SAFEGUARDING VULNERABLE ADULTS

Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults

Writer's Name

Supervisor's Name

Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults

Thesis Statement

The safeguarding of vulnerable adults is such an issue that has become extremely important in the past several years.

Introduction

The No secrets guidance state that a vulnerable adult is an individual who is or may be in some kind of community care services by reason of psychological or any other kind of disability, age, poor health and who is or may be not capable to look after him or herself or not capable to defend him or herself against any noteworthy kind of damage or misuse (Mandelstam 2009, pp. 15). The mistreatment and exploitation of vulnerable adults is such a subject of matter that has become extremely important in the past several years particularly in terms of creating public awareness. It has now given more importance in the priority ladder of a number of communities, homes and organisations through the growth of effectual responses and a good development has been made.

Discussion

In the year 2000, the Department of Health published guidance called No secrets, which aimed primarily but not only at local social services authorities and concerned with protecting vulnerable adults from any kind of abuse. It gave authorities the lead in adult protection and in coordinating other local agencies including the NHS, the police, housing providers etc. The term adult protection or protecting vulnerable adults began to be widely used and in 2007 that term was replaced in turn being by another, safeguarding adults.

There are several ways that allegations of abuse are dealt with and some understandable confusions about the decision making process for how allegations or concerns within an organisation are investigated which includes internal investigations, serious case reviews and inquiries. Serious case reviews are referred to in Safeguarding Adults (ADSS 2005), were introduced as a requirement under the Department of Health Guidance Working Together to Safeguarding Children and No secrets did not offer any specific guidance on such reviews. ADSS under standard 1 included them in their guidance and referred to the need to have safeguarding adults' serious review protocol and a settled procedure for the commissioning and responsibility of such reviews. The purpose of the review is to learn from past experiences, improve practice and enhance procedures in the lights of lessons learned. The focus of inquiry is to gain insight and knowledge into why something has occurred, in this instance why abuse occurred, its context and its repercussions ...