Word Count: 1650 (Without Refrencing)

Introduction

The HSE’s 2014 Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons at Risk of Abuse National Policy and Procedures
defines safeguarding as “putting measures in place to promote people’s human rights, health and
wellbeing, and empowering people to protect themselves.

Adult Safeguarding simply means ensuring all adults are safe from all harms and risks that might
arise from old age. Adult safeguarding is increasingly attracting policy and practice interest
internationally (Sethi et al., 2011).

Ireland currently relies on a range of criminal and civil law, alongside adult protection policy and
guidance to inform policy and practice. (Sarah et al, 2022). Adult protection initiatives are
increasingly being shown to be confined by the regulatory context in which they are implemented.
O’Donnell et al. (2015) discussed a couple of anomalies and discrepancies with the Irish legal
framework about adult safeguarding. They argued that “there is a need to address the dichotomy
between a client’s right to self-determination, and a social workers’ duty to protect their well-being
in the absence of a legal framework or mandate to access the resources needed to do this”. Every
adult can experience some degree of vulnerability and require help and treatment. Dunnion (2020)
however argues that People should not be subjected to significantly deteriorating care and service
quality to the point their very lives are at risk because of legal limitations.

Though, there might always be instances where a service provider will need to address an
individual’s safeguarding issues against the individual’s wish. According to the National Standards for
Adult Safeguarding; the response should be “proportionate and tailored to the person’s
circumstances, respect the person’s will and preferences; be the least restrictive; applied for the
shortest possible time; and subject to a timely review.” (HIQA&MHC; 2019)

Aims and Principles of Safe Guarding

In Safeguarding the adults; policymakers engaged all relevant stakeholders and came up with six (6)
germane principles. They are:

 Empowerment: This principle is based on the premise of giving individuals the required
knowledge, information and power to defend themselves against any harm and associated
injuries. It also helps to provide a guide on how to carry out day–to–day activities based on
their wish and interests. It also gives people the opportunity the “right to information” in a
more simplified manner and empowers them to have input about the care and services they
obtain.
 A rights-based approach: In all service delivery occupations; an individual’s rights should be
prioritized. According to John O’Brien; these rights include the right to autonomy, to be
treated with dignity and respect, to be treated in an equal and non-discriminatory manner,
to make informed choices, the right to privacy and the right to safety”. These rights have
their roots in the UN ratified human rights and equality.
 Proportionality: Services to be rendered to safeguard an adult should be in direct proportion
to the service users' wishes and preferences. Care workers should strive to strike a balance
between service rendered and service users’ needs.
 Prevention: Prevention helps to reduce the chances of harm, danger and loss. Care workers
and policymakers should always be preventive in their approach to safeguarding. Some of
 the preventive measures include care, support, and interventions designed to promote the
safety, well-being and rights of adults. (HIQA&MHC; 2019).
 Partnership: Working in isolation can negatively impacts the aim of adults' safeguarding.
Appropriate partnership and equal understanding with the service user, close relatives or
assigned person, and other health professionals can help to identify, address and prevent
possible harm/danger. As Williamson (2007) rightly said; “Though other health professionals
might not have clarity about their own role and responsibilities during a multi–agency
approach; clarity should always be sought before implementing service.
 Accountability: Care workers are to be held accountable for the quality of service they
rendered to the users. It also entails being open and fair in all dealings with the service
users.

The Procedure that follows a report of an adult safeguarding

a. Screening the Adult Protection Referral: As stated in the HSCB Adult Safeguarding
Operational Procedures; The designated adult protection officer (DAPO) will consider a lot of
other factors to decide the best line of action. Of all other factors that can be considered for
screening by HSCB; these three are critical to validate, establish contact ad protect the victim
and the referral.
 Consider immediate safeguards for the adult and take appropriate action to
meet identified safety needs.
 Ensure that face-to-face contact with the adult in need of protection is
completed without undue delay.
 Clarify basic facts and determine if the adult meets the definition of an adult
in need of protection.

The screening outcome can either show that the referred adult is in need of protection, or the
information provided is not sufficient enough. If it is validated that the adult needs protection; the
safeguarding process will be initiated.

b. Strategy Discussion: The relevant agency (Social care worker, security operatives, line
managers and any other agency depending on the severity of the abuse) has the need to
make discuss the safeguarding abuse or its indicators. The discussion will detail areas of
neglect or abuse, areas of needs and support. It is also important to contact the individual at
the centre of abuse and neglect. The service provider might also want to check past records.
During these strategy discussions; there are three points that should be prioritized above
others
 Reviewing the initial screening process and aftermath decision
 The mental capacity of the victim to take decisions on his/her own
 The wish of the adult victim

The outcome of the strategy discussion should involve clarity of steps to be taken, roles of all
agencies involved if it’s a multi-agency approach and who will be interfacing with the adult victim.

c. Investigation and Assessment: It is the responsibility of the assigned social care personnel to
validate the level of harm and risk so far. The investigation will also assess the possibility of
other related harms within the environment of the victim. During the course of the
safeguarding abuse or neglect proceedings, there might be a need for criminal or civil
investigation. At this stage; the team will gather detailed findings, conduct a comprehensive
 risk assessment, provide a justification for every extra activity and inform any
judgments/decision making, and present a detailed report on the investigation.
d. Implementation / Protection planning: As soon as the investigation and assessment are
done; the implementation and protection planning takes the action on how to protect the
victim which is the ultimate goal of the process. The implementation and protection meeting
should have all agencies and parties involved. They jointly consider the report and agree on
the execution plans. The HSCB recommended that the three points below should be well
highlighted in the outcome f the implementation and protection planning phase
 Consider any systemic, contractual or practice issues that must be referred
to the relevant organisation for action.
 Consider the need for further or additional information to be shared with
Human Resources
 The case conference should consider requirements to refer to other
regulatory or professional bodies.
e. Monitoring and Review: Continuous review of actions taken, review of persistence risks and
existing safeguarding process are important for process evaluation till all the indicators of
neglect and abuse are completely erased.
f. Closing the Adult Protection Process: After all stages has been finalized, the designated adult
protection officer (DAPO) will initiate closing the process. This process involves all parties
involved; sending reports to all necessary quarters and establishing that the adult is no more
at risk of any harm or abuse. It is also important to engage the victim and the referral to
evaluate if his/her expectations were met and to know the impact of the safeguarding
process on their mental/physical/ and emotional state.

Challenge of Supporting Vulnerable Adults to Make Their Own Decision While Reducing Risk of
Harm

As a social care worker; the cooperation of the service user is as important as the wish of the service
provider. The majority of the key challenge that might be experienced when supporting vulnerable
adults are person – centered.

A Few of the points will be discussed below

- Disclosure: In cases where the complainant isn’t the victim of the abuse or neglect; it takes a
certain level of effort for the victim to corroborate the report earlier given. This often results
in a stalemate as the safeguarding procedure has to be on hold till all investigation and
questioning have been concluded. This can be caused by fear of attack, job loss, and other
forms of victimization.
- Consent: It's vital to determine if a vulnerable individual offered a meaningful agreement to
an activity, interaction, or circumstance that might be called abusive. An act of neglect and
abuse reported by a third party might be a consented action by the individual. So, no matter
the effort of the social care workers; consent might override the call for safeguarding
procedure. Also, consenting to withhold certain workplace information might impact the
effective delivery and monitoring of safeguarding procedures. It is important to stress that
for a consent to be legitimate; It must be free, well explained, and done with a good mindset
- Capacity: It is critical that the service user is aware and has input in making decisions about
him/her/they. In the absence of the service user’s capacity to take decisions at all or make
the best decision in his/her/their own interest; safeguarding procedures can be impacted
and poses more harm to the service user.
 - Lack of enough information and support: If the social care provider does not have adequate
information; there is really little support that can be given to the service users.

Conclusion

From the text above, we have been able to identify the principles of safeguarding, the procedure
that follows the report and the associated challenges with supporting vulnerable adults. They all
point to the important role of the service user at all stages.
References

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