The Care Act 2014 provides Local Authorities with a duty to safeguard adults. However, the needs of people with dementia will vary widely and in order to safeguard people with dementia effectively, practitioners need to be able to adapt their practice.
This year, the Office of the Chief Social Worker worked with Music for Dementia to design tools to support social workers and link workers to incorporate music into the care plan of people with dementia
The practice guidance “ Supporting people living with dementia to be involved in adult safeguarding enquiries” was published on 31 March 2021 which explains what is known about the abuse and neglect of people who are living with dementia and identifies principles for practice as well as principles and suggestions for good practice.
The guidance is aimed at social workers however will be of value to all professionals involved in safeguarding adults who are living with dementia.
The guidance was commissioned by Lyn Romeo in 2019, on behalf of the Office of the Chief Social Worker for Adults. The guidance was researched and completed by Dr Jeremy Dixon of the Department of Social and Policy Sciences, University of Bath, Bath.
The published guidance can be accessed here.
Local VCSE organisations supporting people with dementia may find the guidance of interest.
The charity commission has it owns “safeguarding and protecting people for charities and trustees” guidance, which provides advice on what to do to protect people who come into contact with your charity through its work from abuse or mistreatment of any kind.
The guidance was last updated in October 2019 and can be accessed here.
We recommend that all VCSE organisations review their safeguarding policies and procedures on an annual basis to take account of changes in legislation and working practice. The two sets of guidance mentioned may assist that review process.