Health & Social Care: Safeguarding Vulnerable Individuals & Groups

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of safeguarding practices in health and social care, with a specific focus on protecting vulnerable individuals and groups from abuse. It explores various risk factors associated with abuse, including social, cultural, and individual aspects, and examines the impact of these factors on different types of abuse. The report reviews current legislation and policies aimed at safeguarding vulnerable individuals, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses, and discusses the roles of key professionals in ensuring protection. Furthermore, it evaluates existing working practices and strategies for minimizing abuse, using the case of Hill croft nursing home as a reference point, and suggests potential improvements to enhance safeguarding measures. The report emphasizes the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment for vulnerable individuals, promoting their well-being, and preventing abuse through effective policies, practices, and professional involvement.

Safeguarding in Health &
Social Care

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
1.1 Explaining why particular individuals and groups vulnerable to abuse themselves and
others ....................................................................................................................................2
1.2 Reviewing the risk factors associated with the incidence of abuse and harm to others and
self..........................................................................................................................................2
1.3 Analysing the impact of social and cultural factors on various types of abuse and or harm 2
TASK 2 ..........................................................................................................................................7
2.1 Analysing the strengths and weaknesses in current legislation and policy relating to those
vulnerable to abuse.................................................................................................................7
2.2 Explaining how key professionals are involved in the protection of individuals and groups
vulnerable to abuse.................................................................................................................7
TASK 3 ..........................................................................................................................................9
3.1 Minimising abuse with reference to existing working practices and strategies...............9
3.2 Evaluating the effectiveness of working practices and strategies used to minimise abuse in
health and social care contexts.............................................................................................10
3.3 Discussing possible improvements to working practices and strategies to minimise abuse
in health and social care.......................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Safeguarding in health and social care is important that it helps patients to ensure their
securities and protection against illegal activity. Safeguarding is a responsibility for everyone. It
help patients by providing protection from maltreatment. The report will cover individual and
groups vulnerable to abuse, risk factors and impact of social and cultural factors. Role of legal
authorities and legislation to protect individual and group will be discussed. The improvement
from the use of strategies and practices used to minimise the abuse from Hill croft nursing home
will be covered in this report.
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1.1 Explaining why particular
individuals and groups
vulnerable to abuse themselves
and others
It can be said that people live in
Hill croft nursing home in Slyne with
Hest near Lancaster are depended on
others that they are targeted by the
abusers. They are also not able to stop
and hurting them or from taking their
advantages. Women are also not able
to do anything if they abused by
someone due to the dependency and
powerlessness effectively.
There are many types of abuses
such as emotional, physical, sexual,
neglecting, verbal or financial. This is
often seen that people learn abusing
from their family environments, or
other surrounding them. Hence,
abusing becomes an common word for
them in the conversation and in their
1.2 Reviewing the risk factors associated
with the incidence of abuse and harm
to others and self
It can be said that there are many different
types of abuses which can make victim feel
afraid and guilty effectively. Abuses such as
emotional, physical, sexual, neglecting,
verbal or financial. As per the scenario
workers in Hill croft nursing home abuses
some older age people that they are treated
medically and with the illness treatments.
The lack of proper and appropriate
management allowed this type of culture in
the home. The experts says that there many
factors and reasons that places a person at
high risk of abuse. Such factors and reasons
are known as risk factors effectively and
efficiently (Arai, Stephenson and Roberts,
2015). Thus, there are no exact reasons
which can lead abusing or self harm. Risk
factors are those characteristics of an
individual that increase the chances and
1.3 Analysing the impact of social and
cultural factors on various types of
abuse and or harm
There are many risk factors
associated with the incidence of abuse
and one of them is social and cultural
factors which has an impact on different
abuse and harm effectively.
Unemployment: It can be said that poor
people who doest not have power of
money are vulnerable to abuse.
Unemployment people are frustrated in
nature that they acquire the nature of
abusing effectively.
Health: Health is also a issue which has
an impact on abuse or harm that patients
who are dependent on others are
vulnerable to abuse (Butler and
Manthorpe, 2016). Thus, the family
members and care takers do not want to
waste their money in treating such
people.
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mind as well (Amasanti, Imcha and
Momoh, 2016). Adults age of 18 years
or more than that vulnerable to abuse
are defined by the department of health
and care as reason of physical
disability or mental, illness. Thus, these
people are unable to take care of
themselves against abusing or any
harmful activity. Vulnerable people
such as drug addicts, victims of
domestic violence, prostitutes and
homeless people. Those people have
undergone traumatic pressure are also
vulnerable for different abuses. There
are many factors from which groups
and individuals are vulnerable for such
abuses effectively. Factors such as
physical disability, hearing loss,
different illness, old age, learning
disability and frailty. Thus, they are the
main targets for abusers due to the
weaknesses.
possibilities of worse as a result in the
future. The main risk factors of abusing
involves family conflicts, stress and
pressure, psychological problems and
dependency. It can be said from the scenario
that the risk factors which leads to abuse
were disease and dependency of people
living in Hill croft nursing home.
Risk factors which are associated
with the incidence of abuse or self harm are
divided in three categories such as social or
environmental factors, family factors and
individual factors effectively. Individual risk
Social isolation: There are members in
the family who are isolated from the
societies does not have any emotions
which is required to take care of such
people. Thus, they do not feel any
obligation which leads to the abusing
factors.
Discrimination: Discrimination in
gender, age, race, religion and colour
also leads to different abuses and harms.
This also leads towards the separation of
the people from the societies effectively.
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People react differently in situations as
they are abused physically, sexually or
verbally effectively. As per the
scenario the abuse took place from
May 2010 to September 2011 at Hill
croft nursing home, where workers
abused some old age people which is
noticed by the family members and
court effectively. Thus, the people felt
afraid and blamed and abusers are
treated from the court system. Such
people are unworthy, guilty, anxious
and incompetent in nature. Thus, the
people who have metal, physical or any
type of disability can harm or abuse
themselves and others effectively. The
health and care workers should be
treated for such unacceptable activity
towards the old age people.
Risk factors which are
associated with the incidence of abuse
or self harm are divided in three
factors such as any kind of disability, mental
or physical disorder, attention deficits and
aggressive behaviours. The family risk
factors involves abusing by family members,
criminal behaviour of members, regular
conflicts and family violence, corporal
punishments and divorce or separation
effectively. The last social and
environmental risk factors includes
unemployment, lack of social support,
discrimination, social or economic
disadvantage and stressful life etc. the
normal people in Hill croft nursing home
faces abusing due to the dependency and
illness. It hinders any person from taking
legal or appropriate action against abusive
behaviour of workers (Arnold, 2017). Thus,
the people feel helpless and powerless due to
the fear of frustration and violence. As per
the scenario all the workers who has abused
are treated legally and the management of
Hill croft nursing home also failed to ensure
It can be said from the above
discussion that there are many factors
which are related to the social and
culture has an impact on abuse and harm
effectively. Different kind of abuses
such as emotional and physical in which
the victim is tortured mentally and
physically. Sexual harassment is also
isolated with the victim that there is no
one for the help or to interact with him
or her. Self harm such as self injuries,
alcoholic, smoking or drug addict,
cutting the nerves and hanging to the
fan. Thus, the social and cultural factors
has an impact on abusing and harm
effectively and efficiently.
reate a happy family of brands
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categories such as social or
environmental factors, family factors
and individual factors effectively.
Individual risk factors such as any kind
of disability, mental or physical
disorder, attention deficits and
aggressive behaviours. The family risk
factors involves abusing by family
members, criminal behaviour of
members, regular conflicts and family
violence, corporal punishments and
divorce or separation effectively. The
last social and environmental risk
factors includes unemployment, lack of
social support, discrimination, social or
economic disadvantage and stressful
life etc. the normal people in Hill croft
nursing home faces abusing due to the
dependency and illness. It hinders any
person from taking legal or appropriate
action against abusive behaviour of
workers (Arnold, 2017). Thus, the
safety at resident effectively. They felt guilty
for the situation and also apologised for the
activity they have done. Thus, the risk
factors are associated with the incidence of
abuse efficiently.
will also help them individually to
evaluate the customer demands and
preferences effectively.
5

people feel helpless and powerless due
to the fear of frustration and violence.
As per the scenario all the workers who
has abused are treated legally and the
management of Hill croft nursing home
also failed to ensure safety at resident
effectively. They felt guilty for the
situation and also apologised for the
activity they have done. Thus, the risk
factors are associated with the
incidence of abuse efficiently.
To,
The director Date 12-02-2018
Subject: Analysing the strengths and weaknesses in current legislation and policy relating to those vulnerable to abuse and
Explaining how key professionals are involved in the protection of individuals and groups vulnerable to abuse
TASK 2
2.1 Analysing the strengths and weaknesses in current legislation and policy relating to those vulnerable to abuse
It can be said from the scenarios that there are number of cases arising related to the abuse and harm to the vulnerable individual or
group (Cooper and Bruin, 2017). In respect to this, some certain legislation and policies are made by the government in order to
protect such people from any harm or abuse. This will help them to prevent these vulnerable persons against any kind of harm or
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abuse effectively and efficiently.
Safeguarding vulnerable groups act 2006 is made by the government in order to prevent and protect the group of vulnerable
from such people who are dependent on others or not eligible to work with these peoples effectively. This defines that workers who
are treating the patients should have to provide all the information before getting towards their work. This will help patients to
prevent from any kind of person who can access illegally in the Hill croft nursing home. This will help patients to ensure their
securities and protection against illegal activities and abusing or harm. The disadvantage of this law that there is no method from
which the workers are investigated that weather they are doing their duty effectively or not in the take care home.
Mental health law 1983 and section 127 defines that the workers are not liable for taking the treatment of patients with mental
disorder effectively. The act will help workers in the house in terms of giving directions and guidelines towards the patients but also
had a loophole efficiently (Hood, Gillespie and Davies, 2016). According to this law, treatment for illness must be deliberate and the
disadvantage that it is tough and difficult to know the workers intension at Hill croft nursing home. In addition to this, Children act
1989 is also made by the government in order to ensure protection of children with mental or physical disabilities at taking care
homes.
Thus. It can be said that the policies and legislation have their advantages and disadvantages towards the care homes in many
terms effectively. The legislation and policies secure and protect patients from taking their advantages or abusing them but also
unable to ensure safety and investigation of workers at take care homes.
2.2 Explaining how key professionals are involved in the protection of individuals and groups vulnerable to abuse
Professionals are the supervisory line managers which works for keeping an eye on workers and operational activities at Hill
croft nursing home. An another level of professional is senior management level which have responsibility to make and develop
policies and strategies to the take care homes. They have duty to ensure the good working environment and practice at the home.
Chief executive and officers are also include in professionals contribution that they respond and also support the national policies and
proposals (Howat, Lawrie and Sutton, 2015). These all are the different levels of professionals in order to reduce the discrimination,
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abusing and harmful activities from the Hill croft nursing home effectively. A complaint raised by a family member of a client about
a support worker. It
contains information of proof of service user sending money to support worker account.
A 14 year old girl has confided in you that she is scared that her mother wants to take her abroad to perform a traditional procedure
called Female genital mutilation (FGM).
In the case of Hill croft nursing home the professionals and management failed to ensure the safety and security of patients
and also the appropriate management of resident effectively. Thus, the workers abused patients and old age people which is a illegal
activity done by them. Anti-bullying ordinance and metal capacity act 2010 is passed by the government in order to deal with such
kind of abuse. The act and ordinance is passed to safeguard the people living in take care home towards their mental and physical
abuse effectively. Professionals are also liable to make sure that workers do not misbehave with any patient or do not try to abuse
them for any matter. This will reduce the effectiveness and image of Hill croft nursing home which is not suitable for the patients and
old age persons. It can be said that professional has an important role in managing and controlling workers activities and also to listen
the problems and issues provided by old age persons and patients living in the home effectively and efficiently.
TASK 3
3.1 Minimising abuse with reference to existing working practices and strategies
Hill croft can use existing working practices and strategies which will help them to minimise their abuses activities effectively.
Domestic abuse is one of them in which a person abuse someone else for the same at domestic level (Lewney and Boland, 2015).
There are practices and strategies which can be used to minimise all the levels of abuse efficiently.
DIFFERENT FORM OF ABUSE
Sexual abuse: There are different kind of abuses and one of them is sexual abuse which include, indecent exposure, sexual
harassment, inappropriate touching and looking at any person living in the care home.
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Physical abuse: Physical abuse is a stage where the workers treat any people physically in terms of hitting, not giving food,
punishment and more other activities. These things affect the old age people mentally as well.
In order to remove them there are existing strategies and practices used by management from which workers can be improved
and ensure the safety and security at take care home.
Behaviour: Workers in the Hill croft nursing home can change their behaviour and way of thinking which will help patients to feel
protective and familiar. This will also improve the relationship between both of them. There are some legal solutions also from which
the management is able to minimise abuse.
Safeguarding- SOVA/POVA: Safeguarding act 2006 is made by the government in order to prevent and protect the group of
vulnerable from such people who are dependent on others or not eligible to work with these peoples effectively. This defines that
workers who are treating the patients should have to provide all the information before getting towards their work.
Health Care Standard Act 2010: The act is define as the provision of regulation and legislation which take stands for providing
medical, health and care, social organisation and voluntary firms (MacIntyre and Stewart, 2017).
Mental
capacity Act 2005: Metal capacity act 2010 is passed by the government in order to deal towards their mental and physical abuse
effectively. It will help them to prevent from taking their advantages.
Data protection Act 1998: Data protection act helps people living in the Hill croft nursing home towards protecting their information
and data from any other person. The information should be private for the patient that nobody can see the reports of patients.
3.2 Evaluating the effectiveness of working practices and strategies used to minimise abuse in health and social care contexts
There are so many working practices and strategies used by management in order to minimise the abuse from health and social
care. In order to do that some are discussed below:
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Professional: Professionals are the supervisory line managers which works for keeping an eye on workers and operational activities at
Hill croft nursing home. They are the protectors which helps patients to feel secure (McSherry and Pearce, 2016). All the different
levels of professionals reduce the discrimination, abusing and harmful activities from the Hill croft nursing home effectively.
Health Care Standard Act 2010: The act is define as the provision of regulation and legislation which take stands for providing
medical, health and care, social organisation and voluntary firms. This will help patients to ensure their safety and health care
securities. This will also help to reduce the abusing effectively.
Reduce risk factor: Risk factors which are associated with the incidence of abuse or self harm are divided in three categories such as
social or environmental factors, family factors and individual factors.
Training and development: The patients will improve and develop towards their abusing activities which will help them to stand up
for such preventing obligations effectively. They will ensure their securities and protection which will help them to grow up.
People react differently in situations as they are abused physically, sexually or verbally that the strategies and practices will
help them to reduce all the levels of abuse effectively and efficiently. This will manage and control the purpose of management to
ensure health and care safety at Hill croft nursing home.
3.3 Discussing possible improvements to working practices and strategies to minimise abuse in health and social care
Safeguarding: Safeguarding is a term which is based on providing health and social care services which will help patients to ensure
their securities and protection against illegal activity. Safeguarding is a responsibility for everyone (Millar, Chambers and Giles,
2016). It help patients by providing protection from maltreatment.
There are number of strategies and practices will be used by the Hill croft nursing home in order to control and manage the
abuse effectively. Patients in the firm will ensure their safety and protection. They will also live in a peaceful and effective
environment which will develop and improve their key areas which causing abuse. They will be told for them about the side effects of
smoking, drugging and ill-effects which will improve the health and social care effectiveness towards its goals and objectives. All the
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strategies and policies are worked effectively and performed well at all levels. Rules and legalisation also maintained in the firm in
order to ensure legal activities of workers.
Equality act 2010: The management should maintain the equality between patients to avoid the inconveniences. patients have legal
rights to claim against inequality. Equality should be in sex, age, work, health and safety issues and time (Ottosdottir and Evans,
2014). This will help management to remove discrimination between patients effectively and also to make proper and appropriate
decisions.
Strengths: There are lot of benefits from which the Hill croft nursing home provide effective and essential services towards their
patients. The Safeguarding vulnerable groups act 2006 is made by the government in order to prevent and protect the group of
vulnerable from such people who are dependent on others or not eligible to work with these peoples effectively.
Weaknesses: The disadvantage of this law that there is no method from which the workers are investigated that weather they are
doing their duty effectively or not in the take care home (Police, 2015). The other disadvantage is that it is difficult to know the
workers intension at Hill croft nursing home. This will prevent patients towards their securities and safety as well effectively.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the above report that particular individual and group is able to vulnerable to abuse or harm himself
and other effectively. There are some risk factors also involved which lead the incidence of abuse and others. The social and cultural
factors also affect the different types of abuse in both positive and negative terms. Professionals are the main role player which helps
Hill Croft nursing home to protect against individual and group vulnerable to abuse. Strategies and practices are also involved which
helps to minimise the abuse in nursing home efficiently the improvement also should be seen as the positive result of such practices
and strategies.
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REFERENCES
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Arai, L., Stephenson, T. and Roberts, H., 2015. The unseen child and safeguarding:‘Did not attend’guidelines in the NHS. Archives of
disease in childhood, pp.archdischild-2014.
Arnold, J.S., 2017. Using the Chapelhow Framework to deliver patient care. Links to Health and Social Care 2(2) pp.3-15.
Butler, L. and Manthorpe, J., 2016. Putting people at the centre: facilitating Making Safeguarding Personal approaches in the context
of the Care Act 2014. The Journal of Adult Protection 18(4) pp.204-213.
Cooper, A. and Bruin, C., 2017. Adult safeguarding and the Care Act (2014)–the impacts on partnerships and practice. The Journal of
Adult Protection 19(4) pp.209-219.
Hood, R., Gillespie, J. and Davies, J., 2016. A conceptual review of interprofessional expertise in child safeguarding. Journal of
interprofessional care 30(4) pp.493-498.
Howat, C., Lawrie, M. and Sutton, R., 2015. Sector insights: skills and performance challenges in the health and social care sector.
Lewney, J. and Boland, B., 2015. Adult safeguarding; guidance for dental professionals. British dental journal 219(6) p.287.
MacIntyre, G. and Stewart, A., 2017. Safeguarding Adults With and Without Mental Capacity. Safeguarding Adults: Key Themes and
Issues, p.53.
McSherry, R. and Pearce, P., 2016. what are the effective ways to translate clinical leadership into health care quality
improvement?. Journal of Healthcare Leadership 8 p.11.
Millar, S.L., Chambers, M. and Giles, M., 2016. Service user involvement in mental health care: an evolutionary concept
analysis. Health Expectations 19(2) pp.209-221.
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Ottosdottir, G. and Evans, R., 2014. Ethics of care in supporting disabled forced migrants: Interactions with professionals and ethical
dilemmas in health and social care in the South-East of England. The British Journal of Social Work 44(suppl_1) pp.i53-i69.
Online
Police, N.Z., 2015. Annual Report 2014/2015. Victoria Police, Melbourne, available through< http://www. police. vic. gov.
au/retrievemedia. Asp.
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