7 - Safeguarding and mental capacity

This standard speaks to an awareness of safeguarding signs, symptoms and factors around abuse and responses to abuse so new managers can develop deeper understanding of their responsibility to lead and manage others in safeguarding practice. 

To work in adult social care is to work with adults at risk, as many of the people supported in adult social care will be at higher risk of exploitation and harm from others. It’s part of your role as a registered manager to ensure that they are protected from harm, and, if abuse has occurred, that the necessary actions are taken, working with others, to ensure that the person at risk is safeguarded from future abuse or neglect. The standard also speaks to your responsibility in sharing information, balancing the sometimes conflicting responsibilities of ensuring confidentiality whilst also ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the people receiving support. The standard recognises that when incidents occur, they need to not just be managed, but also learnt from, so they don’t happen again.

This standard also introduces the concept of Mental Capacity, detailing what a new or aspiring manager will need to know along with some of the key terms used in the sector. Many people supported within adult social care may struggle with their mental capacity therefore they will need to be supported, in a person-centred way, so that these difficulties have the minimum possible impact on their ability to live their lives to the fullest.

N.B. Safeguarding children: All people who work in social care have a responsibility to ensure the safety of any children and young people who may come into contact with their service even if the service is adult focussed. All who work in social care of any form have a ’duty of care’ for children as well as the adults they may support.

7.1 Safeguarding in adult care

• 7.1.1 Describe local systems, procedures and agencies relating to adult safeguarding and your role as a manager to uses those procedures etc.
• 7.1.2 Describe your role in responding to identifying, responding to suspected or disclosed abuse or neglect
• 7.1.3 Identify who else you would need to talk to and work with when responding to a safeguarding concern, and when you should engage them in this process
• 7.1.4 Define your role in providing information to others, including people you support, carers, relatives, staff and other colleagues on:
  • indicators of abuse
  • measures that can be taken to avoid abuse taking place
  • steps that need to be taken in the case of suspected or alleged abuse
• 7.1.5 Describe practices within your setting that encourage and empower adults at risk, and those important to them, to share concerns and identify where improvements could be made
• 7.1.6 Describe the whistleblowing procedures in your organisation and how to support a whistle-blower

7.2 Sharing information

• 7.2.1 Describe the importance of the balance between respecting confidentiality and ensuring protection and well-being

• 7.2.2 Explain how failure to share information could have devastating impact for people who need care and support

7.3 Safeguarding children

• 7.3.1 Explain why everyone has a responsibility to act on concerns about the safety and welfare of a child or young person
• 7.3.2 Explain the actions to take if there are concerns about the safety or welfare of a child or young person, or if a child or young person discloses that they are being abused

7.4 Mental capacity

• 7.4.1 Describe the key principles of mental capacity legislation and the code of practice, and identify ways that you apply and uphold these within your role
• 7.4.2 Define the terms ‘restrictive practices’, ‘restraint’ and ‘deprivation of liberty’ and explain how they apply to practices and situations within you own work setting
• 7.4.3 Describe how you can support individuals’ ability to provide valid consent
• 7.4.4 Identify the support available to you when an individual’s mental capacity or ability to give valid consent needs to be assessed, and how to access this support
• 7.4.5 Explain how person-centred practices can reduce the use of restrictive practices
• 7.4.6 Identify the potential impacts restrictive practices have on the individual being restricted and on those implementing the restrictions

Print this page