Protection of vulnerable adults

We are committed to preventing the abuse of adults and responding promptly when abuse is suspected.

Who is a vulnerable adult?

A vulnerable adult is a person aged 18 years or over who may be unable to protect themselves from harm or from being exploited. This may be because they have a mental health problem, a disability, a sensory impairment, are old and frail, or have some form of illness.

What is abuse?

There are may ways that adults can be abused. Some of the main types of abuse are:

• physical abuse - such as assault, or physical restraint
• financial abuse - such as misuse of someone's money or property
• neglect - such as not providing food, clothing or medical care
• abandonment - such as desertion or people who are unable to care for themselves
• sexual abuse - such as harassment, teasing, touching people in a way they do not like, or having sex with someone against their will
• emotional abuse - such as threatening some or all of the above

Abuse may be unintentional - it could be that someone is having difficulty coping with a stressful situation, and needs help.

Abuse could be happening already, it may have only just started or been hinted at, or you might fear it is about to start soon.

Who might be at risk?

Some adults may be at greater risk of abuse than others, these include:

• older people who are dependent on others
• people with mental health needs
• people with learning disabilities
• people with sensory/physical disabilities
• people who are socially isolated
• people with dementia or confusion

Where could they be?

They may be:

• living on their own
• living with family or friends
• in a residential or nursing home
• in hospital
• or indeed anywhere in the borough - we also have a responsibility for residents we are supporting financially in residential homes outside the borough

Who might be causing the abuse?

The person who is responsible for the abuse is very often well known to the person abused and could be:

• a paid carer or volunteer
• a health worker, social care or other worker
• a relative, friend or neighbour
• another resident or service user
• an occasional visitor or someone who is providing a service
• people who deliberately exploit vulnerable people

What do you do if you are being abused or you suspect that someone you know may be the victim of abuse?

You should contact Social Services as soon as possible. Your concerns will be taken seriously and will receive prompt attention. Solihull Council will co-ordinate any investigation, and make sure any suspicion of abuse is looked into by the most appropriate people.

Who can help?

• Social Services
• The Police
• Solihull CT
• Heartlands and Solihull Hospital

We are all working together to provide help for vulnerable adults and their carers.

People you can talk to include:

• Social Workers
• GPs
• Home Care Assistants
• Practice Nurses
• Nurses
• Police Officers
• Police Domestic Violence Officer
• Doctors
• Health Visitors

All our staff can help to make sure your problem is passed on to the right person quickly for investigation.

Or you can contact us by phone:

Adult Social Services:- Call the duty social worker for

Adult Care
South Tel: 0121 704 6766
e-mail: ssadultcare.south@solihull-ct.nhs.uk

Central Tel: 0121 704 8033

North Tel: 0121 788 0190
e-mail: ssadultcare.north@solihull-ct.nhs.uk

Older People with Mental Health Problems
e-mail: mentalhealth@solihull-ct.nhs.uk
South Tel: 0121 678 4800
North Tel: 0121 678 4950

People with Learning Disabilities
Tel: 0121 704 7470 e-mail: sslearningdis.south@solihull-ct.nhs.uk

In emergencies outside office hours
Tel: 0121 605 6060

Police
Family Protection Unit
Tel: 08451 135000

Heartland's and Solihull Hospital
Tel: 0121 424 2000

Solihull Care Trust
Tel: 0121 711 7171

What will happen then?

If there is immediate danger we will aim to visit you or the person about whom you are concerned straight away. If there is a significant risk of harm we will aim to visit within 24 hours. For other reports of abuse we will normally visit within 5 working days.

Someone from Solihull Adult Social Services will talk to the vulnerable adult about the concerns that have been raised. We will also contact the person who has reported the abuse urgently to discuss those concerns. You will asked for details about the person you think is at risk and the person you think is the abuser. We may also need to ask other people for extra information, e.g. the district nurse.

We will then decide whether or not the vulnerable adult appears to be at risk of harm. We will let you, and the vulnerable adult, know as soon as possible what the decision is, and what will happen next.

We will treat everything you tell us in confidence, and make sure as few people know about your problem as possible. But, if what you are telling us about is a criminal offence, we must report it to the police. If you are reporting a criminal offence you may need to give evidence.

We will not normally do anything or share information with other people without the permission of the person who is being abused. The only exception to this is in situations where others may be at risk of abuse or the person is not able to make decisions for themselves because of mental disability.

What happens if there is an investigation?

• The person you suspect of being abused will be interviewed.
• The person you suspect of being the abuser will be interviewed.
• They will be told what the suspected abuse is, but not who has asked us to investigate.
• We will also ask anyone else who might be able to help.

Who is involved in the investigation?

Solihull Adult Social Services will normally co-ordinate the investigation. It may also involve other professionals, such as:

• doctors
• community or district nurses
• police domestic violence officer
• support workers
• social workers

What happens after the investigation?

What action is taken will depend on individual circumstances. The vulnerable adult, and any carers, will be told what decisions have been made, and what could happen next. Carers are a very important part of this process.

We aim to:

• provide vulnerable adults with ways to solve the problem.
• find out what professional support can be offered, and when.
• work with vulnerable adults and their carers to improve their circumstances

What if it is decided that the vulnerable adult is at risk?

If Solihull Adult Social Services feel that action needs to be taken to protect the vulnerable adult, a Case Conference is called to look at ways to do this.

The Case Conference is a meeting to which all those people involved in the investigation, and in providing care for the vulnerable adult, are invited. The vulnerable adult may also be invited, and can bring along someone to support them, eg an advocate.

It is the job of the Case Conference to:

• recommend a Protection Plan for the vulnerable adult
• decide if the vulnerable adult should be placed on the Vulnerable Adult Protection Register
• consider if any extra help is needed by the vulnerable adult, or those caring for him/her, to help the situation

If you have atteneded the case conference you can ask to see the written notes of the Case Conference.

The Protection Plan is then regularly checked to make sure it is helping to protect the vulnerable adult, and to make sure it is still right to keep the vulnerable adult's name on the Vulnerable Adult Protection Register.

What support, help or advice is available for you?

We will make sure that we:

• listen to your views
• treat you fairly
• keep you informed about what's happening, what's decided, and why

You may also find it helpful to have some independent support or advice. Organisations you may wish to contact for help at this time might include:

• your local Citizens Advice Bureau
• a local support group, such as Solihull Age Concern, Solihull branch of the Carers National Association, MIND, or the local branch of the Alzheimers Society.

If you would like any help to get in touch with someone for advice, ask the investigator(s) to provide appropriate contact telephone numbers, or your local Citizens Advice Bureau.

Citizens Advice Bureau
176 Bosworth Drive Chelmsley Wood
Birmingham
B37 5DZ
Telephone: 0870 120 2425

Citizens Advice Bureau
The Shirley Centre
274 Stratford Road
Shirley
Solihull
B90 3AD
Telephone: 0870 120 2425

Citizens Advice Bureau
The Priory
Church Hill Road
Solihull
B91 3LF
Tel: 0870 120 2425

What if the Police are involved?

If it is possible that a criminal offence has occurred, for example if the vulnerable adult has been physically attacked, the Police must be involved. This will mean that all investigations by Solihull Adult Social Services must stop while the Police decide whether a crime has been committed, and whether they will prosecute anybody for that crime.

If the Police are involved, they will make sure that you are told about what is happening, what decisions they have made, and what will happen next.

Who will know about this investigation, and what records are kept?

All investigations are kept as confidential as possible. If we need to involve people in the investigation, the Case Conference, or the Protection Plan, they will need to be told relevant information about the concerns raised and action taken or planned.

Records of the action taken to investigate concerns will also be kept by Adult Social Services in their individual case records for the vulnerable adult, and in the centralised Vulnerable Adult Case Conference files.

Under the Data Protection Act, you may ask for access to computerised or written records held about you by Adult Social Services . If you wish to see these records, you should write to the Corporate Director of Adult Social Services.

If you don't like the way the investigation is handled, how can you complain?

If you disagree with the way the investigation is handled by Adult Social Services , you should tell the person investigating the complaint. If you are still unhappy, you may wish to consider using the Solihull Adult Social Services complaints procedure. Ask for the leaflet "How to Complain".

Customer Services Manager
Communications Centre
Council House
PO Box 18
Solihull
B91 9QS

Tel: 0121 704 6761
E-mail: customerservices@solihull.gov.uk

If you are unhappy about the way someone not employed by Solihull Adult Social Services has behaved during the investigation, or with what they have said, you will need to contact the organisation they work for, eg:

Family Protection Unit
West Midlands Police
Homer Road
Solihull
Telephone: 08451 135000

Birmingham Heartlands & Solihull Hospital NHS Trust
Solihull Hospital
Lode Lane
Solihull
Telephone: 0121 424 2000

Solihull Care Trust
20 Union Road
Solihull
Telephone: 0121 711 7171