Adult sexual exploitation (ASE) guidance
National Working Group Disruption Toolkit - Criminal, Civil and Partnership Disruption Options for Perpetrators of Child and Adult Victims of Exploitation. This is a longer document aimed at professionals and includes additional details about the Mental Capacity Act, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and the Care Act.
Escalation policy
The SSASPB encourages the safeguarding workforce to use the Escalation Policy to help with the resolution of professional differences. Good practice includes the expectation that constructive challenge amongst colleagues within and between agencies provides a healthy approach to the work. Where members of staff from any agency feel that concerns regarding an adult at risk are not being addressed it is expected that the Policy should be used until a satisfactory resolution is reached.
Decision making guidance
This document is designed to provide guidance to inform decision-making in relation to completing adult safeguarding referrals and should be used in conjunction with the SSASPB Safeguarding enquiry procedures document. The guidance is not a substitute for professional judgement, nor does it set rigid guidance for practitioners: it is to be used as a framework to inform decision-making. If there is any doubt, the safeguarding process should be followed.
The Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Adult Safeguarding Partnership Board (SSASPB) would like to thank the Derbyshire Safeguarding Adult Board for their permission to use and adapt their Decision Making Guidance.
Financial abuse guidance
The purpose of the document is to identify ways in which financial abuse can be prevented from occurring and provide guidance in the event of financial abuse.
All organisations will have different roles and responsibilities in relation to helping people manage their finances but everyone should be actively working to help people improve their skills to manage their money and prevent financial exploitation and crime.
The term ‘financial abuse’ potentially applies to a wide variety of acts and failures to act both criminal and non criminal. Whilst some find the label ‘abuse’ unnecessarily stigmatising and inflammatory, it is worth remembering that most financial abuse is of a criminal nature and should be considered as such.
Information sharing guidance for practitioners
The SSASPB encourages appropriate and secure sharing of information between professionals. A recurring factor in historical Serious Case Reviews (now Safeguarding Adult Reviews) has been a failure to understand the legislation and guidance surrounding information sharing and a failure to share information effectively.
Information sharing guidance for practitioners provides guidance to front line staff and managers and explains why and how we share information between agencies who are involved in Adult Safeguarding.
This document underpins the One Staffordshire Information Sharing Protocol
Mental Capacity Act guidance
The Mental Capacity Act guidance has been created to be used as a reference for professionals top give advice about the Mental Capacity Act and what to take into consideration when assessing mental capacity. This has been split into three documents.
Self-neglect & hoarding
What is self-neglect?
The Care Act 2014 statutory guidance defines self-neglect as: "A wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one's personal hygiene, health, or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding."
In order to prevent self-neglect, it is essential to understand the wider complexities and possible underlying factors contributing to the individuals needs not being met. This might include a history of trauma, low mood or cognitive impairment, historic and learned behaviours, bereavement or family changes or physical or psychological needs.
It is important to explore the individual’s history and how this contributes to the current situation.
Given the sensitivity of this term, using it with individuals who do not identify with this term, or description of their situation, can be a barrier to engagement. It is important that practitioners seek to understand and adopt the individual’s own terminology and description of their lifestyle, so the individual does not feel discriminated against.
All professionals working with adults who self-neglect in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent should work to the multi-agency Self-Neglect Procedures and Best Practice Guidance below. The documents below have been developed as a toolkit to support local agencies when working with adults who self-neglect.
What is hoarding?
The NHS defines Hoarding Disorder as: “Where someone acquires an excessive number of items and stores them in a chaotic manner, usually resulting in unmanageable amounts of clutter”.
Hoarding can be a significant problem when it impacts everyday living, is causing significant distress or negatively affecting quality of life and/or relationships with others.
All professionals working with adults who self-neglect in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent should review the Hoarding Guidance and supporting documents below.