Safeguarding in care settings is a critical aspect of ensuring the safety, well-being, and rights of vulnerable individuals. This unit explores the legislation, principles, and frameworks that underpin safeguarding practices, alongside the roles of various agencies in protecting individuals from abuse and neglect. It highlights the importance of person-centered approaches, effective communication, and partnership working to reduce risks and promote safety. Additionally, the unit addresses the challenges of balancing online safety with the benefits of digital access, emphasizing the need for informed decision-making. Through case studies and practical examples, this content provides a comprehensive understanding of safeguarding practices and their application in care settings.
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Activity 15 - Outline Relevant Legislation, Principles, National Policies And Frameworks And Local Systems That Relate To Safeguarding And Protection From Abuse And Neglect
Legislation
Many national and municipal laws and policies/systems were created for the common good to guarantee safety. Under this group of statutes are those that prohibit not just physical but also sexual assault, as well as threatening or otherwise abusive speech.
Principles
Both the employee and the employer's obligations in cases of abuse will be laid out in detail in the company's policies and procedures. Guidelines issued under the Health and Social Care Act in 2014 In order to prevent discrimination, unlawful restraint, and improper deprivation of liberty from occurring during the provision of care and treatment, Regulation 13 was enacted in line with the Mental Capacity Act of 2005.
National policies and frameworks
1. The Affordable Care Act, Or Health Care Reform Act Of 2014
2. Child Protection Act of 1989; Children's Act of 2004
3. Civil Rights Act of 1991
4. In 1983, Congress passed the Mental Health Act.
5. Act Protecting Individual Liberties and Privacy from 2012
Local Systems
There are also localised processes in place, including many agencies, to safeguard adults. The strength of these has increased after the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2014 (McIntyre and Song, 2019). The Care Act requires each state and locality to form a Safeguarding Adults Board with representation from law enforcement, the Clinical Commissioning Group of the healthcare system, and the government.
Activity 16 - Describe The Roles Of Different Agencies In Safeguarding And Protecting Individuals Right To Live In Safety And Be Free From Abuse And Neglect
Organization for Healthcare Research and Quality: Adult health and social care providers are not breaking the law as long as they adhere to specified quality and safety criteria. Their inspectors will pay a visit to check out the facilities and ensure that the regulations are being adhered to and the standard of care is being maintained. They can lock the place down in the case of unacceptable behavior.
Service of Disclosure and Prohibition: The Disclosure and Barring Service was founded after the Protection of Freedoms Act (2012) was passed in December 2012. The DBS was developed to provide assistance throughout the employment process, especially when dealing with potentially vulnerable applicants. The DBS provides a service for vetting potential employees for criminal backgrounds (Norrie et al., 2019). This information is helpful to the hiring manager in determining whether or not the candidate is a suitable match for the position. The DBS can also look someone up on a "banned list" to see if they are immediately disqualified from dealing with vulnerable people.
Activity 17 - Outline When And How You Would Report Serious Failures In Upholding Individuals’ Rights To Live Free From Abuse And Neglect And How They Influence Current Practice
Freedom and equality for all people are at the heart of the Human Rights Act (1998). All of individual rights and liberties have been laid out in this Act. Possible violations of rights include the following:
Using limits and limitations without permission
Without obtaining consent for treatment
According to the Female Genital Mutilation Act of 2003, it is illegal to perform or assist in the performance of female genital mutilation. Participation in this Act can include the following instances:
Traveling with someone to a location where FMG will take place (Barker-Collo et al., 2021).
Omitting to inform others that FMG has occurred or is imminent
To prevent discrimination of any kind, the Equality Act of 2010 safeguards people based on their protected characteristics and addresses both overt and covert forms of bias.
Assessment Criteria 1.3
Activity 18 - Describe Where To Find Sources Of Information And Advice About Own Role In Safeguarding, Including Whistle Blowing And Accountability For Decision Making And Information Sharing
a. The Local Government's Office for Senior Citizens
b. Manager
c. Internet
d. Books
e. The Commission on the Quality and Safety of Healthcare in England
f. Authority Charged For Keeping Everyone Safe
g. Guarding Bodies
h. Safety Officer in Charge
i. Labor union officials
National Institute of Health and Care Excellence claims
For successful multi-agency collaboration and shared learning to occur, managers and providers of care should be aware that certain staff members may be anxious about external scrutiny and may need time to form connections with external agencies. Managers and suppliers of residential care should participate in arrangements created by their local Safeguarding Adults Board to share and seek advice on how to manage resident safety concerns (Hughes et al., 2022). Residential care facility providers and managers have a responsibility to their staff to share relevant information from the Safeguarding Adults Board's minutes and reports.
Assessment Criteria 1.4
Activity 19 - Define the following terms:
Safeguarding: Protecting someone from harm, letting them know they don't have to worry about being mistreated, neglected, or exposed to violent actions, and making sure they get the care they need are all ways to look out for someone's health, well-being, and human rights. It is an essential component of receiving medical care from a trained practitioner.
Abuse: An unwelcome or unjustifiable encounter with a patient that results in injury or intimidation, or has the potential to do so, is considered patient abuse according to the National Institute of Health (Agulefo and Agulefo, 2023). Abuse, whether verbal or nonverbal, can have lasting effects on a person's physical, sexual, mental, and emotional well-being, as stated in 244 CMR 9.02.
Harm: Medical errors can be defined as any inadvertently caused harm to a patient's physical condition that either results in the patient's death or requires additional medical attention in the form of continued monitoring, treatment, or hospitalisation.
Assessment Criteria 2.1
Activity 20 - Explain The Factors That Contribute To An Individual Being More At Risk Of Abuse Or Neglect
Having to rely on other people to meet one's fundamental physiological requirements. A miserable perception of one's own value. There is a history of abusive treatment.
Outline Indicators That An Individual May Be Being Abused
Activity 21 - Explain what is meant by:
Physical Abuse: To physically abuse someone is to cause them any type of bodily pain. Examples of physical abuse include slapping, pinching, choking, kicking, pushing, and the improper use of medications or shackles. It really is vital to recognise the symptoms of physical abuse.
Domestic Abuse: Abuse within the home can come from anybody, including a current or former spouse, family member, or carer, and can take many forms, including threats, intimidation, humiliation, physical violence, and sexual assault.
Sexual Abuse: A sexual abuser treats their victim as less than human. This is not done out of some primal urge, but rather as a deliberate means of imposing one's will on the victim and putting him or her down.The fact that women still make up the majority of sexual assault victims demonstrates the pervasive societal devaluation they face in the modern day. The use of sexual violence against women is just one more manner in which a patriarchal society subjugates its female members.
Psychological Abuse: Verbal and non-physical types of abuse that are used frequently to cause mental and emotional pain, and/or to distort, confuse, or otherwise affect the ideas and behaviours of a person, so as to alter their sense of reality, are collectively known as "psychological abuse."
Financial/material Abuse: Abuse of a susceptible adult's funds or assets occurs when an offender first gains access to such resources by dishonest or fraudulent ways, and then uses them inappropriately. This trait is widely observed within the setting of a wide variety of abusive situations.
Modern Slavery: Modern slavery takes the form of human trafficking. Transporting people across national boundaries or inside a country for the purpose of exploitation is human trafficking (Markovic et al., 2019). Debt bondage is a form of forced labour in which a person is obligated to work in order to pay off a financial obligation. They have little say in the debts they rack up, and they are tricked into working for little to no pay. Many people think this is the most prevalent kind of slavery today.
Discriminatory Abuse: Discriminatory Abuse can be directed at a person on the basis of their age, disability, gender including gender reassignment, marriage or civil union status, childbearing status, race, religion or belief system, sex, or sexual orientation.
Organisational Abuse: The fundamental reasons for organisational or institutional abuse, which frequently takes place in the workplace, include inadequate care or support, inadequate levels of care or support, or systematic forms of poor practice that have an effect on the entirety of the care setting.
Neglect/acts of Omission: When there is absolutely no effort made to care for someone, this is described as "neglect," which is a type of abuse. Physically ignoring someone or denying them access to critical health care, emotional support, or educational resources can also be considered forms of neglect (Ajisafe et al., 2023). Neglect can also take the form of denying someone access to necessary health care. Torture can also take the form of denying a person access to their fundamental need, such as food, housing, or medical attention.
Self-Neglect: If a vulnerable adult lives in a way that puts his or her own health, safety, or well-being at jeopardy, then one says that the vulnerable adult is self-neglecting. Self-neglect is assumed to have emerged as a geriatric syndrome in part due to a lack of social support, functional handicap, chronic medical disorders, mental illness, and mild cognitive impairment (Kutsal, 2019). All of these factors are thought to have a role in the development of self-neglect.
Assessment Criteria 2.3
Activity 22 - Outline Indicators That An Individual May Be Being Abused
The problems of falling or staying asleep, having nightmares, hating nighttime, or being afraid of the dark theft or dishonesty mistrust of those in positions of power. a poor quality of life, including a lack of ambition to succeed academically and unpleasant connections with those around them.
Assessment Criteria 2.4
Activity 23 - Identify Indicators of Perpetrator Behaviour
1. Threats and intimidation
2. The use of threats to induce fear;
3. Glares;
4. Causing material damage;
5. Causing pain to animals.
6. Ruining trust
7. Depression brought on by low self-esteem; and
8. Acts of malice designed to make the victim question her own sanity.
Assessment Criteria 2.5
Activity 24 - Explain How The Likelihood Of Abuse May Be Reduced By:
Working with person centred values: Person centred values or care can be defined as an approach, where people are asked to value, see and treat other people or individuals with dignity and respect. In includes competent practice, where the application of skills and knowledge are being designed by values and ethics. In this care approach, care workers used to prioritise the life history of the care seeker and current mental state and perspective towards surroundings. These specification details can help in carrying out competent practice in the performance and can help people or care seekers to change their viewpoint towards his surroundings or other people in a different and positive way.
Enabling active participation: A method of functioning known as active participation acknowledges a person's entitlement to engage in daily interactions and activities as autonomously as feasible. The person is seen as an active collaborator in their own care or assistance, not just a bystander. All facets of a person's care should be planned and executed with them in mind. This will guarantee that the person receiving the service is at the centre of all you do. With the individual's knowledge, understanding, cooperation, and permission, decisions are made and care is provided consent. As a care worker, I should actively support the individuals to take active part as much as they can, which may result the development of mutual respect, cooperative understandings among the care seeker towards others and society.
Promoting choice and rights: It is important for care workers to recognise and prioritise the rights and choices of care seekers. In order to avoid the withholding of an individual's rights, which could result in abuse, it is crucial that care staff acknowledge and support an individual's freedom to choose. Institutional abuse is one type of abuse where choices are not given. Rights and Choice include the followings:
A. Choosing the diet and fluids by care seekers
B. Having visitors
C. Have the voice to say or express your own feelings
D. Choosing the health and hygiene
E. Communication in the preferred method
F. Choice of recreational activities
Working in partnership with others: As a care worker, to reduce the rate of abuse, I should prioritise the partnership working. In this approach, I should try to treat every individual equally and with respect by resisting the “urge” of taking over. In partnership working, I should also ensure that rights and choice of individual people are being prioritised at workplace setup.
Assessment Criteria 3.1
Activity 25 - Explain The Importance Of An Accessible Complaints Procedure For Reducing The Likelihood Of Abuse
It is crucial that people are informed about how to remark on care services and file a complaint if they believe their rights are being violated in addition to receiving a Charter outlining their rights and obligations. Care providers should also be made aware of the complaint process so they can help someone file a complaint or file one on their own, as they see fit. It's crucial that the complaints process is simple to use, understand, and access.
Assessment Criteria 3.2
Activity 26 - Describe The Actions To Take If There Are Suspicions An Individual Is Being Abused Or Neglected
If I suspect for any abuse, then my action will be as followed:
a. Write down the situation in detail
b. Keep a copy
c. Talk to the manager, health visitors, and social workers and inform them about the abuse
Reporting:
a. As a social care worker, it should be foremost responsibility to report if any abuse comes into vigilance
b. A report should be done if one hears about the abuse
c. Report, If it is suspected that someone has been abused
d. Inform to the manager
e. Do not ask questions, ask the manager to take necessary action
f. Support the vulnerable individual at all time
Assessment Criteria 4.1
Activity 27 - Explain How To Respond If An Individual Discloses That They Are Being Abused
Supporting the alleged abuse:
Supporting should include the following actions:
a. Support should be offered during the examination and interviews
b. The vulnerable individual should be informed about the process, every time
c. Full access to legal services should be offered to the victim, which will include advocacy service, social service, support from counselors
d. Listen to the victim with empathy and in a non-judgemental way, every time
Support should be provided to the victim so that she will be free from fear of:
a. Reprisals
b. Sense of discrimination or social isolation
c. Facing the abuser
The Manager will take action in the support of the victim, by:
a. Filling up Adult Protection Referral Forms
b. Referral Form and notes that might be needed later
c. A copy of the charge sheet, which can further be forwarded to the Police, CQC, and Customer First or Social Service Team
Assessment Criteria 4.2
Activity 28 - Outline Issues Relating To The Consent To Share Information About Suspicions Or Disclosures Of Abuse Or Neglect
As per the Care Act, of 2014, the support is essential:
a. In need of empowering people
b. In need of balancing the choice and control for individuals against the prevention of harm or reducing risks
c. To respond proportionately to safeguarding concerns
In section 45 of the Care Act (2014), “the supply of information” covers the responsibility of others to comply with the request for information regarding safeguarding adults. Though, in a healthcare setting, there is a necessity to share information to others, by means of “on a need-to-know basis”. Focusing on capacity, at the healthcare sector, care providers should follow the Mental Capacity Act, of 2005. Additionally, another issue related with sharing of information is to seek consent on every time.
If employees are concerned about the hazards of disclosing information without permission, they ought to be more concerned about the consequences of not disclosing it as soon as possible.
Assessment Criteria 4.3
Activity 29 - Describe How To Share Information About Suspicions Or Disclosures Of Abuse Or Neglect
The essential part to remember while sharing information about suspicious or disclosure of abuse or neglect, are:
1. Record the date and time, when the disclosure was made or the incident is being documented by a witness
2. Record who is involved in the incident and if there were any other witnesses, like service users or other staff
3. Record the incident (what happened, when it happened by using the person’s own words and factual data)
While it comes to sharing information, the document should include:
a. The details of the incident
b. Legibly written report, which will be written in black ink
c. Always share and keep multiple photocopies of the original document
d. Share the factual information as possible
e. Ensure the confidentiality of the data, from outside use or misuse or mislead
Assessment Criteria 4.4
Activity 30 - Explain How To Keep The Individual And Others Appropriately Informed And Involved About Their Safeguarding Concern In Line With Policies And Procedures
Throughout the reporting and investigation phases, the abuse victim must be kept informed; the communication must be sensitive to their requirements and private.
If the choice is made to report a disclosure of abuse without getting the person's permission and where doing so will serve the public interest, we must let the person know about this and explain why our decision overrides their desire to keep the information private.
Assessment Criteria 4.5
Activity 31 - Identify Ways To Ensure Evidence Is Preserved
It is important to ensure that evidence is not biased or contaminated. The ways to ensure that the evidence are kept confidential are as followed:
a. No reference to the personal opinion should be disclosed to individuals
b. Injuries need to be photographed before, at the time and during the treatment and that information should be kept confidential
c. Ensure that the details or information are not being divulged by those who do not have the right to know
d. The verbal and written information should be done in legitimate way and that document will be signed properly
Assessment Criteria 4.6
Activity 32 - Outline How And When To Seek Support In Relation To Responding To Safeguarding Concerns
A social care worker must contact the Care Quality Commission, who will be able to advise and support the individual, if he or she has reported suspected abuse, neglect, operational issues, or unsafe practises in accordance with your organization's policies and procedures and no action has been taken and you have not received any support from the concerned management. Moreover, social services may be able to assist and counsel the victim.
Assessment Criteria 4.7
Activity 33 - Explain How To Respond To Suspicion Or Disclosure That A Child Or Young Person Is Being Abused Or Neglected
According to the NSPCC “what to say to a child or young people and how to respond”, the health and social care worker should follow the below actions:
a. Listen carefully to the children and young people, and what they want to say
b. Give the children and young people tools to talk or interact
c. Let them ensure that they have the right to express their feelings
d. Assure children and young people that they have not done anything wrong
e. Ensure that they will be taken in a serious way,
f. Show empathy, responsiveness, and genuineness to them
Assessment Criteria 4.8
Activity 34 - Identify Unsafe Practices That May Affect Individuals’ Well-Being
The unsafe practice may lead to an adverse outcome for any individual and it can affect an individual’s well-being. The unsafe practices are:
a. Poor working practice
b. Difficulties in operational activities
c. Resource difficulties
d. Not following the guideline and ethical consideration
Assessment Criteria 5.1
Activity 35 - Explain The Actions To Take If Unsafe Practices Have Been Identified
Action 1: Report the concern to the respective manager, who has the rightful authority to take serious action. A report should be offered to seek advice from the CQC
Action 2: Always abide by the legislation, policies, and procedures of the respective organisation. if there are any difficulties arise related to accessing or implementing the policy and procedure, report immediately.
Action 3: Challenge unsafe practice in workplace setup. There is no need to take practices or use equipment for which “one” has not got any training or has any information about safety measure
Action 4: Ensure active participation in training programs organized by employers. The report, if any difficulties may arise during the training process
Action 5: Always use PPE and equipment in the correct way.
Activity 6: Keep the knowledge and practice up-to-date
Activity 7: Any certain changes in care practice should be informed or communicated to the responsible people or authorities. This can enable staff to understand the current scenario
Action 8: Maintain bi-directional communication and cooperation within the team. attend team meetings as per requirement
Action 9: There is a necessity of understanding the importance of supervision to maintain safe working practice
Assessment Criteria 5.2
Activity 36 - Explain The Action To Take If Suspected Abuse Or Unsafe Practices Have Been Reported But No Action Taken In Response
You must get in touch with the Care Quality Commission so they can give you advice and support if you have reported suspected abuse, neglect, operational issues, or unsafe practises in accordance with your organization's policies and procedures but no action has been taken and you have not received any support from your management. Moreover, social services may be able to assist and counsel you.
Assessment Criteria 5.3
Activity 37 - Explain The Importance Of Balancing Online Safety Measures With The Benefits Individuals Can Gain From Accessing Online Systems, And The Individual’s Right To Make Informed Decisions
It is important to take person-cantered approach by balancing risks and rights against the benefit of using online systems. As a social care worker, it should be important to safeguard the service users and avoid dilemma in duty to maintain the right and protect the service users.
The aim of balancing online safety measures with benefits of individuals are:
1. Maintain self-image and identify, protected
2. Maintain good online relationship
3. Reduce online bully
4. Manage online information
5. Maintain data privacy and security
6. Maintain copyright and ownership act
Assessment Criteria 6.1
Activity 38 - Outline The Potential Risks To Individuals Presented By:
Use of electronic communication devices
Electronic communication devices are:
a. Phones
b. Tablets
c. Laptops
d. Computers
e. Smart watches
The risks are:
a. Cyberbully
b. Sexual exploitation
c. Extortion of money
d. Grooming
Use of the Internet
Risk are:
a. The information can be hacked
b. Equipment and software can be infected by virus or malware
c. The information ca be subjected to scam
d. Experience of phishing attack
e. Information can be subjected to scammers or misuse by ambiguous individuals
f. Plagiarism and breach of copyrights
Use Of Social Networking Sites
The risks are:
a. Depending on the privacy setup, personal data can be viewed by public
b. If hacked, privacy setup can be changed
c. If hacked. Privacy of individuals can be impacted
d. Third party can check information
e. Facebook ads can contain malware
f. Scammer can create false profile
Carrying Out Financial Transactions Online
Risks are:
1. Cyber crime
2. Online fraud
3. Credit and debit card can be replicated
4. Fraudulent email or text messages can be claim by bank
Activity 39 - Describe Ways Of Working Inclusively With Individuals To Reduce The Risks Presented By Each Of These Types Of Activity
The person-centric approach is one of the best ways to work inclusively with an individual when it comes to reducing the risk presented by the above-mentioned activities. In this process, an individual can protect themselves online by:
a. Make sure he is logging out of his device when he is not using that
b. By never sharing a password or any information to others
c. By taking care that others are not watching when entering passwords
d. Never using passwords linked to identity
e. Using password which is secure and strong
f. Always contacting trusted person for any support
Assessment Criteria 6.3
Reference list/bibliography
Please list your sources of information in the box below. This includes anywhere you have accessed to gain the information required to answer the questions. At level 3 and above, it is expected that you read widely, and we would recommend that you include at least 3 References. These can be any books you have read, websites you have accessed or the NCC materials. Please try to reference according to Harvard. For help with this, please visit the following website: https://www.ncchomelearning.co.uk/referencing
If you have gained information from other sources, please ensure that this has been referenced and written in your own words. Plagiarised work will not be accepted, and your work could be checked at any point throughout the course. If in doubt, please check your work using a plagiarism checker.
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Kutsal, Y., 2019. Geriatric syndromes. International Journal on Ageing in Developing Countries, 4(1), pp.41-56.
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