Helping vulnerable adults to keep safe
| Date | 01 February 2008 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14668203200800003 |
| Published date | 01 February 2008 |
| Pages | 7-12 |
| Author | Mick Collins,Mel Walford |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Sociology |
The Journal of Adult Protection Volume 10 Issue 1 • February 2008 ©Pavilion Publishing (Journals) Limited 7
key words
Keeping Safe, under-reporting,
prevention, courses and workshops,
investigation, people with learning
disabilities, aftercare, people
with mental health problems,
older people
abstract
Adult protection is about
prevention and, failing that,
investigation and aftercare.This
article describes innovative work in
Powys, mid Wales, where trainers
are working with vulnerable adults
to help them to reduce the risk that
they will be abused, or if the worst
happens, where to turn for help.
College staff have developed a
course that runs on one afternoon a
week for the academic year for
people with learning disabilities. For
people with mental health problems
the approach had been workshop
based, with a programme of six or
eight workshops run by skilled
trainers.For older people a third
approach has been developed
because there are so many older
people who need to hear about
Keeping Safe.After piloting one-off
workshops and presentations, the
trainer has worked with staff and
volunteers from a variety of
agencies who already work with
older people to train them as
trainers working in pairs.Those who
have received the training will be
delivering sessions in luncheon
clubs,day services, care homes etc.
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Background
In 2002 the Powys Adult Protection Committee (APC)
reviewed its progress in addressing the adult protection
agenda, for which In Safe Hands, published by the Welsh
Office in 2000 had been a watershed. The adult protection
co-ordinator identified for the APC that adult protection
work could usefully be considered in terms of three distinct
areas of activity: prevention, investigation and aftercare.
With respect to prevention, the main initiative of the APC
had been the provision of awareness raising training for the
staff of all agencies. The social services department made the
one-day training course mandatory for all staff. Powys Local
Health Board, which is also a health trust, soon followed suit
and jointly funded the training. It was delivered free to the
police and the independent sector as well as the social services
and LHB staff.
Investigation processes were refined and enshrined in
an updated policies and procedures document. Joint training
of police and social services investigators was developed.
Numbers of investigations rose year after year. However, the
aftercare of adults who experienced abuse was and remains
less developed and coherent.
It became increasingly apparent to the adult protection
co-ordinator that the focus of adult protection activity
was upon staff. Indeed, the Welsh Assembly in reviewing
adult protection work in Wales, reported a lack of inclusion
of the alleged victims in the way some Welsh counties
were approaching the work. There was a danger that the
work was paternalistic. It was for vulnerable adults, but
not with them.
Helping vulnerable
adults to keep safe Mick Collins
Policy and Development Manager,Powys Social
Services Department
Mel Walford
Independent Social Care Trainer and Consultant,
Wye Training Ltd
Practice paper
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