia or a personality disorder has a long-term illness/condition misuses substances or alcohol is a carer such as a family member/friend who provides personal assistance and care to adults and is subject to abuse • is unable to demonstrate the capacity to make a decision and is in need of care and support. (This list is not exhaustive.) • • • • • •
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