The Council and Social Services, with the support of the
Police, Health Organisations, Housing, and the Voluntary and
Independent Organisations have launched a campaign to stop the
abuse of vulnerable adults. By drawing attention to this problem,
we have made it easier for concerned people to contact their local
Access Team and
report what they believe to be abuse of vulnerable adults.Together
we can protect vulnerable adults, prevent and stop abuse from
happening.
We are asking you to hear it, see it,
say it.
Who are vulnerable adults?
A Vulnerable adult is any person aged
18 or over who is or may be in need of community care services by
reason of:
- Mental or other disability, age or illness and;
- Who is or may be unable to take care of him / herself; or
- Unable to protect him / herself from significant harm or
serious exploitation.
What is abuse or mistreatment?
Abuse or mistreatment:
- Can be a violation on individuals’ human or civil rights by
another person or persons;
- May consist of a single act or repeated acts;
- Can occur in any relationship or setting;
- May result in harm to, or serious exploitation of, the person
subjected to it;
- Physical, including hitting, slapping, punching, kicking,
misuse of medication, restraint, or inappropriate sanctions;
- Sexual, including rape and sexual assault or sexual acts to
which the person has not consented or was pressured into
consenting;
- Psychological, including emotional abuse, threats, humiliation,
intimidation, verbal abuse;
- Financial or material, including theft, fraud, exploitation,
the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or
benefits;
- Neglect, including ignoring medical or physical care needs, the
withholding of adequate food, heat, clothing and medication;
- Discriminatory, including racist, sexist, that are based on a
person’s disability, and other forms of similar treatment;
- Institutional abuse or mistreatment by a regime or by any
individual within any building where care is provided.
Although the above list is fairly
comprehensive it is not exhaustive.
Who does it?
Sadly it can be anyone including ones
nearest and dearest. Research by Action on Elder Abuse suggests
that as many as one in eleven older people in the UK are mistreated
or neglected by those they trust the most. Two thirds of these are
abused by members of their own family. Care staff, too, can be
abusers. There are many examples of this, including those where the
abusers have deliberately chosen to work in environments where
there will be vulnerable people, such as those with learning
disabilities.
Any types of abuse may be carried out
as the result of deliberate actions, negligence or ignorance.
Where does it happen?
Abuse can happen anywhere – in a
person’s home, in the street, in a residential or nursing home, at
a day centre or resource centre, in a hospital or indeed any place
where vulnerable people might be.
What should I do if I suspect a
vulnerable adult is being abused?
Do you know a vulnerable adult or are
you in a position of trust? If you believe that someone is being
abused contact your local Access Team. You will be listened to and you
will be supported.
Alternatively, speak to the police,
doctor or nurse, or any of the organisations listed below:
Cheshire Information Centres
can provide contact telephone numbers of local organisations.
What is being done?
Cheshire West and
Chester Social Services have the lead role in the Inter-agency
Policy, Procedures and Guidance Document (Adult
Protection in Cheshire) (PDF 1.18MB) on the Protection of
Vulnerable Adults from abuse. If you contact your local Access Team, you will be
asked for basic information about the person you are concerned
about, and who is the alleged abuser. You will be asked about
yourself, and what you heard or saw. Information will then be
shared on a “needs to know” basis, but you will be kept informed
about who has to be told, for example, the Police if a crime may
have been committed.
Together all the relevant
agencies will work with the person who may be being abused, to
establish what has happened, and what action the person wants
taking next. Work will also be done with the alleged abuser, and
multi-disciplinary options will be created which will prevent,
reduce or stop further abuse from happening.
Imagine if it was your mother
or father, sister, brother, son or daughter. You would want someone
to speak out if they thought they were being abused. You may be
being abused yourself and need support.
Break the silence
contact social services, or any of the organisation listed, you
will be believed and given advice about what to do.
How can I find out
more?
For more details on services
for older people please contact your local Access Team.
Factsheets
Information for Workers
Information for Public