Health and Social Care: Safeguarding Adults and Promoting Independence

This report addresses the critical aspects of safeguarding adults and promoting independence within the health and social care system. It begins by defining various forms of abuse, including physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, bullying, and domestic abuse, and identifies key indicators that signal abuse, such as unexplained injuries, behavioral changes, poor hygiene, financial difficulties, and stress-related health problems. The report then explores the factors contributing to abusive situations, focusing on vulnerable adults, environmental contexts, and potential abusers. It outlines the key legislation and regulations governing adult safeguarding, including the Human Rights Act, Sexual Offences Act, Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act, and Care Homes Regulations. Furthermore, the report details working strategies and procedures used in health and social care to mitigate the risk of abuse, such as staff training, information sharing, and adherence to government regulations. Finally, it emphasizes the role of supportive relationships, including the importance of complying with core principles, building effective relationships, and fostering supportive practices to reduce the risk of abuse and neglect, concluding that a humanistic and user-oriented approach is essential for serving vulnerable adults effectively.

Safeguarding Adults and Promoting
Independence

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................1
P1. Various forms of abuse experienced by adults.................................................................1
P2. Indicators of abuse happening to adults...........................................................................1
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................2
P3. Factors leading to abusive situations................................................................................2
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................3
P4. Key legislation and regulations which govern safeguarding adult work.........................3
LO 4.................................................................................................................................................4
P5. Working strategies and procedures used in health and social care to reduce the risk of
abuse.......................................................................................................................................4
LO 5.................................................................................................................................................4
P6. Role of supportive relationships to reduce the risk of abuse and neglect........................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Health and social care takes into consideration the services of well-being which are
provided to people in society. This sector aims to cater adults, elderly people and children for
improving their well-being. Adults in health and social care system are prone to various types of
abuses such as mental and physical which can result in injury or trauma (Davies and Ward,
2011). Therefore, it is essential to identify causes of same and take actions which can minimize
the chances of these abuses that will be discussed in the present report.
LO 1
P1. Various forms of abuse experienced by adults
The various forms of abuses which are experienced by adults are as follows:
Physical Abuse: It is defined as unnecessary use of force which results in injuries and
impairment. The major approaches which can result in physical abuse are slaps, burns, cut and
physically restrained.
Sexual Abuse: This abuse results from undesired sexual behaviour which is being
enforced on an adult. The person who does this to an adult goes by the name of molester. It is a
common form of abuse experienced in health care homes.
Emotional Abuse: It is a type of abuse which is covered under psychological abuse. It is
the trauma through which an adult goes which may or may not result in physical torture.
Psychological Abuse: It refers to the mental trauma which is experienced by an adult.
The psychological abuse can affect an individual through numerous manner which are like
anxiety, depression, stress, etc. Psychological abuse generally arise when an individual has
experienced a abusive relationship with friends and family. (Gantman and et al., 2012).
Bullying: It is the use of strength to make other person accomplish a task without his
consent. Bullying is when a person with superior power forces another to do something.
Domestic Abuse: This type of abuse involves patters of incidents which are controlling,
coercive and threatening to an adult. This abuse is common due to lack of inequality among
males and females in the society.
P2. Indicators of abuse happening to adults
The major ways through which abuse in case of adults can be ascertained are as follows:
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Unexplained Injuries: The injuries which are suffered by a person and he is not able to
explain its causes of circumstances can be identified that the person is facing an abuse. The adult
possess injuries which are not justified by him. Some of the common types are fractures, breaks
and scars of the body of individual in the health and social care.
Changes in behaviour: The person suffering from psychological and emotional abuse
will experience a change in the behaviour. It is another important sign which helps in recognising
that he may be facing an abuse. For instance an individual is becoming more and more
aggressive, this rise in anger can arise from a abusive relationship.
Poor hygiene: The person facing an abuse will struggle with poor hygiene. The decline
in the state of health of an adult depicts that he is a victim of abuse and needs immediate help. It
is essential to cater an adult with care and attention so that he is able to return to its ideal health.
(Hawkins, Redley and Holland, 2011).
Difficulty with finances: An individual suffering with abuse may face difficulties with
finances. There can be withdrawals from the bank accounts which are unexplainable by
individuals. In such circumstances, a close person avails the benefits of finances.
Stress which triggers with health problems: Stress is one of the major indicators of self-
harm. Stress under such circumstances leads to problems in cardio, respiratory and muscular
systems.
LO 2
P3. Factors leading to abusive situations
It is very important to understand and analyse factors which gives rise to abusive
situation so that they can be prevented. This is done so that an adult would not have to encounter
such a situation and he/she can be safeguarded against the same. The major factors are as
follows:
Adults most at risk: The adults are more prone to risk as they are at a vulnerable stage in
their life. Vulnerability can be differentiated on emotional or physical grounds. The adults who
are availing services of health care are not able to stop the abuser in physical or emotional
manner. (Horner, 2012). This factor gives rise to the abusive situations.
Environment: It refers to the circumstances in which a person sustains such as his home,
community centre and health care. Such environment can give rise to abusive situations as
individuals suffering with same feel defenceless and can be manipulated easily.
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Context: These may refer to circumstances which lead to enhance the abusive situation
for adults. Adults who lack awareness and finds it difficult to communicate give rise to chances
of abuse for the person.
People who may abuse: The service practitioners are people who may abuse an adult in a
physical or emotional manner. Another people who may abuse an adult are family, friends or co-
workers.
LO 3
P4. Key legislation and regulations which govern safeguarding adult work
The government has formulated various laws and legislation which works to protect
interest of adults and safeguarding them from various circumstances of abuse (Markle‐Reid,
Browne and Gafni, 2013). The major legislations are as follows:
Human rights Act: This act was enacted in the year 1988 by UK government. The
guidelines established by this act aim to safeguard adults form suffering physical and mental
trauma. The abuser who harasses another person is punishable under the law.
Sexual offences Act: This is another law formulated by the government to protect
individuals from the sexual abuse or exploitation. The emphasis of this act is to safeguard adults
from the sexual abuse which is being carried out on them.
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act: This law was enacted in the year 2006 by the
United Kingdom government. This provision is formed to protect the children and adults who are
vulnerable. These are the efforts by the government to safeguard interest of vulnerable people
and protection of the same from abuser. The practitioners should be able to identify such
scenario and should be able to help a client.
The Care Homes Regulations: The government of UK has laid down some instructions
which are to be strictly complied by service providers to avoid any legal trouble (Wacker and
Roberto, 2013). This act was gentrified in the year 2001 and have redefined manner in which
services are offered. Roles and responsibilities of individuals are defined along with their
conduct and behaviour of registered persons. Health and welfare services are to be monitored
very carefully to match the standards.
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LO 4
P5. Working strategies and procedures used in health and social care to reduce the risk of abuse
In health and social care, circumstances of abuse are inevitable. The service providers
should be familiar with situation which arises abuse and should be able to apply suitable tactics
to reduce the risk of the same. The common strategies which can be utilised are as follows:
 Training should be facilitated to staff so that they will be able to prevent such
circumstances from happening. To facilitate this, they should be familiar with the ways
through which chances of abuse can take place.
 There should be a mechanism through which information can be communicated and
shared among service providers regarding circumstances which arise risk.
 Making concerned people aware about such circumstances is another strategy which can
be adopted. If an adult is exposed to abuse, he should be able to communicate to service
providers in the earliest possible manner.
 The service provider should follow policies and comply with government regulation
which will help in reducing the risk of abuse to service users.
 Efforts should be made to include people in the process who are socially excluded
through healthcare strategies which reduces risk.
LO 5
P6. Role of supportive relationships to reduce the risk of abuse and neglect
Supportive leadership plays a crucial role in the prevention and safeguarding from
abuses. Various means through which supporting leadership can uplift the standards of health
and social care are as follows:
Complying with core principles: Leader is the one who incorporates principles in
services offered. The consideration to core principles of services such as dignity, equality,
respect and privacy when inculcated into operations will reduce the chances of abuse in service
provision (What Does Supportive Leadership Look Like?, 2015).
Building effective relationship: Clients are to be treated with utmost care and respect
rather than a mere service user. This will help in building a productive relation between the two.
The relation will help in sharing of information between them which will further help in taking
care of them in a better manner (Windle, Francis and Coomber, 2011).
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Supportive Practice: It ensures that humanistic approach and empowering individuals
which help in uplifting quality of service. The employees in an institution are supported to
render better quality services to the clients. For instance: a practitioner should be supported and
encouraged to provide quality services to people by emphasizing on their needs and expectations
from this service.
Working practice: it is the duty of management to adopt best working practice while
serving the service users. The management along with adoption of best working practice
empowers employees to create a secure environment. The factors which are incorporated into
practice are communication, empathy and user oriented policies and ethics.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the above report that health and social care helps in better
understanding in context of abuse. The factors which gives rise to the abuse are to be minimized
so that service-users enjoy a stable and healthy lifestyle. It has been assessed that government
has formulated various laws which help in their protection against the physical and mental
abuses in healthcare segment. There is the need to adopt supportive leadership which is
humanistic and user oriented so that vulnerable adults are served in an improved and ideal
manner.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Davies, C. and Ward, H., 2011. Safeguarding children across services: Messages from research.
Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Gantman, A. and et.al., 2012. Social skills training for young adults with high-functioning autism
spectrum disorders: A randomized controlled pilot study. Journal of autism and
developmental disorders. 42(6). pp.1094-1103.
Hawkins, R., Redley, M. and Holland, A. J., 2011. Duty of care and autonomy: how support
workers managed the tension between protecting service users from risk and promoting
their independence in a specialist group home. Journal of Intellectual Disability
Research. 55(9). pp.873-884.
Horner, N., 2012. What is social work?. Learning matters.
Markle‐Reid, M., Browne, G. and Gafni, A., 2013. Nurse‐led health promotion interventions
improve quality of life in frail older home care clients: lessons learned from three
randomized trials in Ontario, Canada. Journal of evaluation in clinical practice. 19(1).
pp.118-131.
Wacker, R. R. and Roberto, K. A., 2013. Community resources for older adults: Programs and
services in an era of change. Sage.
Windle, K., Francis, J. and Coomber, C., 2011. Preventing loneliness and social isolation:
interventions and outcomes (pp. 1-16). London: Social Care Institute for Excellence.
Online
What Does Supportive Leadership Look Like?. 2015 [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.huffingtonpost.com/Karin-Chenoweth/what-does-supportive-
lead_b_6974054.html>.
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