Safeguarding Adults Procedures

9 Psychological abuse Including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks. Financial or material abuse including theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with Wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits and deprivation of assets. Modern Slavery Includes human trafficking, forced labour and debt bondage, sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, domestic servitude, descent-based slavery, child labour and slavery in supply chains. Human Trafficking  The definition of human trafficking is the illegal movement of people through force, fraud or deception with the intention of exploiting them, typically for the purposes of forced labour or sexual exploitation.  Men, women and children are forced into a situation through the use (or threat) of violence, deception or coercion. Victims may enter the UK legally, on forged documentation or secretly under forced hiding, or they may even be a UK citizen living in the UK who is then trafficked within the country. It should not be confused with people smuggling, where the person has the freedom of movement upon arrival in the UK.  There is no ‘typical’ victim of human trafficking and modern slavery. Victims can be men, women and children of all ages, ethnicities, nationalities and backgrounds. It can however be more prevalent amongst the most vulnerable members of society, and within minority or socially excluded groups. Discriminatory abuse including forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment because of race, gender and gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion. Organisational abuse Including neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in a person’s own home. This may be a one-off incident or ongoing ill-treatment. It can refer to neglect or poor professional practice because of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation including corporate neglect. Neglect and acts of omission Includes ignoring medical, emotional or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services, equipment, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating Self–neglect and hoarding This includes a broad spectrum of behaviour. The Care Act 2014 statutory guidance defines self-neglect as: “a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding”. Self-neglect is recognised as the failure or unwillingness by an adult to meet their own basic care needs required to maintain health. It should be noted that neither self-neglect or hoarding may prompt a Section 42 enquiry but may need or benefit from support through case management, multidisciplinary discussion or Multi Agency Risk Management (MARM). An assessment should be made on a case by case basis. A decision on whether a response is required through safeguarding will depend on an adult’s ability to protect themselves by controlling their own behaviour. There may come a point when they are no longer able to do this, without external support.