Safeguarding in Health and Social Care

Running head: SAFEGUARDING IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
Safeguarding in Health and Social Care
Student’s ID: D0917119
Group: HSS7
Lecturer: Dr. Susan Marchant-Haycox

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SAFEGUARDING IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
Executive Summary
Safeguarding is a difficult and delicate field in Health and Social Care society. It is about
people and organizations working together to protect people’s health and well-being and
human rights and allowing them to live safely from harm, without abuse and neglect. It is
essential for high-quality healthcare and social assistance.(Care Quality Commission, 2018)
Abuse is the harm caused to a vulnerable adult through an act, or non-fulfilment by another
adult. Abuse is a major problem all over the world and has been debated a lot in recent years
in the public domain.
After Victoria’s Climbie death in February 2000who was abused and neglected by her great-
aunt and her husband, a new guidance document was developed in same year and published
on the Government site “No secrets: It is commended to all commissioners and providers of
health and social care services including primary care groups, regulators of such care services
and appropriate criminal justice agencies. These statutory agencies should work together in
partnership (as advocated in the Health Act 1999) to ensure that appropriate policies,
procedures and practices are in place and implemented locally. They should do so in
collaboration with all agencies involved in the public, voluntary and private sectors and they
should also consult service users, their careers and representative groups”(Department of
Health (NHS), 2000)
The following report includes two severe Case Reviews: the terrible death of 17-month old
Baby P, born in London who after more than eight months suffered more than fifty injuries
while he was seen 60 times by the London Borough of Haringey Children's Services and the
National Health Service (NHS). The second case is Winterbourne View Hospital, in Bristol
concerns patients with learning disabilities and/or autism who have been subjected to
inappropriate and abusive treatments by hospital workers.

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SAFEGUARDING IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
Table of Contents
Task 1.1: Report: Explain why particular individuals and groups may be vulnerable to abuse
and/or harm to self and others....................................................................................................3
Task 1.2: Campaign poster: Review risk factors which may lead to incidence of abuse and/or
harm to self and others...............................................................................................................5
Task 1.3: Report: Analyse the impact of social and cultural factors on different types of abuse
and/or harm to self and others....................................................................................................7
Task 2.1: Essay: Analyse the strength and weaknesses in current legislation and policy
relating to those vulnerable to abuse..........................................................................................9
Task: 2.2: Report: Explain how key professionals are involved in the protection of
individuals and groups vulnerable to abuse.............................................................................11
Task 3.1: Presentation: Explain existing working practices and strategies designed to
minimize abuse in health and social care contexts...................................................................13
Task 3.2: Presentation: Evaluation of the effectiveness of work practices and strategies
designed to minimise abuse in health and social care contexts (3.2).......................................18
Task 3.3: Presentation: Discussion of possible improvements to working practices and
strategies to minimise abuse in health and social care contexts (3.3)......................................21
Task 3.2: Report: Evaluate the effectiveness of working practices and strategies used to
minimise abuse in health and social care contexts...................................................................24
References................................................................................................................................25

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SAFEGUARDING IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
Task 1.1: Report: Explain why particular individuals and groups may be vulnerable to
abuse and/or harm to self and others
Introduction
According to the Care Quality Commission (2018), safeguarding people is a complex
yet sensitive area in the domain of health and social care environment. It mainly deals with
protecting health and well-being of the individuals and thereby allowing them to live free,
away from harm, injury, neglect and abuse. It is the fundamental human rights as highlighted
under the high-quality health and social care. The following report deals with the case study
of 17-month-old Baby P who suffered more than fifty injuries for a tenure of 8-month leading
to tragic death while brought to London Borough of Haringey Children’s services – National
Health Services (Local Safe Guarding Children Board Haringey 2009). The report will
discuss why children are more vulnerable to physical or mental abuse in relation to the abuse
mention case report.
Discussion
As per the case study, Baby P suffered from multiple injuries which the doctors failed
to recognise. One of the reason why the doctors failed to recognise is Baby P was only 17
month old and he was unable to raise his voice in order to highlight is own shared of pain or
trauma. According to Flaherty et al. (2014), the individuals who are more vulnerable in
getting affected with the physical abuse are the children who are below 18-years of age.
Flaherty et al. (2014) further highlighted that the common form of abuse for child is physical
abuse causing bruises. As per the case study, Baby P suffered from eight fractured ribs on the
left side of the body along with fractured spine leading to death out of fracture or dislocation
of the thoraco-lumbar spine. Flaherty et al. (2014) stated that children are more vulnerable to
physical abuse and it goes detected because caregiver might have altered the history
intentionally n order to conceal the abuse. This leads to mis-diagnosis.
According to Straus, Gelles and Steinmetz (2017) adults who are found guilty in
abusing children generally have a past history of getting victimised of physical abuse during
their childhood. Ms A, mother of Baby P has a previously experience of domestic violence.
She and her brother experienced domestic violence from her father who was a sex offender.
Her mother was neglectful and one of her relative was a paedophile leading a traumatic
childhood. Mr. H, boyfriend of Ms A is fascinated by pain and is a sadist. Their (Mr. H and
Ms A) unstable psychological state increased the vulnerability of Baby P of getting
victimised by physical abuse.
Children are vulnerable for the physical or mental abuse as they are neglected by their
parents. National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) (2018), one out
of the 10 children experiences neglect. During the tenure of 2017, 27,000 children identified
as being neglected. Common form of neglect includes, leaving the child dirty, hungry and
depriving the child from adequate food, shelter and medical care. Under neglect, the child is
also put under the danger of physical and emotional harm. Baby P was the victim of physical
abuse and neglect in the domain of adequate medical care.
Conclusion

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SAFEGUARDING IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
Thus from the above discussion, it can be concluded that Baby P was more vulnerable
to physical abuse as his care givers were themselves victim of domestic violence during their
own childhood (Baby P’s mother) or have an unstable psychological condition (Mr. H).
Moreover, Baby P also was a victim of neglect increasing his vulnerability of abuse. If child
who are prone to physical abuse are not rescued or protected on time then it might lead to
tragic outcome like Baby P.

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SAFEGUARDING IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
Task 1.2: Campaign poster: Review risk factors which may lead to incidence of abuse
and/or harm to self and others
Speaker Notes
The children vulnerability to abuse are guided by several factors and this includes
1. Age of the children
2. Health status of the children
3. Physical, mental, emotional and social developmental factors
(Child Welfare Information Gateway2018)
In relation to this case study, it can be said that the age and small physical size and the
early developmental factors are the main reasons, which increased the vulnerability of Baby P
in getting affected with physical abuse. Baby P, taking his age into consideration, it can be
said that he needs constant care and support. But, Baby P failed to receive the same from his
direct caregivers and thereby increasing his vulnerability to physical abuse and maltreatment
along with physical and medical neglect.