This forms part of the Dumfries and Galloway Multi-Agency Adult Support and Protection Guidance.
1. Introduction
1.1 Most adults, who might be considered to be at risk of harm, manage to live their lives without experiencing harm. Often this is with the assistance of caring relatives, friends, paid carers, professional agencies or volunteers.
1.2 However, some people will experience harm such as physical harm, psychological harm, sexual harm or exploitation of their finances or property. The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 was introduced to maximise the protection of adults at risk of harm and provide a concise legal framework to facilitate further the protection of adults at risk of harm through the measures contained in Part 1 of the Act.
1.3 This guidance has been developed collaboratively, by the local Adult Support and Protection National Guidance Implementation Group which had representatives from Social Work, Health, Police, Improvements and Quality, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and Third Sector, including Independent Advocacy. The Public Protection Committee are extremely grateful to the members of this group for their time and expertise.
1.4 This guidance and associated procedures have been informed by National ASP Guidance Suite including the revised ASP Codes of Practice 2022. As well as the West of Scotland Inter-Agency Support and Protection Practice Guidance 2019.
1.5 The guidance provides an overview of the process to support and protect when harm happens to an adult at risk and details the action to be taken by agencies when harm is identified in accordance with revised Code of Practice, and the actions that should be taken by the public agencies to meet their duties under the 2007 Act. It informs the development of single and multiagency Adult Support and Protection procedures, processes and training and will support the protection of adults in Dumfries and Galloway. This includes:
- definition of harm and common indicators
- outlines guidance for intervention
- referrals and timescales
- the process of Inquiries (with and without powers)
- Investigations, risk assessment
- Case Conferences
- governance expectations on agencies
- escalation
1.6 There are other relevant pieces of legislation designed to support and protect adults at risk of harm which may be considered alongside the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 such as the: