Safeguarding Adults – Investigation

Overview

This two day programme is aimed at those workers who may be involved in interviewing adults at risk those alleged to have caused harm as part of the Safeguarding Statutory duty to make enquiries in line with Local Authorities and Safeguarding Board’s policy and procedures. To develop skills in conducting safeguarding interviews (including planning and preparation, recording processes, anti-discriminatory practice) and to work within the principles safeguarding at all times and of the MCA when appropriate. This will specifically focus on the front end of safeguarding enquiries to ensure that workers can work sensitively and can recognise the significance of making safeguarding personal. This includes the importance of ensuring that the person at risk of harm’s wishes views and feelings are considered right from the beginning of the process.

Who is Safeguarding Adults – Investigation aimed at?

Staff in Adult Social Care

Course Length

2 days

Learning Outcomes

By the the end of the course, the folllowing objectives will have been met. 

This will be achieved by via consideration and examination of the following:

• Consideration of the practical significance of Safeguarding’s 6 Principles and the evidence base emerging from Making Safeguarding Personal (with specific regard to the recognition of the outcomes desired by adults and Establishing of outcomes in line with wishes and views which need to be ascertained as soon as is practicable
• Examining working with the network of support (family/friends) to enable engagement and to respect article 8 elements of safeguarding practice. The link to making safeguarding personal will be made to the inclusive part of the safeguarding enquiry
• Consideration of participation as part of the role of the adult at risk in the SA process, their views, wishes and feelings (such planning meeting/outcome meetings) so that involvement and the wellbeing principle of control over day to day life (including care and support) is reflected in Safeguarding practice
• Examination of realistic alternatives that suits them and their lifestyle
• Examination of risk enablement and consequences in line with outcomes and risk and alleged persons causing harm. The interface with section 1: Wellbeing and the Care Act will underpin the whole programme to embed an awareness of Making Safeguarding Personal throughout all care and support practice
• Examining the role and skills in planning and preparation for interviewing those alleged to have caused harm, adults at risk and/or their advocate. 
• Explain purpose and process of a safeguarding adults interview (including role, purpose, recording of the interview i.e note taking, potential outcomes of the interview and how information will  be used) to an individual with no familiarity of the local policy and procedures-          
• Recognition of and working with issues of anti-discriminatory practice in the interview process.
• Encompassing the Principles of the MCA and the role of the IMCA service with consideration of Care Act Advocacy in the safeguarding process for those who have ‘significant difficulty’ engaging in the process
• Recognition of the balance between interview content and the balance/relationship between investigation and assessment of a person’s needs 
• Consideration of the skills of interviewing including reference to Achieving Best Evidence (revised) guidance (establishing rapport, free narrative, questioning and closure) exploring issues around leading questions and closed questions
• Exploring engaging with people who are reluctant to participate in the safeguarding process and working with those who require clear, communication
• Examine when a decision may need to be made to share information with either the police or other agencies to further the investigation/enquiry 
• Exploring and practicing skills for contemporaneous note taking
• Consideration of a personal action plan for developing good practice and methods of capturing positive interventions and evidencing decisions even if the outcomes are more complex and less concrete. This will also include working with a person’s advocate to ensure that what matters TO and what matters FOR the adult at risk are always at the forefront of the safeguarding process
• Consideration of the effective interface with the Mental Capacity Act with specific regard to Best Interests and assessments of capacity in cases where self-neglect appears to be an issue, including evidencing decisional capacity and executive capacity. On-going assessment of capacity throughout the process is explored
• Awareness of responsibilities around information sharing and confidentiality, keeping the person safe, promoting good practice in multi-agency working and the duty of care.

By the end of the session participants will have gained an opportunity to explore the skills necessary for conducting effective interviews for safeguarding investigations/enquiries and will have been able to consider this in the context of policy, procedure and statutory guidance. They will be able to recognise positive practice in making safeguarding personal and the role of the effective interview in this process for both adults at risk and alleged perpetrators.