Fife Multi-Agency Adult Protection Guidance - Home Page

IntroductionAdult Protection is everyone’s business. This guidance outline the dutiesand responsibilities of all agencies concerned with the protection of adults,however, it is important to recognise that “Adult Protection is everyone’sbusiness”. This statement confirms that if we want to support and protectadults at risk of harm in Fife, all individuals and services have a contribution tomake.All adults at risk should feel safe, supported and protected from harm.Most adults who are affected by disability, mental disorder, illness, physical ormental infirmity live their lives comfortably and securely, either independentlyor with the help of caring relatives, friends, neighbours, professionals orvolunteers. Some adults affected in this way, however, are unable tosafeguard themselves.Adults at risk may be harmed by anyone; relatives or family members,volunteers, paid carers, friends and acquaintances, other service users,neighbours, strangers and those who deliberately exploit adults at risk.Research evidence indicates that in most cases the adult knows the personcausing them harm.The support and protection of adults at risk of harm is a high priority for thestatutory, voluntary and independent sectors. This multi-agency guidance isdesigned to ensure that there is common practice across Fife. The purpose ofthe guidance is to provide a framework that can be applied across allagencies and is intended to advise and complement individual agencyguidance/procedures.This guidance replaces the previous “Fife Multi-agency Vulnerable AdultProtection Procedures” published in March 2009 and takes account ofmulti-agency practice and experience since the introduction of the AdultSupport and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007.This guidance will be supported by joint training which will help developunderstanding and respect for individual professional roles, increaseawareness of adult protection issues and contribute to effective intervention.Adult Support and P rights and preventing harmThe Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 and the recentlyimplemented Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007complement and strengthen other legislation related to adult support andprotection, specifically, the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 and theMental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. The Adult Supportand Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 introduces new duties and powers tosafeguard adults who may be at risk of harm. It places a duty on specifiedorganisations to cooperate in investigating suspected or actual harm andintroduces a range of protection orders. It also provides the legislativeframework for the establishment of Adult Protection Committees acrossScotland.7