The Core Principles of Adult Safeguarding
The objective of adult safeguarding is multi-faceted, extending beyond reactive intervention to encompass a proactive and person-centered ethos. The Care Act 2014 sets out six core principles that guide effective safeguarding practice. These principles—empowerment, prevention, proportionality, protection, partnership, and accountability—ensure that safeguarding is not a restrictive process but one that enhances an individual’s quality of life and safety. These principles work together to create a robust and holistic framework that places the adult at the center of the process.
Empowerment: Supporting Individual Choice
Empowerment is central to the objective of safeguarding adults. It is about supporting and encouraging individuals to make their own decisions and provide informed consent. This means respecting their autonomy, even if the decisions they make might seem 'unwise' to others. The process is designed to empower individuals by providing them with the necessary information and support to understand risks and make choices that align with their personal values and lifestyle. This approach ensures that individuals have control over their own lives and are not just passive recipients of care.
Prevention: Taking Action Before Harm Occurs
A key part of the safeguarding objective is prevention—taking action to prevent harm and reduce the risk of abuse or neglect before it happens. This includes robust staff training, raising public awareness, and creating clear policies and procedures that minimize risk. Prevention is far more effective than reacting to harm after it has occurred. This principle emphasizes the importance of early intervention and education to stop abuse from ever becoming an issue in the first place.
Proportionality: The Least Intrusive Response
Safeguarding interventions should be the least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented. This principle, proportionality, ensures that any action taken is a measured response and does not unnecessarily restrict a person's rights or freedom. Professionals must carefully balance the need to protect with the importance of respecting an individual's independence and personal wishes. This ensures interventions are both effective and respectful of the individual’s dignity.
Protection: Support for Those in Greatest Need
For those who are unable to protect themselves, the objective is to provide targeted support and representation to ensure their safety. This includes taking decisive action when an individual is at risk of harm and ensuring that appropriate safeguarding procedures and services are in place to keep them safe. This might involve formal investigations and support services, with an emphasis on ensuring the individual's voice is heard and their needs are met.
Partnership: Collaborative Solutions
Safeguarding is a shared responsibility, not the task of a single agency. The principle of partnership emphasizes local solutions through different services working together with their communities. This means that local councils, police, NHS services, and community groups must collaborate effectively to prevent, identify, and respond to abuse and neglect. This multi-agency approach ensures a coordinated and comprehensive response to complex safeguarding cases.
Accountability: Transparency in Practice
Accountability ensures that all individuals and organizations involved in safeguarding are transparent and responsible for their actions. This includes maintaining clear roles, responsibilities, and reporting structures for all safeguarding activities. Accountability builds trust and ensures that the system is fair and just, allowing for continuous improvement and learning from past incidents.
The Difference Between Safeguarding and Protection
While often used interchangeably, it is important to distinguish between safeguarding and protection, as they represent different aspects of the same overall objective. The overall objective is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of adults at risk of harm.
| Aspect | Safeguarding | Protection |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Proactive and preventative measures to create safe environments for all. | Reactive measures taken when abuse or neglect is suspected or confirmed. |
| Scope | Broader scope, covering all aspects of an individual's health, wellbeing, and human rights. | Specific, targeted actions to investigate and address a known harm. |
| Initiative | Involves training, policy setting, and cultural change to reduce risk before it occurs. | Involves reporting concerns, multi-agency investigation, and risk management. |
| Example | Implementing staff background checks and clear reporting policies. | Launching an investigation into an allegation of financial abuse. |
The Role of 'Making Safeguarding Personal'
'Making Safeguarding Personal' (MSP) is an outcomes-focused approach that is central to achieving the main objective of safeguarding adults. It ensures that the individual's wishes, feelings, and beliefs are taken into account in any decision-making process. The goal is to work with the adult to determine their desired outcomes and tailor the response to their specific needs. This contrasts with a prescriptive, process-driven approach and instead promotes dignity, choice, and control for the individual. This approach makes the safeguarding process a collaborative journey, not a procedure that is done to a person, but one that is done with them.
The Causes and Impact of Abuse and Neglect
Understanding the factors that contribute to abuse and neglect is critical for effective safeguarding. Vulnerability can arise from various circumstances, including illness, disability, age, or social isolation. Systemic factors, such as inadequate funding, poor staff training, and high levels of caregiver stress, can also contribute. The impact of abuse can be devastating, leading to physical injuries, emotional trauma, financial loss, and a significant reduction in a person's overall quality of life. Effective safeguarding aims to address these root causes and mitigate their impact.
Learning and Development to Improve Safeguarding
Continuous learning is a crucial component of achieving the main objective. When safeguarding incidents occur, a thorough review process is necessary to learn lessons and improve practices. This helps to identify any systemic failures or gaps in provision that may have contributed to the harm. This commitment to learning and improvement ensures that safeguarding is not a static process but one that evolves to better protect adults in vulnerable situations. By using tools like Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs), organizations can identify trends and implement preventative strategies on a broader scale.
Conclusion
In summary, what is the main objective of safeguarding adults? It is to ensure that every adult has the right to live a life free from abuse and neglect, while being empowered to make their own decisions. This is achieved through a framework of core principles that emphasize prevention, empowerment, and collaborative partnerships. It moves beyond simply reacting to harm and focuses on proactively creating safe and supportive environments. The ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life and promote the wellbeing of all adults with care and support needs, respecting their rights and dignity at every stage of the process.
For more detailed information on safeguarding practices and principles, a helpful resource is the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE).
