Travellers and Safeguarding

Travellers and safeguarding

2.2.9 Hate Crime

Hate crime is a term used to describe an offence committed against a person because of hate or prejudice. It affects such a range of people its difficult to define but we describe it as any incident, which may be a criminal offence, motivated by prejudice or hatred towards a particular social group because of their:

·  Race, Colour, Ethnic origin and nationality

·  Religion and Faith

·  Gender or gender identity

·  Sexual orientation

·  Disability and learning difficulties

·  Mental Health

Hate crimes can take many forms which can include:

·  Physical attacks – physical assault, damage to property, offensive graffiti, neighbour disputes and arson

·  Threat of attack or bullying – offensive letters, abusive telephone calls, malicious complaints

·  Verbal insults or abusive gestures

2.2.10 Incident

An occurrence or event that gives rise to a concern or allegation.

ABUSE

2.3.1 Abuse is a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons. Abuse may consist of a single act or repeated acts. It may be physical, verbal or psychological, it may be an act of neglect or an omission to act, or it may occur when a vulnerable person is persuaded to enter into a financial or sexual transaction to which he or she has not consented, or cannot consent. Abuse can occur in any relationship and may result in significant harm to, or exploitation of, the person subjected to it.

(No Secrets, Department of Health 2000)

2.3.2 Abuse can take place in any setting - this policy is applicable to all settings; individual’s private home, care home, hospital, day service, public transport, park, police station, college. This list is endless.

TYPES OF ABUSE

2.3.3 The following pages describe some of the types of abuse and possible indicators which might be encountered, and it may be that abuse encountered does not fit neatly into any one of these categories – it should be noted this list is by no means exhaustive.

·  Physical Abuse

·  Emotional Abuse

·  Sexual Abuse

·  Neglect, Wilful Neglect and Acts of Omission

·  Discriminatory Abuse

·  Financial/material Abuse

·  Institutional Abuse

EMOTIONAL ABUSE

2.3.5 Acts or behaviour which impinges on the emotional health of, or which causes distress or anguish to individuals. This may also be present in other forms of abuse. Examples include:

Threats of harm or abandonment

Humiliation, shaming or ridicule

Harassment, bullying, intimidation

Control or coercion

Deprivation of choice or privacy

Deliberate social isolation

Infantalisation – treating an adult like a child

DISCRIMINATORY ABUSE

2.3.8 Discriminatory abuse exists when values, beliefs or culture result in a misuse of power that denies mainstream opportunities to some groups or individuals.

2.3.9 It includes discrimination on the basis of race, gender, age, sexuality, disability or religion, examples of which are:

Unequal treatment

Verbal abuse

Inappropriate use of language

Harassment

Exclusion

FINANCIAL/MATERIAL ABUSE

2.3.10 The unauthorised, fraudulent obtaining and improper use of funds, property or any resources of a vulnerable person. Examples include:

The misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits

Theft, fraud, exploitation

Pressure in connection with wills, property or inheritance or financial transactions

Extortion of money, property and possessions by threat, coercion or fraudulent means

Refusal to let the vulnerable person have access to their own money, property or possessions

INSTUTUTIONAL ABUSE

2.3.11 Abuse by an organisation imposing rigid and insensitive routines; poor practices embedded in systems, unskilled, intrusive or invasive interventions; or an environment allowing inadequate privacy or physical comfort.

Possible indicators of institutional abuse are:

Lack of or inappropriate care plans – not regularly reviewed

Contact with the outside world not encouraged

Few visitors or notification required before visiting

Visiting restricted, not accounting for individuals preferences or allowing privacy on visits

Little opportunity for outside activities

Routines of “care” engineered for the convenience of staff

No choice or flexibility re: getting up or going to bed

Lack of choice or consultation about meals or opportunities for snacks and drinks

Lack of consultation, involvement, preparation, discussion when medical or personal care tasks carried out

Lack of privacy e.g. not knocking before staff enter bedrooms

Lack of privacy when carrying out personal care tasks

Unusually subdued behaviour

Residents keep out of the way of staff

Care of personal clothing lacking, dressed in other peoples clothes, given others spectacles, teeth, or hearing aids

Strong smell of urine – bed linen or clothes not changed appropriately

Chairs/tables positioned to restrict movement

Inappropriate use of medicines or nursing procedures to make clients easier to manage rather than for bona fide health needs

Not allowing views or opinions to be expressed

Loss of rights as a citizen e.g. denying opportunity to vote

Poor moving and handling practice

4.2 Seven golden rules for information sharing

1. Remember that the Data Protection Act is not a barrier to sharing information but provides a framework to ensure that personal information about living persons is shared appropriately.

2. Be open and honest with the person (and/or their family where appropriate) from the outset about why, what, how and with whom information will, or could be shared, and seek their agreement, unless it is unsafe or inappropriate to do so.

3. Seek advice if you are in any doubt, without disclosing the identity of the person where possible.

4. Share with consent where appropriate and, where possible, respect the wishes of those who do not consent to share confidential information. You may still share information without consent if, in your judgement, that lack of consent can be overridden in the public interest. You will need to base your judgement on the facts of the case.

5. Consider safety and well-being: Base your information sharing decisions on considerations of the safety and well-being of the person and others who may be affected by their actions.

6. Necessary, proportionate, relevant, accurate, timely and secure: Ensure that the information you share is necessary for the purpose for which you are sharing it, is shared only with those people who need to have it, is accurate and up-to-date, is shared in a timely fashion, and is shared securely.

7. Keep a record of your decision and the reasons for it – whether it is to share information or not. If you decide to share, then record what you have shared, with whom and for what purpose.