It’s OK to say “No!” to abuse

How Hampshire is protecting vulnerable adults.

An innovative approach puts the people who are suffering abuse at the centre of the solution.

Safeguarding vulnerable adults is a top priority for Hampshire’s Adult Services Department. A specialist team has been appointed in Hampshire to ensure an expert response from highly skilled staff. Abuse takes many forms – from physical, financial, verbal and emotional to neglect and discrimination. In Hampshire, the second most prevalent form of abuse, after physical, is financial – representing around a quarter of all recorded cases in 2008/09.

Hampshire’s Safeguarding Adults Board was formed to tackle the problem head-on, with representatives from a broad range of agencies and sectors, including the police and health care professionals, working alongside Adult Services staff to ensure a co-ordinated response. This ensures we are able to respond in the most appropriate way to suit the individual circumstances.  

Sometimes where there are public protection issues, it is necessary for the police to work alongside Adult Services to ensure that the person responsible for the abuse cannot repeat offences against other vulnerable adults. For example, where a paid carer is abusing someone they are supposed to be supporting and has stolen money the case can end up in court and the abuser can receive a prison sentence.  

At the other end of the spectrum Hampshire County Council has established a pioneering partnership with a voluntary organisation called Daybreak. Daybreak’s Family Group Conferences put the abused person right at the centre of the discussion, so that they feel completely comfortable with the outcome.

We can work it out

Mrs Smith* is 85 and frail. She lives with her son Jason, who is out of work and has an alcohol dependency problem. They have lived together since Mrs Smith’s husband died three years ago.  Her son is very important to her – without him, she would be living alone. However, Jason had been using his mother’s pension to feed his drink habit. He had stopped home carers visiting, saying that he was looking after her, although he was not attending to her needs.  

Her son was becoming aggressive to her, and his intimidating behaviour was preventing other family members from becoming involved. Mrs Smith felt unable to argue with Jason – partly because she did not want to be left to live alone.

When Mrs Smith’s care agency contacted Adult Services, the care manager referred Mrs Smith to Daybreak to support her in finding a resolution she felt comfortable with. After meeting Mrs Smith when Jason was not there, the Daybreak co-ordinator contacted her other son and daughter and her neighbour, with Mrs Smith’s permission, to see if they would agree to a meeting. Jason was told separately, and agreed to attend too – he knew that his behaviour was hurting his mother, and that he could be arrested if he continued.

The meeting, held at a local church hall, was a success. Now, Jason is seeking his GP’s help with his alcohol problems; Mrs Smith’s daughter collects her pension and ensures that food shopping is done and domestic bills paid; Mrs Smith has a ‘panic button’ that she can use if she feels threatened; care workers are once again visiting Mrs Smith regularly; and she is seeing the other members of her family regularly.

Says Linda Tapper of Daybreak: “Family Group Conferences are about putting the abused person at the centre, so that they decide on the solution that is right for them.”

What can YOU do?

Hampshire County Council is striving to improve quality in care services.

If you believe that someone you know is being abused, or feel that you are suffering abuse yourself, contact the Adult Services Department on 0845 603 5630.

For more information on the help and advice the Adult Services Department can offer, visit www.hants.gov.uk/adult-services.

If you believe a crime is being committed, contact Hampshire Police on 0845 045 45 45.

If you suspect abuse, please don’t assume that someone else is doing something about it – call us today.

*The names have been changed in the case studies, to protect residents’ privacy.