The Board to receive a presentation on safeguarding and the context of the framework Adult Social Services works within.
Minutes:
The Board listened to an extensive presentation given by Officers from Adult Social Services Department on Adult Safeguarding which provided Members with a factual overview of safeguarding and to provide the context of the framework Adult Social Services works within.
The presentation gave an extensive overview of:
- Who is a vulnerable adult
- What is abuse - the types of abuse and where this happens
- Responding to safeguarding by Alerter, Management, Social
Workers and Safeguarding Adults Enquiry Co-ordinators
- Responding to Safeguarding – the outcomes including criminal and non-criminal matters.
- What to do to make sure that the abused person is safe and receiving any medical attention needed.
- What to do if a crime has been committed and the basic information required.
- Terminology for abuse, protection and safeguarding.
- An example of a recent Case Study.
The Chair welcomed the following Officers to the meeting who responded to Members’ questions and comments on the awareness session:
· Sandie Keene – Director of Adult Social Services
· Dennis Holmes – Chief Officer Social Care Commissioning
· Christine Clark – Safeguard Adults Co-ordinator
· Emma Mortimer – Adult Protection Co-ordinator
The following leaflets were tabled at the meeting for the information of Members:
· ‘Safeguarding adults from abuse or mistreatment’ – the leaflet explains what adult abuse was and told you where to go in Leeds for advice and support. Members were also informed that this leaflet was in the process of being updated with new contact telephone details.
· ‘Keeping yourself safe’ – an information leaflet for adults who have a learning disability in Leeds.
· ‘Multi-Agency Policy, Procedure and Practice Guidelines – an information leaflet for staff/volunteers who work with vulnerable adults in Leeds.
The main areas of clarification and discussion were:
· Clarification on procedure when a criminal act had been committed, or where the abused fears repercussions.
In response, the officer informed the meeting that there were a number of considerations to be made including the wishes of the individual, mental capacity and whether a criminal act had been committed to assess the form of action. Effective communication was important especially if action had to be taken against the wishes of that person or without their consent. Advocacy support was also offered to help and support to the complainants to help them through their ordeal.
Members felt that people need to understand that abuse can take all sorts of forms and that action needs to be taken to protect them and others who
may also come into contact with the abuser.
· In the case study the abusers were volunteer workers, how would their services be withdrawn?
In response, the officer informed the meeting that the Police would be involved and arrests would be made as part of the process taken through the criminal justice system.
· There were various contact points such as Advocacy Network, Victim Support Helpline etc listed in the leaflet ‘Safeguarding adults from abuse or mistreatment’ how are these cases co-ordinated and does this system work well?
In response, the officer informed the meeting that Leeds Adult Social Care
were the lead agency and that the other agencies had an obligation to pass on information. The process did work effectively as Leeds Adult Social Care had established a close working relationship with the other agencies across Leeds, although there was always work that could be done to make improvements on any service. One of the objectives in the action plan was aimed at improving this service.
· Members expressed their concern that the study carried out in 2004 showed that 64% of abuse cases were actually carried out in people’s own homes often by members of their own family. What ways had the department encouraged people abused in their own homes to come forward?
In response, the officer informed the meeting that the leaflet ‘Safeguarding Adults from Abuse or Mistreatment’ had been written for the general public. The leaflet was now on general release in libraries, doctors surgeries, ALMOs, community centres, care agencies etc. Those who already receive a care service from the Council had already had these leaflets delivered by their care workers.
Members expressed their concern that some of the leaflets were quite complex for people with learning difficulties or those suffering from dementia.
In response, the officer informed the meeting that there was also a leaflet published for those people with learning difficulties.
· Clarification was sought on whether the leaflets were being put on display in banks, credit union offices or the Citizens Advice Bureau for those people who might find themselves being abused financially.
In response, the officer informed the meeting that they were currently working on a marketing campaign to reach vulnerable people using media such as BBC Radio Leeds, poster campaigns and a range of different ways to increase awareness and get the information to people. More work needs to be done on the campaign and that banks, credit union offices and the Citizens Advice Bureau could potentially be included.
· How many complaints had the Council received?
In response, the officer informed the meeting the Council received around 800 complaints, compared with last year when 500 complaints were received. It was felt that the increase in the number of complaints received were due to the increase in awareness.
· How long was it before someone was in touch with the complainant once abuse had been reported?
In response, the officer informed the meeting that there used to be no timescale but with the new safeguarding policy there was now a response within 24 hours for serious cases and 48 hours for less serious cases. For life threatening cases there was an immediate response.
Members felt it was essential that response times should always be explained to the complainant at the time of reporting their complaint.
· Does the list of 800 cases show the type of abuse i.e. physical, sexual,
emotional etc?
In response, the officer informed the meeting that Leeds Safeguarding Board publish this type of information and it would be included in their annual report. Cases were listed not just in terms of type of abuse but gender, age and geographical area etc.
· Were the outcomes of cases involving criminal matters included in the annual report?
In response, the officer informed the meeting that the outcomes of criminal matters were not reported at the present time and that the system would actually be revised to include this information. The Director also informed the meeting that the department would not have the figures for those cases going through the criminal justice system for the whole year and they had just started collecting this information.
· Clarification was sought on those cases involving refugees or asylum seekers who had racial abuse or had been denied health care and support etc. How was this kind of case work being dealt with?
In response, the officer informed the meeting that cases were dealt with by the kind of abuse through different agencies but it was an issue certainly worth monitoring by the department.
Members felt that contact with the Asylum Seekers network might be a group of people to be included in their network of agencies.
Board Members thanked Officers for producing such a helpful and informative presentation.
RESOLVED - That the contents of the presentationbe noted and that any outstanding issues referred to above be dealt with by those officers now identified within the minutes.
Note: Councillor P Ewens joined the meeting at 10.35 a.m. during discussions on the above item.