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Serious case reviews into dementia care: an analysis of context and content
- Authors:
- MANTHORPE Jill, MARTINEAU Stephen
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 46(2), 2016, pp.514-531.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Adult Serious Case Reviews (SCRs) are commissioned by local Safeguarding Boards to investigate how local professionals and agencies worked together to safeguard a vulnerable adult following an incident of abuse, harm or death if the Board identifies concerns about agencies' actions from which lessons may be learned. This paper presents the results of a study undertaken in 2013 analysing Adult SCRs where the person who was at risk of harm, or had been harmed or died, had a dementia. Of the eighty-four SCRs available, fourteen were identified as involving a person with dementia and in a further seven the victim(s) may have had dementia. Discrete themes are presented: the situation of self- or publicly funded residents; the potential of poor care quality in all settings for people with dementia, and by different staff and family carers; the lack of communication with family members; and poor integration of care for people with dementia. The SCRs provide vivid illustrations of the ‘faultlines’ that may exist in dementia support systems. In England, Adult SCRs are moving to a statutory basis under the Care Act 2014 and this paper draws attention to their potential as learning materials in dementia care for commissioners, for social workers and for safeguarding practice. (Publisher abstract)
Helping or hindering in adult safeguarding: an investigation of practice
- Authors:
- STEVENS Martin, MARTINEAU Stephen, NORRIE Caroline, MANTHORPE Jill
- Publisher:
- King's College London. Social Care Workforce Research Unit
- Publication year:
- 2017
- Pagination:
- 104
- Place of publication:
- London
Examines current safeguarding practice in England where access to an adult at risk is obstructed by a third party and explores views about whether social workers (and others) need more legal powers. This study focused on adults who are able to make decisions – people who have ‘mental capacity’ – as there are laws covering people who are not able to make decisions. The study found that while problems with getting to talk to adults who appeared to be at risk of harm were common, most are resolved by good social work practice, creativity and persistence. However, in a small number of cases, gaining any access proves very difficult and sometimes impossible. In these cases, legal intervention is sometimes required, but sometimes, no access is achieved. Most of the social workers and older and disabled people who were interviewed or surveyed thought that, on balance, there should be additional legal powers for social workers, including a power of entry. The study concluded that without greater knowledge about the size and nature of the problem – and therefore the costs to local authorities and the outcomes for those involved – policy options may be limited. One option proposed was to ask local authorities to count the number of cases of sustained obstruction. This would need to define terms like sustained obstruction or serious problems. Increasing the scope of current practice guidance, particularly in relation to multi-agency working, was another policy option outlined by the research. (Edited publisher abstract)