Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups: Abuse, Risk Factors, and Social Impact

This report focuses on safeguarding vulnerable groups, providing an overview of the concept and its importance in protecting individuals' health, well-being, and human rights. It defines vulnerable groups and explores different types of abuse, including physical, psychological, discriminatory, financial, and sexual abuse. The report delves into the risk factors that can lead to abuse and harm, such as lack of mental capacity, physical dependency, isolation, previous history of abuse, lack of access to health services, low self-esteem, and financial abuse. It also examines the impact of social and cultural factors like racism, religion, family dynamics, and moral values on the incidence of abuse, referencing the Winterbourne View case study. The report highlights the need for creating a positive environment and the responsibility of society in improving the health of vulnerable individuals. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding and addressing these factors to ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable populations.

Safeguarding

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Give an explanation of why vulnerable groups may be vulnerable to abuse and/or harm to
self and other..........................................................................................................................1
1.2 Review the risk factors which may lead to incidence of abuse and/or harm to self and
others......................................................................................................................................3
There are various risk involved in vulnerable individual which can harm self as well as others.
................................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Safeguarding refers to protecting individual's health, well being and their human rights,
provide a safe environment to live free from harm. It involves identifying people who are
vulnerable, determine their needs and work with various government and private organizations in
order to protect them from external environment. Vulnerable people are those who are not able to
make decision, physically and mentally disable to protect their own interests (Peckover, 2014).
As per the given case study Winterbourne Veiw hospital which is public funded managed by
Care Quality Commission. A television broadcast exposed the physical and psychological abuse
suffered by people at the hospital. A senior staff of this care home also reported its concern to the
higher authorities of national regulator and management of Winterbourne (Humphreys and
Bradbury‐Jones, 2015).
TASK 1
1.1 Give an explanation of why vulnerable groups may be vulnerable to abuse and/or harm to
self and other
Each and every human being has right to live safe, secure, free from abuse in the society.
Abuse is related to the violation of human rights by another person. Such kind of neglect can be
occur anywhere at home, hospital, public place or any other places (Ash, 2010). There are
different types of abuse as given below:
Physical abuse: This is most visible type of abuse where an individual can physical hurt
or harm to another person such as hit, slapped, pushed. In the context of Winterbourne case
study, staff of home care give humiliating violence with their patients. For example, they are
using cold punishment or other violent activities force to their patients if they denied for food
and water. It can also include misuse their medical treatment which can negative impact on their
health.
Psychological abuse: This another form of abuse where a person emotionally neglect or
threatening to another person. It includes humiliating, harassing, controlling, blaming and verbal
abuse. It is also known as emotional abuse which occurs in cycle (Stirling and Kerr, 2014). Such
kind of abuses can occur before physical, sexual, discriminatory or other neglect. For example,
according to the case study nurses treated them like that they are socially isolated through
unfairly withdrawal their support and services.
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Discriminatory abuse: In this form of abuse which involves harassment and unfair
treatment to a person on the basis of race, religion, age, gender, disabilities and so on.
Financial abuse: This is one of the common abuse in which a person who appointed to
take care disable person money, property or other material and misuse these things for their
personal consumption. Internet fraud are the best example for such abuse (Tapper, 2010). There
are various forms of financial abuse as given below:
No banks accounts: In this form a person having no personal accounts, no debit card, no saving
accounts. All money come form only one source. Such situation puts the a person in the position
of dependency on others. The vulnerable person is not allowed to have a job.
Threats of leaving: This is another form of financial abuse where a person is deny economic
support and knowing that the vulnerable person is unable to support itself without financial
support.
Sexual abuse: This include sexual harassment, incorrect looking, inappropriate touching
are part of sexual abuse.
There are various groups and which at risk from abuse as given below:
Elderly: There are various older adults which abused at their own home or their relative
home's. Because. Elder person are more physically weak, they are not able to fight back if they
attacked. Apart from that other person can be cheated and taking advantage for their own interest
with older individual. In the context of Winterbourne case member of health care are treated with
older person which is not good for a ideal society.
Disable Citizens: In this category those person are included which are mentally disable,
and they can not determine their needs and protect their interest. Such kind of abuses are likely to
experience at home or any other place which are more vulnerable (Peckover, 2014). The risk is
more as they are often dependent on other person. Because they can control financial material or
property of the victims. For disable individual it more difficult to overcome themselves from a
neglect situation. There are evidence available in the United Kingdom that the risk is more of
abusing specially for disable people. For example, parents or relatives of disable individuals are
experience multiple level stresses. Therefore. It is essential for experts and professionals to
analyses full impact of caring for such individuals to its family or relatives.
There are also other types of abuse listed in the law of UK as given below:
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Domestic abuse: This is an intentional abuse when one person is controlling, threatening
behavior to another person. The violence can be physical, financial, sexual, physiological,
emotional or combination of all five (Ash, 2015).
Modern slavery: In present era, it is a multi billion dollar industry which is related with
the human trafficking. Where various organization can forced to the people in to labour and
domestic servitude.
Organizational abuse: This is another types of abuse which is related with the
institution or firm's are related with care and hospital services. They can not provide best services
to vulnerable persons and make violence with them in terms of physical, emotional, financial or
any other form.
1.2 Review the risk factors which may lead to incidence of abuse and/or harm to self and others
There are various risk involved in vulnerable individual which can harm self as well as others.
Lack of mental capacity: A person whose mental capacity is not sound can harm to
himself or others. Mentally retarded people does not able to take their due care. That is why
such kind of people harms to themselves and to the society as well (Evans, 2012). This is
happened because of their mental health. Spoliation in the mental health of such mentally
retarded people can lead to damage themselves and society. Therefore, existence of such people
can creates apprehension to the society.
Being physical dependent: A person are at risk of abuse from an individual with whom
they live and connected with a relationship of dependency. These kind of dependency due to
physical frailty, cognitive impairments. Individuals who are mentally retarded feel so unsecured
that is why they need to dependent on their caretakers for their regular care. This may lead them
to do abusing behavior with their caretakers due to their mental disturbance.
Isolation: Isolation has been found to be characteristic of families in which other forms
of domestic violence occur. This is in part because behaviors that are considered to be
illegitimate tend to be hidden. The people with disabilities are socially isolated due to their
disabilities. That makes them offensive in regards to their behavior and it goes high when the
time passes. Due to their resistance behavior society isolates the individuals with several
disabilities (Flynn, Brown, 2010). The individual with difficulties may be isolated. Therefore the
risk of abuse increases. This occurred due to inadequacy in property,money;mandatory amend to
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a Will or other legal documents;refuse the right to access personal funds;forgery in signature:in
appropriate use of power of attorney;physical isolation:social isolation;emotional isolation etc
Last track record of abuse: People with disabilities have previous history of abuse. In
the childhood or at adolescence such group of people had a history of sexual abuse by
relatives;sexual abuse by faculties in a school;sexual abuse by doctors;sexual abuse by other than
relatives. During childhood, emotional abuse is also cited as physiological abuse. This is a kind
of abuse where caregiver consistently makes a child feel used, unbeloved,valueless. These kind
of actions reflects emotion ignorance, which includes act of omission (Gibson and et. al., 2016).
emotional abuse come by way of parents unpractical demand from their child,hostility and
ignorance of their own child. Whereas in physical abuse means apprehended in the mind of the
child by way of causing a physical injury that might be boxing,beating,kicking etc. such injury
occurred unknowingly.
Lack of access to health and social services: People with several disabilities is getting
abused by neglecting medical and physical care necessities,not giving them access for adequate
health ,social need and educational services,not providing complete drugs,inadequate nutritions.
Individuals having health necessities provide a huge amount of recommendation of adult
abuse,taking people with physical disabilities,mental retardness complexities,learning disablities
etc. In most of the occasion of physical and psychological abuse, mental health of the mentally
disturbed person is treated as the main contributory factor (Koubel, 2016). Abuse happens when
either party has a term of mental diseases,track record of mental complexities,problems in
managing frustration.
less self esteem: Distress and anxiety are the key factors for getting down the self esteem
of persons with disabilities. People with low self esteem create an apprehension so that they goes
into deep distress and anxiety. When they do something they feel that the work have been done
by them is not appropriate and due to inappropriate work what people think. Regular action of
low self esteem create them feeling less,unlovable. They do not usually demand for help. They
thought that taking someone's help leads to develop inadequacy. Low self esteem is generated
due to depression, hypersensitivity, hypervigilence, lack of assertiveness,lack of self confidence,
addictive behaviour, poor relation and social skills,self sabotaging, sexual dysfunction,
unreasonable expectations etc.(Mandelstam, 2013).
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financial abuse: It is one of the key factors which increase occurrence of abuse.
Financial abuse includes absorving money or property;making fake signature;enforced someone
to sign a deed,power of attorney,will or other legal documents via coercion, undue influence or
deception;taking in use of others property without their approval;making assurance of whole life
care in terms of money and not fulfilling their promise (McGarry, Kench and Simpson, 2013).
little attention for the part of caretakers: Usually people with disabilities have families
which provide care and support to them. In case of old age people and people with chronic
disabilities this informal care is getting divided in scope,duration and intensity. Caretakers are
sometimes assumed as “secondary patients”who need protection and guidance. These are usually
getting paid by the patient family members. These are usually assumed to be the nurse.
1.3 Impact of social and cultural factor on different types of abuse
Surroundings are having large impact on the individual, and its mental health. Therefore, this is
the responsibility of society to create a positive environment which can help to improve their
health in an appropriate manner. As per the given case study, Witerbourne there are various
factors which has given below:
Racism – Believe that some race is superior that other and than discriminating with them is
known as racism. It is an ideology that is possessed by some people that some human race do not
deserve same treatment like of others. Black and brown people are suffering this issue from a
long time.
Religion – It is belief of people in someone who is controlling this world, it can be god or
some might call superhuman. People have different ideology and they consider their religion as
superior and holy. They keep their faith in religion and follow principles given in their religion.
People fight on the basis of religion and ask to fulfil their religious needs.
Family meetings – These meetings help a patient in reducing of stress and change their
environment for something so they forget about their problems and enjoy the movement. It helps
them in healing as well as they do not feel vulnerable when family meetings happen on
continuous basis.
Morale Value – Good behaviour will vulnerable people can boost up their morale and
give them a lot of mental satisfaction. They do not feel inferior or useless when people support
and help them and they get a confidence that they can cope up with any situation.
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TASK 2
Speech upon the Winterbourne View Hospital
Ladies and gentlemen,
We are really feeling honored to welcome you in the Winterbourne View Care Homes,
last day some misconduct happened in one of our care home which is shameful for us. So we
want to take some actions on it and assuring to the vulnerable people that they are safe in the
care homes. Each and very care home is pursuing the laws and regulations made by the
government of the UK. The Care Act, 2014, helps to the organizations to emphasis on the social
work rather than legal authorities and responsibilities to provide better assistance to the
vulnerable. Carer can create a budget to provide their services for the vulnerable so it is helpful
for them. But as it is based on the care person it can be less impact able on the patients. Friends
we are working in the modern era it is essential for us to provide proper assistance to the people
and groups which are unable to complete their daily activities. The another act is called Public
interest disclosure act 1998. this act is was passed by the United Kingdom government. This
legislation is protect and prevent whistle-blowers from the physical abused individuals. Friends
and relatives are played a significant role in order to provide proper safe and secure environment
and and also provide various support to those individuals who are not able to complete their daily
work. But various times people can misuse such laws and legislation for their own interest which
having a negative impact on the victims.
Dear guests is is important for every one to contact and communicate with professionals which
are dealing in home care. These professionals can be includes lawmakers, lowers, health adviser,
and doctors. Because they having proper knowledge and information regarding all laws and acts.
These peoples are able to prove various advise and suggestion which can be used by us and
prevent such kind of incidents in the society. We all peoples having responsibilities in order to
provide a safe and secure environment to vulnerable individual and working together to
overcome their problems in a effective manner. Through this, we can provide to our patients and
their family members so that provide high quality services to the vulnerable individuals. There
are various organizations which are using professionals expertise in order to make a sound
atmosphere at there home care. Apart from that, we can also create awareness in the community
and society and also take helps form the government authorities.
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CONCLUSION
The above concluded report are based on the Winterbourne hospital abuse incidence
where care takers are taking a atrocious misshapen with their undertaking peoples which is
making negative impact on their health, body, mental and spiritual level. In the case, care
persons has acts serious criminal types acts on them which is not acceptable according to the
standards of the society and legislation of the UK. However government has create their actions
on accused which are involved in these acts and they have make sentences on the Winterbourne
Hospital to increase their standards for recruiting right persons and as well as to maintain their
standards according to the Care Quality Commission in the services.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Peckover, S., 2014. Domestic abuse, safeguarding children and public health: Towards an
analysis of discursive forms and surveillant techniques in contemporary UK policy and
practice. British Journal of Social Work. 44(7). pp.1770-1787.
Humphreys, C. and Bradbury‐Jones, C., 2015. Domestic abuse and safeguarding children: Focus,
Response and Intervention. Child Abuse Review. 24(4). pp.231-234.
Ash, A., 2010. Ethics and the street-level bureaucrat: implementing policy to protect elders from
abuse. Ethics and social welfare. 4(2). pp.201-209.
Stirling, A. and Kerr, G., 2014. 15 Safeguarding athletes from emotional abuse. Safeguarding,
Child Protection and Abuse in Sport: International Perspectives in Research, Policy and
Practice. p.143.
Tapper, L., 2010. Using family group conferences in safeguarding adults. The Journal of Adult
Protection. 12(1). pp.27-31.
Ash, A., 2015. Safeguarding Older People from Abuse.The Policy Press
De Alwis, Y. and Horridge, K., 2016. Safeguarding disabled children and young people.
Paediatrics and Child Health. 26(11). pp.488-492.
Evans, R., 2012. Safeguarding inheritance and enhancing the resilience of orphaned young
people living in child-and youth-headed households in Tanzania and Uganda. African
Journal of AIDS research. 11(3). pp.177-189.
Flynn, M. and Brown, H., 2010. Safeguarding adults with learning disabilities against abuse.
Learning disability: A life cycle approach.
Gibson, J., and et. al., 2016. The role of the general practice surgery in safeguarding adults. The
Journal of Adult Protection. 18 (5). pp.288-299.
Koubel, G., 2016. Safeguarding Adults and Children. Palgrave Macmillan
Mandelstam, M., 2013. Safeguarding Adults and the Law. Jessica Kingsley Publishers
McGarry, J., Kench, S. and Simpson, C., 2013. Developing a new post for nurses to identify
cases of domestic abuse: Julie McGarry and colleagues discuss the creation of an
emergency department role and training programme for a senior nurse to support
victims of violence in the home. Emergency Nurse. 21(3). pp.16-18.
McGarry, J., Simpson, C. and Hinsliff-Smith, K., 2012. Safeguarding and domestic abuse: An
intersection for future policy and practice development. Journal of Care Services
Management. 6(4). pp.156-160.
Oakley,L., and Kinmond, K., 2014.safeguarding-voluntary abuse. The Journal of Adult
Protection. 16(2). pp.87 – 95.
Poewell, P., 2012.Safeguarding Babies and Young Children. McGraw-Hill Education
Warrington, C., 2013. Partners in Care? Sexually Exploited Young People’s Inclusion and
Exclusion from Decision Making about Safeguarding. In Critical Perspectives on Child
Sexual Exploitation and Related Trafficking. pp. 110-124.
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Online
Safeguarding adults. 2017. [Online]. Available through: <http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/health-
and-social-care/adult-social-care/safeguarding-adults.aspx>. [Accessed on 2nd March
2017].
Abuse of an adult at risk, 2015. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.bury.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=10852>. [Accessed on 2nd March 2017].
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Peckover, S., 2014. Domestic abuse, safeguarding children and public health: Towards an
analysis of discursive forms and surveillant techniques in contemporary UK policy and
practice. British Journal of Social Work. 44(7). pp.1770-1787.
Humphreys, C. and Bradbury‐Jones, C., 2015. Domestic abuse and safeguarding children: Focus,
Response and Intervention. Child Abuse Review. 24(4). pp.231-234.
Ash, A., 2010. Ethics and the street-level bureaucrat: implementing policy to protect elders from
abuse. Ethics and social welfare. 4(2). pp.201-209.
Stirling, A. and Kerr, G., 2014. 15 Safeguarding athletes from emotional abuse. Safeguarding,
Child Protection and Abuse in Sport: International Perspectives in Research, Policy and
Practice. p.143.
Tapper, L., 2010. Using family group conferences in safeguarding adults. The Journal of Adult
Protection. 12(1). pp.27-31.
10