Effective practice, in line with legislation and guidance, is most likely to take place if there is consistency between the principles underpinning legislation, guidance and those promoted in the procedures.
Effective safeguarding requires:
- each practitioner and organisation to play their part and contribute to safeguarding and promoting the well-being of the adult at risk;
- information-sharing in accordance with sharing information to safeguard people;
- intra and multi-disciplinary working in order to better understand the individual and their circumstances and their needs for care, support and safety;
- co-productive working relationships with the adult at risk, their family and carers to establish what matters to them and to ensure they feel respected and informed.
More specifically, every person in contact with or working with adults at risk of abuse and neglect, their carers, and their families; or with adults who may pose a safeguarding risk; or are responsible for arranging services for children and/or adults, should:
- understand their role and responsibilities to safeguard and promote the welfare of adults at risk of abuse and neglect;
- be familiar with and follow their organisation’s procedures and protocols for safeguarding and know who to contact in their organisation to discuss concerns about an adult at risk of abuse and neglect and their duty to report;
- be alert to indicators of abuse and neglect;
- have access to and comply with the Wales Safeguarding Procedures;
- understand the principles and practice contained in Vol. 6 Handling Individual Cases;
- have received training to a level commensurate with their role and responsibilities;
- know when and how to report any concerns about abuse and neglect to social services or the police;
- know that an agency employee has a duty to report if an individual, family member of member of the public expresses concerns about a child’s or adult’s safety to them. they must never be asked to make a self-referral to social services or the police;
- be alert to and aware of the risks which individual abusers, or potential abusers, may pose to adults at risk of abuse and neglect;
- recognise when a care giver has compromised caring capacity, that is, problems which may affect their capacity to provide effective and appropriate care, or which may mean they pose a risk of harm;
- be aware of the impact and effects of abuse and neglect on adults at risk;
- understand the safeguarding process;
- share and help to analyse information so that an informed assessment can be made of the individual’s needs and circumstances;
- contribute as required to provide help or a specific service to the adult at risk or a member of their family as part of an agreed plan and contribute to the reviewing progress against person-centred outcomes;
- contribute as necessary at all stages of the safeguarding process;
- contribute to regularly reviewing outcomes against specific shared objectives;
- work co-operatively with the adult at risk, carers and families, unless this is inconsistent with the need to ensure the individual’s safety;
- be committed to fully co-operating with all other agencies in the interests of safeguarding adults at risk of abuse and neglect.