Abuse and Vulnerable Adults
Safeguarding and Protection of Vulnerable Adults
Understanding the Legislation, Regulations and Policies that underpin the protection of Vulnerable Adults
1.1 Analyse the differences between the concept of safeguarding and the concept of protection in relation to vulnerable adults
Safeguarding was defined in the Children’s Act of 1989, and is most commonly applied to children and young people under the age of eighteen. Key aspects of legislation have recently been extended to include similar standards of protection to ‘vulnerable adults’. A vulnerable adult is defined as a person aged eighteen or over, who has either a dependency upon others in the performance of, or require assistance in the performance of basic functions:
• A severe impairment in the ability to communicate with others
• A reduced ability to protect themselves from assault
• A reduced ability to protect themselves from abuse
• A reduced ability to protect themselves from neglect
This can be as a result of learning or physical disability, or physical or mental illness, chronic or otherwise (including an addiction to drugs or alcohol) or a reduction in physical or mental illness.
In March 2000 the ‘No Secrets’ Department of Health guidance was issued under Section 7 of the Local Authority Social Act 1970. It places a responsibility on Social Services to play a co-ordinating role in developing local policies and procedures for the protection of vulnerable adults from abuse. It states that other statutory agencies should work together ‘work together in partnership’ to ensure that appropriate policies, procedures and practices are in place and implemented locally. In 2005 the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services published ‘Safeguarding Adults’, a national framework of standards for good practice. This framework identified eleven standards of good practice standards which if implemented will lead to the development of consistent, high quality adult protection work. The
Understanding the Legislation, Regulations and Policies that underpin the protection of Vulnerable Adults
1.1 Analyse the differences between the concept of safeguarding and the concept of protection in relation to vulnerable adults
Safeguarding was defined in the Children’s Act of 1989, and is most commonly applied to children and young people under the age of eighteen. Key aspects of legislation have recently been extended to include similar standards of protection to ‘vulnerable adults’. A vulnerable adult is defined as a person aged eighteen or over, who has either a dependency upon others in the performance of, or require assistance in the performance of basic functions:
• A severe impairment in the ability to communicate with others
• A reduced ability to protect themselves from assault
• A reduced ability to protect themselves from abuse
• A reduced ability to protect themselves from neglect
This can be as a result of learning or physical disability, or physical or mental illness, chronic or otherwise (including an addiction to drugs or alcohol) or a reduction in physical or mental illness.
In March 2000 the ‘No Secrets’ Department of Health guidance was issued under Section 7 of the Local Authority Social Act 1970. It places a responsibility on Social Services to play a co-ordinating role in developing local policies and procedures for the protection of vulnerable adults from abuse. It states that other statutory agencies should work together ‘work together in partnership’ to ensure that appropriate policies, procedures and practices are in place and implemented locally. In 2005 the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services published ‘Safeguarding Adults’, a national framework of standards for good practice. This framework identified eleven standards of good practice standards which if implemented will lead to the development of consistent, high quality adult protection work. The