Transcript Safeguarding and the Role of Housing

Imogen Parry
Director of Policy ERoSH and
independent housing consultant
Housing LIN West Midlands April 2009
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Main framework for Safeguarding and current
review
Current incentives for housing organisations’
involvement in Safeguarding
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Strategy and policy
Legislation, regulation and guidance
Barriers to joint working
Deaths caused by abuse and other abuse cases
involving housing – lessons to be learnt
How housing providers can contribute to
Safeguarding
Summary
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“No secrets: guidance on developing and
implementing multi-agency policies and
procedures to protect vulnerable adults from
abuse” DH and Home Office, 2000
“Safeguarding Adults – a consultation on the
Review of the ‘No Secrets’ Guidance” DH,
Home Office, Criminal Justice System, 2008
Consultation ended Jan 2009 – nearly 500
responses - currently being analysed –
outcome announced by July?
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Shifted agenda to mainstreaming Safeguarding
– making it everyone’s business
Acknowledged definition problems, patchy
joint working, the need for better leadership
and prevention, the need for clarity about
outcomes
Set Safeguarding in policy context of
personalisation, community empowerment,
access to criminal justice for all
Asked if stronger guidance is needed or
legislation as well
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Strategy and policy set by:
Communities and Local Government
department
 Tenant Services Authority
 Homes and Communities Agency
 Audit Commission
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Legislation, regulation and guidance:
Mental Capacity Act 2005
 Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
 Human Rights Act 1998
 Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004
 Protection from Harassment Act 1997
 Police and Justice Act 2006
 Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003
 Homelessness Act 2002 and Code of Guidance 2006
 No Secrets 2000
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Legislation, regulation and guidance (contd)
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Supporting People programme:
 Quality standards including Safeguarding and
protection (see next slide)
 Regular needs and risk assessments and support plans
 Outcome monitoring including measures relating to
self-harm, avoiding causing harm to others, minimising
harm or risk of harm from others
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CSHS (Centre for Sheltered Housing Studies) and
the ARHM (Association of Retirement Housing
Managers) Codes of Practice include standards
relating to Safeguarding and protection
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“There is a commitment to Safeguarding the welfare
of adults and children using or visiting the service
and to working in partnership to protect vulnerable
groups from abuse”
There is a difference between Safeguarding
vulnerable adults/children and adult/child protection:
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Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility, and includes
measures to prevent or minimise the potential for abuse
occurring.
Protection is a statutory responsibility in response to individual
cases where risk of harm has been identified.
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Lack of recognition by victim that they are
being abused
Lack of awareness by some housing staff of
indicators of abuse, or of how to report
concerns
Reluctance of some housing organisations to
report due to fear of damaging reputation,
previous lack of response, or fear of overreaction
Problems with consent of victim to referral
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Narrow interpretation of “vulnerable adult”
Lack of awareness by some adult services
staff of contribution of housing staff
Lack of inclusion of housing in protocols
Lack of involvement of housing staff
following referral
Uncompromising commitment to upholding
individual’s right to self-determination even
with evidence the person lacks the capacity to
make the particular decision
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Margaret Panting, age 77, Sheffield, early 2000s –
warden’s concerns not responded to. Died 5 weeks
after moving out of sheltered housing to son-inlaw’s house. 50+ injuries. No-one prosecuted. Case
led to Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act
Steven Hoskin, age 38, man with LD, Cornwall,
2007 – humiliated, tortured, forced to jump to
death from viaduct. Led to serious case review.
Housing agencies criticised for only dealing with
ASB allegations, not referring into POVA
procedures
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Two older people, neighbours in a sheltered
housing scheme, South Tyneside, 2008.
The council had moved the pensioners into
alternative accommodation instead of tackling
the problem of abuse at the unit
LGO found council guilty of maladministration
for failing to stop persistent abuse by warden
in a scheme “run like Colditz”
Warden suspended
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Beware of focusing on single issues and
missing need for Safeguarding
perspective
Beware of narrow departmentalism and
failure to share information and concerns
Don’t ignore the signs of abuse, no
matter who the perpetrator or the victim
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Help to prevent abuse e.g. through awareness
raising campaigns with tenants
Alert statutory authorities regarding concerns,
allegations, suspicions of abuse – likely to increase
with personalisation implementation
Contribute to strategy meetings and investigations
of abuse – drawing on extensive knowledge of
service users’ lives, circumstances and wishes
Monitor abusive situations and report back to the
adult protection team if circumstances change
Support victims of abuse and advocate for them
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Use statutory powers relating to tenancy
agreements, injunctions etc to protect tenants
Ensure that Safeguarding is part of the strategic
and business plans of local authorities and
housing associations
Ensure an appropriate training and policy
framework is set by councillors and board
members (including training for board members
themselves) - particularly in recognising the
signs and indicators of abuse, knowing how to
handle a disclosure of abuse and how to report
abuse
Include Safeguarding as part of housing strategy
documents and develop policies in this area
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Review approach to re-housing to support applications from
vulnerable individuals and families; support individual
access to Choice Based Lettings, but also consider multi
agency Panels, reviewing allocations and re-housing
policies to facilitate the re-housing of victims
Provide a safe refuge from abuse, e.g. through sheltered and
supported housing.
Review which staff will need to be registered with the
Independent Safeguarding Authority from 2010
Synchronise internal adult protection procedures with the
local area multi-agency policy and procedure on adult
protection / Safeguarding
Take policy issues to local multi-agency adult protection
meetings, such as clarifying thresholds within which a
client’s refusal to allow a referral can be over-ruled, and
resolving barriers to effective joint working
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Extremely complex issues underpin
Safeguarding
Lots of disagreement about what changes are
needed to improve Safeguarding
In particular, lots of controversy about:
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necessity for and nature of new legislation
who should take the leadership role
likely impact of personalisation
In the meantime there are many small steps
that can be taken to help prevent, detect and
tackle abuse
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Email: [email protected]
Website: www.imogenparry.co.uk
Telephone: 07774 838825 or 01920 870384
ERoSH: www.shelteredhousing.org
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