Pointers for Practice: Working with the adult at risk during enquiries into abuse and neglect

West Midlands Safeguarding Boards have taken the key principles for good practice when safeguarding adults and translated them into a check list to be considered throughout the responding to report process. These have been adapted below into questions that practitioners should ask of themselves to ensure person-centred practice.

Throughout this process it is important, where possible, to act at a pace that is right for the adult at risk so that they have as much control as is feasible over their life.

Bearing in mind the extent to which the adult at risk wants and can engage in the safeguarding process,

• How am I establishing the preferred interests and best interests of the adult at risk?
• How have I taken these into account during the initial checks and evaluation?
• What have I done to facilitate and support engagement of the adult at risk taking account the individual’s needs?
• Have I shared information about the adult at risk appropriately in a way that considers the personal and sensitive nature of the information?
• How have I worked with other agencies to find the most effective solution to the adult at risk’s safety, care and support needs?
• What evidence do I have that I explained my role and responsibilities in a manner that the adult at risk is able to understand?

If the adult at risk has ‘substantial difficulty’ in understanding information, Have I:

• Found an appropriate person to represent the adult at risk
• Do they know the person well?
• Established they are willing and able to represent the adult?

Examples of appropriate people include: those with power of attorney, spouse, family member, friend, informal carer.

It is very unlikely that the person who is suspected of the abuse or neglect, such as partner, is an appropriate person.

If there is no-one who could act in this role then an independent advocate should be appointed.

For further information see:

West Midlands Safeguarding Adult Procedures, for example, (Accessed 13/7/2019)