individuals most at risk from abuse include those who…..
have a learning disability
they may not know or understand their rights or may want to please others
have dementia
they may not recognise that abuse Is happening, may have difficulties remembering and communicating their experiences to others, and behaviour such as withdrawal may be mistaken as part of there dementia
lack of mental capacity
they may not be able to tell others what is happening and they may have to depend on others to make a decision on their behalf
have a sensory impairment
they may have limited experience of personal relationships and may depend on others to meet their intimate care needs and are therefore less likely to report abuse.
have a physical disability
they may have to be dependent on others and therefore may feel powerless to prevent abuse from happening
are looked-after children
they may have had poor life experiences, may move in and out of different settings and may be unlikely to form untrusting relationships with adults and/or other children and are therefore less likely to report abuse.
Environmental factors that make abuse more likely
care services with insituaitonal practices
- This might mean a higher chance of abuse because of the power imbalance they are told what to do and when to do it.
- Neglect and poor practice as a result of the policy.
- Culture of turning a blind eye/covering it up
- Mistrust
- Stereotyping / discrimination
- Labelling
- Similarly of care system causing distress to those in & out of care
- Rigid routines, invasive practices, intrustive
adults and children residing in health and social care setting
- Under payed staff = stress
- Position of power
- Afraid to speak out
- Fear of losing, people losing job or going to prision
independent living facilities
- May be targeted by other individuals as not staffed all the time
- Staff, visitors, relatives may not come to see them
- May be perceived as needing less care and support and therefore vulnerable
- May lose contact with family and friends socially isolated cannot confirm what is and isn’t abuse
health services
- Trust and power
- People may be poorly trained and not provide effective care
- Staff under pressure and unable to carry out responsibility
homelessness
- They may be abused because they don’t have a place to stay
- They don’t have a support network around them
- Don’t have a roof over their head
- Lack of access to support / protection services
- No fixed location – difficult to track
- Reasosn for being homeless e.g. abuse in the past
- Self – fulfilling prophecy
- Reliant on others
- Lack of understanding in siutaitons
- May lack capacity
- May need things that they can
other factors that may make more likely
situations where people are dependent on others
- e.g. an older person who has dementia and is dependent for others for personal care and management of money.
- care givers may experience high levels of stress particularly if the individual display challenging needs such as verbal or physical aggression, and that can lead to abuse.
Relationships where there is an imbalance of power
- e.g. a child who has autism and depends on others for all aspects of there care.
- the caregiver may not be receiving practical or emotional support from others and may also have have other family and work; commitments; these factors may cause the child’s needs to not be met or to be ignored
social isolation
- e.g. individual who has mental health needs and is living independently with no care or support.
- the individual may show signs of mental illness and may become a target for abuse, particularly if the abuser knows that the individual lives alone.
situations where there is an invasion of privacy
- e.g. a health or social care setting where individual’s door and/or curtains are not kept shut whilst they are getting undressed or dressed.
- individuals may become the targets of abuse as they might be feelings vulnerable and embarressed at having to depend on others for their personal, initmate care
staffing issues
- e.g. a lack of staff or lack of staff training may lead to the abuse of individuals as unsafe and abusive practices may result.
- staffing issues may also remain unchallenging by staff, management and/or individuals are therefore may Make it even more difficult to speak out.
