Neighbourhood Watch Safeguarding adults – Presentation 22 November 2012

Duncan Paterson – Haringey Council Safeguarding Adults & DOLS

Introduction We will cover: Basic safeguarding adults information Who is at risk? Data & How to prevent. Mental Capacity Act Resources Questions and answers

What is Abuse?

A violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons which results in significant harm. (Dept. of Health 2000)

Abuse is about…

The misuse of power and control that one person has over another.

Abuse may be…

A single act or repeated acts An act of neglect or a failure to act Multiple acts, for example, an adult at risk

may be neglected and also being financially abused.

Action on Elder Abuse input Refers to an expectation of trust that an older

person may rightly establish with another person, but which is subsequently violated.

Significant harm

This refers to: Ill treatment (including sexual abuse and forms

of ill treatment which are not physical) The impairment of, or an avoidable deterioration

in, physical or mental health and / or The impairment of physical, intellectual,

emotional, social or behavioural development.

Abuse can be seen in the following categories Physical Sexual Psychological / emotional Financial and material Neglect and acts of omission Discriminatory Institutional

Who is an Adult at Risk?

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).

Change of language

The term ‘adult at risk’ replaces ‘vulnerable adult’. It is an exact replacement for ‘vulnerable adult’.

Who is at Risk? Older people People with learning disabilities People with a mental illness People physically dependent

But….. factors may indicate an increased risk of abuse Poor communication skills PWLD – non-verbal, unsociable, engaged in self-

injury Older people – those most frail and dependent, quiet,

disorientated, unable to communicate People in their own homes – Over 85, in poor health & already in receipt of

services

Continued Financial abuse risk greater for: those living alone In poor health In receipt of services lonely

Who is affected? Action on Elder Abuse national study 2007: Found that 4% of older people had

experienced abuse in their own homes. This is 342,000 people.

Figure increased to 8.6% if every instance of abuse was included.

Haringey data 507 safeguarding referrals to Safeguarding

Adults Team (SAT) in 2011-2012. 4600 adults receive a service in Haringey.

45.1% relate to people over 65. Of these 13.2% over 85.

243 referrals identify place of abuse as person’s own home. 71 residential care.

147 referrals relate to financial abuse

Haringey data continued 93 referrals for people with a mental illness 78 referrals for people with a learning

disability Black Caribbean BME group overrepresented

in safeguarding referrals per Haringey pop. Asian, Chinese & Black African BME groups

underrepresented per Haringey pop.

18 - 2425 - 34

35 - 4445 - 54

55 - 6465 - 74

75 - 8485+

Unknown

43 45

52

72

5964

98

67

7

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Age Range of The Alleged Victim

Number of SOVA Alerts Received Between 1st April 2011 and 31st March 2012 By Age Range

PhysicalEmotional/

Psychological FinancialNeglect and acts

of omission SexualOther

InstitutionalDiscrimination

175173

147

100

38

31

1210

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Abuse Type

Number of SOVA Alerts Raised Between 1st April 2011 and 31st March 2012 By Type Of Abuse

People who cause the abuse Often known to the victim Study by Action on Elder Abuse 2007 found Perpetrators: Lived in same household in 2/3’s of cases Were the care provider in 2/5’s of cases

Haringey data - perpetrator 142 perpetrators lived with the victim 108 perpetrators were other family members 39 perpetrators were victim’s partner

How to refer

Via online safeguarding adults referral form to IAT@haringey.gov.uk

Tel: 0208 489 1400

Haringey Safeguarding Adults team

0208 489 3106

How to prevent abuse? Multi-agency working Information sharing Community safety and community

participation Public awareness Skills development with adults at risk

Prevention – what works? Training and education for service users and

staff For example, training projects with older

people and people with learning disabilities – mostly in care settings.

Community links work People benefit from having contact with a

range of people in the community. Reducing isolation through links with the

community can mean that there are more people who can be alert to the possibility of abuse as well as provide links to potential sources of support for adults at risk and family carers

What else? Avoid isolation or dependency Have more than one person keep an eye on

things Check that carers have skills and support to

care Self-protection

Be alert to the possibility of abuse without needlessly seeing abuse everywhere

Be prepared to act – report if needed.

Mental Capacity Act 2005 Sometimes people will choose a lifestyle

others see as poor. There is a difference between a chosen

pattern of behaviour and neglect. May need to apply the MCA 2005

MCA continued Always assume capacity unless proved

otherwise 2 stage assessment of capacity Act in person’s best interests Consider least restrictive options

Resources Guidance, procedures & law People Strategies Training Information & Leaflets

Guidance, procedures and law No Secrets 2000 Pan London Safeguarding adults procedures Care & Support Bill 2012 Mental Capacity Act 2005

People Haringey safeguarding adults team – strategy

& operational leads plus 3 social workers Haringey Safeguarding Adults Board Safeguarding leads – Whittington Health,

NHS Haringey, North Middlesex Hospital & BEH Mental Health Trust

Strategies Haringey Information Sharing Protocol SAB Business Plan Prevention strategy – forthcoming Overall safeguarding adults board strategy -

forthcoming

Training

Online training via Learning pool. Available at:

www.haringey.gov.uk/learn Taught courses - safeguarding basic

awareness & financial abuse

Information & leaflets Safeguarding adults leaflets SCIE At a Glance guide Mental Capacity Act 2005 guide Haringey website

http://harinet.haringey.gov.uk/index/social_care_and_health/safeguardingadults.htm