The Journal of Adult Protection

Chih Hoong Sin; Annie Hedges; Chloe Cook; Nina Mguni; Natasha Comber

2011 The Journal of Adult Protection

doi: 10.1108/14668201111139718

Purpose – This paper aims to discuss the sensible management of risk for disabled people, which can turn into disproportionate steps to attempt to completely eliminate risk, leading to diminished opportunities across life. Instincts to protect are heightened in the context of disabled people as potential victims of targeted violence and hostility. Individual‐, organisational‐ and systemic‐level responses can often be orientated towards protection and/or the minimisation of risk rather than towards providing access to justice and effective redress. Design/methodology/approach – This paper draws on evidence generated through a literature review, interviews with disabled people and interviews with representatives from a number of key organisations. Findings – For many disabled people, incidents can be persistent and ongoing. Common responses by disabled victims include avoidance and/or acceptance strategies. They are also advised by those around them and by agency staff they come in contact with to ignore perpetrators or to avoid putting themselves at risk. Criminal justice agencies may be more concerned about a victim's disability than about taking action to provide access to justice and effective redress. The protectionistic approach underpinning much of policy, legislation and guidance can be at odds with the positive promotion of disability equality. Originality/value – The paper examines the need to move away from a protectionist paradigm to a rights‐based paradigm. It calls for a more inclusive approach where disabled people are involved meaningfully in the process of risk management and in other decisions around combating targeted violence and hostility against them.

Sin, Chih Hoong; Hedges, Annie Hoong; Cook, Chloe Hoong; Mguni, Nina Hoong; Comber, Natasha Hoong

2011 The Journal of Adult Protection

doi: 10.1108/14668201111139718

Purpose - This paper aims to discuss the sensible management of risk for disabled people, which can turn into disproportionate steps to attempt to completely eliminate risk, leading to diminished opportunities across life. Instincts to protect are heightened in the context of disabled people as potential victims of targeted violence and hostility. Individual-, organisational- and systemic-level responses can often be orientated towards protection and/or the minimisation of risk rather than towards providing access to justice and effective redress. Design/methodology/approach - This paper draws on evidence generated through a literature review, interviews with disabled people and interviews with representatives from a number of key organisations. Findings - For many disabled people, incidents can be persistent and ongoing. Common responses by disabled victims include avoidance and/or acceptance strategies. They are also advised by those around them and by agency staff they come in contact with to ignore perpetrators or to avoid putting themselves at risk. Criminal justice agencies may be more concerned about a victim's disability than about taking action to provide access to justice and effective redress. The protectionistic approach underpinning much of policy, legislation and guidance can be at odds with the positive promotion of disability equality. Originality/value - The paper examines the need to move away from a protectionist paradigm to a rights-based paradigm. It calls for a more inclusive approach where disabled people are involved meaningfully in the process of risk management and in other decisions around combating targeted violence and hostility against them.

Ruth Ingram

2011 The Journal of Adult Protection

doi: 10.1108/14668201111139727

Purpose – This paper aims to present a simple conceptual framework, outlining four pathways for guiding multi‐agency involvement in different situations of adult abuse. Design/methodology/approach – The essential elements of best practice for each pathway are described. Findings – The four situations is a framework that, together with the seven‐stage safeguarding adults pathway, has been evidenced through practice to provide a conceptual tool on which to base multi‐agency activity in response to a large variety of concerns about safeguarding adults. Originality/value – The four situations framework creates a straight‐forward template that provides guidance to all concerned as to which organisations will be involved in the steps of developing the safeguarding pathways and what their roles and responsibilities will be.

Ingram, Ruth

2011 The Journal of Adult Protection

doi: 10.1108/14668201111139727

Purpose - This paper aims to present a simple conceptual framework, outlining four pathways for guiding multi-agency involvement in different situations of adult abuse. Design/methodology/approach - The essential elements of best practice for each pathway are described. Findings - The four situations is a framework that, together with the seven-stage safeguarding adults pathway, has been evidenced through practice to provide a conceptual tool on which to base multi-agency activity in response to a large variety of concerns about safeguarding adults. Originality/value - The four situations framework creates a straight-forward template that provides guidance to all concerned as to which organisations will be involved in the steps of developing the safeguarding pathways and what their roles and responsibilities will be.

Elaine Cass

2011 The Journal of Adult Protection

doi: 10.1108/14668201111139736

Purpose – This short briefing aims to discuss Social Care Institute for Excellence's (SCIE's) work in safeguarding adults. Design/methodology/approach – SCIE has produced a research briefing on self‐directed support and personal budgets, and work on restraint, personalisation and risk as well as other projects that promote best practice in adult protection. Findings – Placing the person at the centre of safeguarding processes will support practitioners to move away from “service‐led” procedure‐focused responses. Originality/value – Together, these resources aim to improve access to up‐to‐date knowledge. This will support the rapid pace of change in safeguarding practice.

Cass, Elaine

2011 The Journal of Adult Protection

doi: 10.1108/14668201111139736

Purpose - This short briefing aims to discuss Social Care Institute for Excellence's (SCIE's) work in safeguarding adults. Design/methodology/approach - SCIE has produced a research briefing on self-directed support and personal budgets, and work on restraint, personalisation and risk as well as other projects that promote best practice in adult protection. Findings - Placing the person at the centre of safeguarding processes will support practitioners to move away from ‘'service-led'’ procedure-focused responses. Originality/value - Together, these resources aim to improve access to up-to-date knowledge. This will support the rapid pace of change in safeguarding practice.

Richard Humphries

2011 The Journal of Adult Protection

doi: 10.1108/14668201111139745

Purpose – This report aims to summarise the principal conclusions from the pilot reviews and key learning points to assist the improvement of safeguarding policy and practice. Design/methodology/approach – A pilot programme of peer reviews of adult safeguarding arrangements was carried out in four English local authorities by Local Government Improvement and Development in 2009‐2010. The pilot programme sought to customise, test and adapt this established peer review methodology to adult safeguarding. Findings – Key messages from the peer reviews of the adult safeguarding arrangements include: outcomes and experience of people who use services; leadership, strategy and commissioning; service delivery, effective practice and performance and resource management; and working together. Originality/value – Councils may need to revisit how they develop their safeguarding arrangements in the light of major policy, financial and demographic shifts over the next few years.

Humphries, Richard

2011 The Journal of Adult Protection

doi: 10.1108/14668201111139745

Purpose - This report aims to summarise the principal conclusions from the pilot reviews and key learning points to assist the improvement of safeguarding policy and practice. Design/methodology/approach - A pilot programme of peer reviews of adult safeguarding arrangements was carried out in four English local authorities by Local Government Improvement and Development in 2009-2010. The pilot programme sought to customise, test and adapt this established peer review methodology to adult safeguarding. Findings - Key messages from the peer reviews of the adult safeguarding arrangements include: outcomes and experience of people who use services; leadership, strategy and commissioning; service delivery, effective practice and performance and resource management; and working together. Originality/value - Councils may need to revisit how they develop their safeguarding arrangements in the light of major policy, financial and demographic shifts over the next few years.

Williams, Simon

2011 The Journal of Adult Protection

doi: 10.1108/14668201111139754

Purpose - The paper aims to appraise professional practice in safeguarding vulnerable adults. It will examine the mechanisms in place and discuss how future policy will affect multi-agency working in this field. Design/methodology/approach - The paper examines recent consultations, policy development, inspectorate reports and legal guidance surrounding the issue of safeguarding adults in England and Wales, and suggests ways in which inter-agency working can be strengthened. Findings - Safeguarding systems need to be timely, rigorous and transparent to increase levels of public confidence and to ensure that the people who are at most risk of being abused are safe when accessing public services. The concept of safeguarding adults is increasingly being integrated into government policy and there are many successful examples of safeguarding partnership working in England and Wales. However, there are also substantial barriers that hinder organisations from working together effectively, such as different cultures, practices and ideologies. Originality/value - The paper explores the fact that there needs to be clarification of roles and responsibilities and integration of processes, and acceptance of true multi-agency working. There is a danger that instead of providing extra protection for adults at risk, multiple routes will result in a lack of co-ordination.

Simon Williams

2011 The Journal of Adult Protection

doi: 10.1108/14668201111139754

Purpose – The paper aims to appraise professional practice in safeguarding vulnerable adults. It will examine the mechanisms in place and discuss how future policy will affect multi‐agency working in this field. Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines recent consultations, policy development, inspectorate reports and legal guidance surrounding the issue of safeguarding adults in England and Wales, and suggests ways in which inter‐agency working can be strengthened. Findings – Safeguarding systems need to be timely, rigorous and transparent to increase levels of public confidence and to ensure that the people who are at most risk of being abused are safe when accessing public services. The concept of safeguarding adults is increasingly being integrated into government policy and there are many successful examples of safeguarding partnership working in England and Wales. However, there are also substantial barriers that hinder organisations from working together effectively, such as different cultures, practices and ideologies. Originality/value – The paper explores the fact that there needs to be clarification of roles and responsibilities and integration of processes, and acceptance of true multi‐agency working. There is a danger that instead of providing extra protection for adults at risk, multiple routes will result in a lack of co‐ordination.