Protection of Vulnerable Adults scheme (POVA)
The Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) scheme was July 2004 was introduced to protect vulnerable adults such as people with learning disability who are aged 18 years and over in care settings. Employers or managers are required to check the POVA list when employing workers, carers or volunteers who are in regular contact with vulnerable adults. They also have a responsibility to refer care workers to the POVA list if they have harmed vulnerable adults in their care. When an individual's name is placed on the POVA list, that person is not able to work with vulnerable adults until his or her name is removed from the list.
The POVA scheme is designed to give significantly greater protection to vulnerable adults. Employers have a duty to check that potential new care workers are not on the POVA list before allowing them to work in a care position. They will have to do it as part of the CRB Disclosure application process.
Multi-agency working
Multi-agency working means different services, agencies, teams of professionals and other staff working together to provide services that meet the needs of vulnerable adults. As multi-agency working supports vulnerable adults such as learning disabled people, it puts them at the centre of decision making in order to meet their needs and improve their lives. Multi agency working encourages problems to be identified early and can be intervened. They share and manage information and keep the information up to date. They keep in track any improvements the clients have made or any improvements that needs to be made. They co-operate with each other. So, if there is any suspicion of abuse, they use the same strategies to deal with the abuse and safeguard adults from any harm or danger. In this way, it