SAFEGUARDING: PART 2

Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of vulnerable persons and protect them from harm, abuse, exploitation.
Principles of safeguarding.
Empowerment: Supporting and encouraging individuals to make their own decisions and informed consent.
Prevention: It is better to take action before harm occurs.
Proportionality: The least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented.
Protection: Support and representation for those in greatest need.
Partnership: Providing local solutions through services working with their communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse.
Accountability: Accountability and transparency in safeguarding practice

Types of abuse
Discriminatory abuse: This includes:
Racist, ageist, homophobic or sexist abuse
Abuse based on a person’s disability.
Harassment or slurs
Not making provision for disability or sensory impairment
Denying someone the opportunity to attend a place of worship.
Indicators of discriminatory abuse include:
Non-provision of appropriate food, clothing etc.
Denial of religious/cultural needs
Acceptance of racist language or language which denigrates someone’s disability
Lack of respect
Loss of interest, emotional withdrawal and symptoms of depression
Self-harm
Defensiveness
Aggression or challenging behaviour.

Institutional abuse: This is any type of abuse resulting from routines and regimes within care settings which deny people’s rights, choices, and opportunities. Institutional abuse can be caused by:
weak or oppressive management
inadequate staffing (numbers, competence
Inadequate supervision or support,
“Closed communication”,
lack of knowledge of Whistle-blowing policies,
lack of training
Indicators to institutional abuse may be:
Denial of rights
Threats of punishment, loss of personal possessions or eviction in order to gain compliant behaviour.
Denial of food, drink, adequate clothing and/or suitable living environment
Denial of access to friends, Family, Solicitor, Doctor, Care Manager etc.
Denial of access to money, access to information about self, information about rights and responsibilities of the management of the home/service
A culture which does not respect personal dignity.
FACTORS ASSOIATED WITH ABUSE
Common underlying reasons for abuse of vulnerable adults include:
Stress
Psychological or mental health problems
Lack of support
Alcohol or substance misuse
Revenge/anger
Poor understanding/lack of awareness
Premeditated self-interest and self-gratification