Safeguarding Adults Procedures

32  consider other statutory duties, e.g. Mental Health Act assessment (including whether an application for Guardianship is appropriate), Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards or to the Court of Protection. See Appendix 16.  consider how the family, partners or carers can be involved if the adult at risk wishes this.  agree whether an enquiry will take place, and if so, how it should be conducted and by whom.  agree who will interview the person alleged to have caused harm (bearing in mind if he/she is an employee, then the lead responsibility for this will be with the employer or if a criminal action is suspected, then the Police will lead this process).  make a clear record of the decisions and what information is shared.  agree a plan detailing actions, proposed timescales and person responsible, known as the Safeguarding Plan. The plan will be agreed with the adult at risk or their representative, include any contingency arrangements, how the plan will be shared and identify potential risks outside of office hours.  agree when the Safeguarding Plan will be reviewed and convene an ERM if necessary.  ensure any Safeguarding Plan is cross referenced in the MARAC/HRDA and MAPPA if taking place. See also Appendix 6.  consider whether a child (under 18 years) or other adults may be at risk. Refer to Children’s Social Care, if necessary. Involving Adults in Safeguarding Meetings  Effective involvement of adults and / or their representatives in safeguarding meetings requires professionals to be creative and to think in a person-centred way. Address the following issues when planning the meeting:  How should the adult be involved? Is it best for the adult to attend the meeting, or would they prefer to feed in their views and wishes in a different way, e.g. a written statement? Is it best to hold one big meeting, or several smaller meetings? Consider holding a virtual meeting.  Where is the best place to hold the meeting? Where might the adult feel most at their ease and able to participate?  How long should the meeting last? What length of time will meet the adult’s needs and make it manageable for them?  When should breaks be scheduled to best meet the adult’s needs?  What time of the day would be best for the adult? Consider the impact of a person’s sleep patterns, medication, condition, dependency, care and support needs;  What will the agenda be? Is the adult involved in setting the agenda?  What preparation needs to be undertaken with the adult? How can they be supported to understand the purpose and expected outcome of the meeting? Consider accessible formats.  Who is the best person to chair? What can they do to gain the trust of the adult?  Will all the meeting members behave in a way that includes the adult in the discussion?  Think about ways to encourage to straightforward and inclusive communication; limit use of acronyms.  Representation by informal carers/family or advocates. See Appendix 15 - Advocacy Recording and Sharing Information A record should be made of the decisions and actions required. The record should be distributed to all relevant individuals and organisations and take account of data protection issues. See Appendix 9 – Information Sharing. The record should include:  Name of the adult at risk.  Date and time of the meeting.  Name and contact details of the EM.  Names and contact details of attendees.  Details of the incident or the concern, with time, location and relevant details to include the adults desired outcomes.  An assessment of the risks for the adult and any other individuals, i.e. family carers, children etc., to consider the seriousness/severity of harm.  Name of the person alleged to have caused/causing harm.