4 Principles of Safeguarding and Duty of Care in Health and Social Care

This article discusses the principles of safeguarding and duty of care in health and social care. It covers the legislation and policies related to safeguarding, the roles of various agencies in protecting individuals from abuse, signs of abuse, and actions to take. It also provides information on accessing safeguarding support services.

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................1
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................2

MAIN BODY
1.1: Safeguarding is an action which is taken fro promoting the children's welfare and save them
from the harmful environment. Safeguarding means, saving the children from maltreatment and
various abuse. Stopping or preventing harm for development or health of the children. Making
sure children develop with the provision of effective and safe care.
1.2: There are various legislation and policies which relate to safeguarding. That legislation and
policies are following:
 Safeguarding vulnerable groups acts 2006
 The care act 2014
 The children act 1998
 The children act 2004
 Equality act 2010
 The children and Social care act 2017
 The mental capacity act 2005
 The deprivation of liberty safeguard 2009
 FGM ( female genital mutation act) 2003 and so on.
1.3: “Safeguarding” pertains to the procedures and action taken to encourage the welfare for
vulnerable people and save them from harm. Protocols, procedure and practice guidelines
provides a frame to direct and clarify responsibilities and roles as per the latest legislation. The
legislative guidelines in place to provides a guide to professionals in their roles to make sure they
do not break legislative need and adhere to the legislation. Legislation creates out the the rules
and laws and so, the standard or procedure that organisations and human being must follow. So,
laws can be utilised for enforcing the actions course as set out within a policy, but the policies
may also be accepted as manner of satisfying legislative communities.
1.4: On the problem of abuse, like local system and national policies which associate for
protection, people can differentiate court of protection, care quality commissions (CQC), crown
prosecution service (CPS), housing organisations, The deprivation of liberty safeguards (DOLS),
The corner, no secrets (Adult protection), The independent and safeguarding Authority (ISA), the
care home policy, The mental capacity act 2005, and The office of the public guardian (OPG).
The roles of various agencies in protecting and safeguarding individuals from abuse
1

 Court of protection: It deals with orders and decision influencing human being who do
no have capacity. The court can take key decision in regards to welfare, financial affairs
and health. The court has potential to take decision whether an individual has power to
take a specific decision to themselves. Orders and decisions on welfare and financial
matters influencing human .
 CQC (care quality commission): It must always be made alert of a safeguarding child
and adults concern in a regulated services.
 Housing Organisation: its staff are in the position for recognising tenants who are at risk
of abuse and vulnerable, exploitation and ignorance.
 CPS (Crown prosecution services): CPS is the key public prosecuting right to Wales
and England and is directed by director public prosecutions.
 The deprivation of liberty safeguarding DOLS: DOLS executed April 2009, offer a
lawful protection to those vulnerable persons who may or are become, disadvantaged of
their liberty.
 The office of the public guardian OPG: This is a ministry of justice's executive agency
with accountability which extend across Wales and England.
1.5: As a care provider, it is the accountability of people to report any suspicious or
concerns that they have about effective neglect or abuse against vulnerable
human being. People should have work in a manner which protects and
prevents those they provide support. They have to be alert of the abuse signs or
ignorance.
2.1:
 Physical abuse: It is describe as the utilisation of physical; force which may outcome in
physical pain, bodily injury, or impairment. It may include hitting, pushing, beating
shaking, kicking, slapping and so on.
 Sexual abuse: It is described as non consensual sexual contact of any type with an
elderly human being. Its involves all type of unwanted touch, sexual assault like sodomy,
rape, coerced nudity and so on.
 Emotional abuse: it is described as distress or pain, infliction of anguish, via non-verbal
or verbal; acts.
2

 Psychological Abuse: it is similar to the emotional abuse. Therefore, it also include
infliction of anguish, pain and stress through verbal or non verbal activities.
 Financial abuse: It is described as the improper or illegal utilisation of a funds, assets or
property of elder. It include without permission of owner withdrawing of money.
 Institutional abuse: it is the abuse or negligence and mistreatment of an elder at
vulnerability by a individuals or regime.
 Self abuse: It is characterized as the behaviour of an adult human being which put at risk
of her or his own safety or health.
 Neglect: it means the failure or refusal for offer an adult individual with such life
requirements as water, clothing, food , personal hygiene, shelter, comfort, medicine, and
many more necessary things included in an implied accountability for an adult.
 Neglect by others: It is described as the failure or refusal for satisfying any part of a
duties or obligations of human to an adult.
 Acts of omission: It is described as ignoring physical or emotional and medical care
requirement. Failure for offering access for relevant health, support and care or some
educational services.
2.2: Signs
 Sexual abuse: Self harm, repeated urinary infections, irrelevant sexualised behaviour,
depression and so on.
 Physical abuse: Brushing, burn masks, bite marks, change in behaviour, and death and
so on.
 Emotional abuse: depression, self harm, loss of self esteem, self confidence and so on.
 Financial abuse: loss of trust, withdrawal, submissive behaviour, insecurity, fearfulness,
disappearance of power and possessions of attorney and so on.
 Institutional abuse: loss of self confidence and self esteem, apathy, submissive
behaviour, loss of control, withdrawal and another behaviour changes.
 Self abuse: Substantial weight loss, self harm, dehydration, submissive behaviour and
many more like this.
3

2.3: There are various elements which contribute to an individual being too vulnerable for
abuse:
 Age: more elderly or young age people who can not understand the feeling are more
vulnerable to abuse.
 Culture: Some of the individual are discriminated against on the basis of the culture.
 Emotional resilience: Some of the individuals are due to mental health issues like as
depression lack resilience and the capability to cope. Due to this behaviour they are more
vulnerable to abuse.
 Physical disability or impairment: Due to the physical disabilities, person can not able
to understand several things so they are more vulnerable to abuse.
 Socio-economic factors: Due to the financial conditions in society low income people
are discriminated by the high income people so a person who have low income and their
family are more vulnerable to abuse.
 stress: If a person have stressful life style like divorce, injury,m illness drug abuse and
many more like this then these people are more vulnerable to abuse.
3.1: There are several way to provide support a service user to get an acknowledgement about
their authority to stay safe. These way are following:
 Work in partnership as multi-disciplinary working.
 There should be person centred information which enable all individuals acknowledges
the information.
 Information should provided in very easy manner so that all individual can understand
their rights.
3.2: There are several approaches through which a service user can be supported to get an
acknowledgments regard their accountability for contributing to keeping themselves safe. These
approaches are following:
 An individual should encouraged to get an acknowledgement regard their own
accountability to keep themselves safe.
 Person centred communication and work should be apply to support an individuals.
3.3: To ensure that an individual has responsibility, full control and voice over decisions which
affect them, using good practices in the person centred approach. A balance must be in between
encouraging rights, independence and choice, as all the individual have right to make their
4

choice and risks. Promotion of the rights and choice reduces the abuse. It enhances resilience,
reduces vulnerability and enhances independence and empowerment.
3.4: By follow the several way people can challenge the actions and behaviours which may direct
to abuse or harm:
 They should follow both local and national legislation, which involves policies and
procedures.
 Empowerment human being must be encouraged and assisted to take their own decision
and give informed consent.
 Protection: those in greatest requirement must be supported.
 Prevention: by taking an action people can prevent abuse from occurring or happening.
4.1: The main purpose of the disclosure of the barring services is to assist the workers for
making safe recruitment decision and stop unsuitable human being from working with vulnerable
group of human beings and children.
4.2: There are some of the unsafe practices which may influence the well-being of a service
user could be:
 Not following the the procedures and policies.
 Using equipment incorrectly.
 Not following the care plan of an individual.
 Not offering drinks to an individuals who are not able to take drinks themselves.
 Not using personal protective equipment when it is necessary.
4.3: There are several actions which could be take if unsafe practices have been recognised.
These action are following:
 should share concern with their manager or senior colleagues.
 Report their concerns by using their reporting system.
 Follow up concerns and there are still concerns then people should refer their concern to
whistleblowing policy.
4.4: when acting in the person centred way, it is highly likely that there will be a lowering in all
forms of abuse, specifically emotional, institutional and psychological. When boosting the
participation, encouraging rights and choices, people can empowering and engaging the service
user. By noticing the sign and symptoms of abuse person can reduce them. Organisation should
5

encourage zero tolerance of abuse, listening to requirements and desires and many more
approaches like this.
4.5: Multidisciplinary action is in safeguarding can assist teams to eliminate, and reduce number
of institutional barriers and effective action. In multidisciplinary approach people can share
information, and communicate time to time which factual, relevant, appropriate and the person
centred. Therefore by time to time approaches, communication, can reduce the chances to miss
the warning signs. In the multidisciplinary working people should have joint policies and training
across some local authorities which make sure understanding and consistent approach to reduce
the abuse.
4.6: To have an accessible complaints procedure accessible complaints is a legal requirement.
Accessible complaints provide a copy to all service user so that they are alert that it exists. By the
help of accessible complaints procedure in the organisation, there will be lowering in the like
hood of abuse. By the help of this there should be timely response of complaints. It provide the
transparent regulation of policies, legislation and rules.
5.1: The main purpose of whistle blowing is to eliminate unethical or unsafe behaviours from
the organisation. It is a legislative need which facilitates positive modifications and offers the
chance to raise concerns externally and internally. It provides the platform to worker to pass the
wrong information to other colleagues and create an group to raise their voice together.
5.2: There are following actions that should be taken by the service user is being abused:
 Treat all the suspicious action and allegation seriously.
 Follow all the legislation, procedures and policies.
 Do not ask leading question with individuals concerned.
 Listen in a appropriate and respectful manner.
5.3: if the service user alleges that they are been abused then some appropriate action should be
taken which are following:
 Do not show disbelief or shock, remain calm.
 Listen them respectfully.
 If there is no any fault of alleges than information should transfer to higher authorities.
 Always be aware to the possibilities of medical evidence.
 Take some relevant action against the culprit.
6

5.4: There are following requirement for the recording and reporting disclosed abuse or
suspected abuse:
 require to follow procedure, legislation and make sure that they are meeting appropriate
legislation at the time or reporting and recording disclosed or suspected abuse.
 Appropriate date and sign to all the records are needed.
 Report must have factual information.
 Always use black ink pen.
5.5: There are following ways which ensures that evidences of abuse are preserved:
 adhere the appropriate policy and procedure.
 It is vital to timely gathering the evidence.
 Take some of the photographic evidence, keep this with the appropriate report in a safe
policies and stored it in a confidential way.
5.6: if the reported concern to the relevant person in any firm are not acted upon then people
should follow the national and local procedures and policies to whistle blowing and escalation.
Organisation should raise the concern and inform safeguarding adults board that should draw a
common agreement to reviewing that concerns and taking some relevant action.
5.7: safe guarding support service can be accessed by the contacting: care quality commissions
(CQC), crown prosecution service (CPS), housing organisations, The deprivation of liberty
safeguards (DOLS), The corner, no secrets (Adult protection), The independent and safeguarding
Authority (ISA), the care home policy, The mental capacity act 2005, and The office of the
public guardian (OPG).
6.1: Duty of care mean to have a legal obligation needing adherences to a criteria of reasonable
care and needs responsibility and involves the overarching need for safeguarding the welfare and
well being of all the service user in the own care. It means doing all the things in potential to
decrease the risks and make sure the safety, well being and comfort of the workers.
6.2: The main aim of identity checks to anyone needing access for premises of information is to
protect and safeguard the premises, the human being in the premises and the other information
requested. It make sure that the person wanting access to the information or facility have some of
the legal right to do so.
6.3: Duty of care provides to the protection or safeguarding of service- users by following ways:
 protect all the service user from harm
7

 preserve dignity and respect
 minimise unacceptable risk.
7.1: effective dilemmas and conflicts are following:
 truanting
 vandalism
 negative relationship
 self neglect
 staying out without permission and so on.
7.2: to manage the risk related to the dilemmas or conflicts the duty of care and a service user's
authority is vital to follow codes of practices and policies adhere to ways and agreed manners of
support selection, working to reducing the risk.
7.3: the additional support and advice regard dilemmas and conflicts from:
 A trainer
 A manager
 A supervisor
 Health professionals
 School and college services.
8

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
9

10