20 FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS: AN EXPLORATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE NEED FOR ADULT SAFEGUARDING LEGISLATION

Abstract

Abstract Background The investigation of, and interventions on, the alleged abuse of vulnerable adults, including older people,has become an important feature of social work.Policy and practice in adult safeguarding is characterised by competing debates about how regulators define core concepts and reporting systems. It has been argued that the introduction of specialist legislation could enhance responses to adult safeguarding (Montgomery et al.2016). This study sets out to shed light on how social work practitioners are navigating cases in the absence of primary legislation and to explore what benefits or challenges there might be should adult safeguarding legislation be fully enacted in the Irish context. Methods Focus Groups (N = 2) and face to face interviews (N = 14) were held with social work practitioners using a critical incident technique.An online survey questionnaire was also administered with N = 116 responses. Results Social workers reported that adults at risk were ‘falling through the cracks’ due to the absence of adult safeguarding legislation. In relation to older people, the issue of coercive control by another family member was repeatedly highlighted as a significant issue for which there was no legislative intervention available. Legislative powers such as a duty to cooperate, duty to share information and a duty to involve the adult at risk in the safeguarding process were deemed critically important but absent. In addition, social workers reported that the lack of access to support services for the adult at risk was significantly impacting on their ability to safeguard. Conclusion Whilst the current policy measures in place offer some protection, it is evident that social work practitioners believe that safeguarding procedures should be placed on a statutory basis to ensure the safeguarding process is applied in a consistent and effective way. Reference Montgomery, L., Anand, J., McKay, K., Taylor, B., Pearson, K. C., & Harper, C. M. (2016). Implications of divergences in Adult Protection legislation. Journal of Adult Protection, 18(3).