NCFE CACHE L3 HSC CM3: Safeguarding in health and social care Assignment Answers

Course: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Award in Health and Social Care Answers | NVQ

Unit Aim

The aim of the unit is to provide students with knowledge and understanding of safeguarding in the field of health and social care. 

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Learning Outcomes 1: Understand safeguarding.

AC 1.1. Explain what is meant by ‘safeguarding’.

Answer 

By protecting, one means taking care of the health and well-being of people and their human rights, as well as ensuring that they are not in any form of harm, abused and neglected. The protection of vulnerable groups in health and social care settings is primarily about guarding the vulnerable groups, which may be children, the elderly, and adults unable to defend themselves. 

Safeguarding is the process of ensuring that harm does not occur and is the identification of the indicators of abuse or neglect and the action taken when there are concerns about the safety of a person. It also establishes a secure atmosphere in which people are given due dignity, respect and justice.

In health and social care, everyone has the responsibility to safeguard. Every worker needs to adhere to policies and procedures, raise concerns, and coordinate with other professionals so that people can be kept safe and supported. 

AC 1.2. Explain how safeguarding:

• keeps individuals safe
• values individuals’ needs
• protects individuals.

Answer:

1. Keeps individuals safe
Protection keeps one secure by averting abuse, harm and neglect. Safeguarding policies, risk assessment and staff training are applied in the context of health and social care settings to decrease the risks. When the risks are detected in time, it becomes possible to prevent the damage as soon as possible and provide people with a safe environment. 

2.  Values individuals’ needs
Protecting the values and needs of people through advocacy of person-centred care. This implies that one should be able to listen to people, respect them and also engage them in making decisions regarding their care. Protecting others can make them feel respected, valued and supported by taking into account the needs, abilities and likes of each individual.

3. Protects individuals
Protecting helps to secure the person because any issues regarding abuse or neglect are reported and addressed accordingly. Health and social care workers should be able to pursue the procedures and discuss concerns with the professionals. This assists in saving people from additional injuries as well as safeguarding their rights, dignity and wellbeing.

AC 1.3. Explain how health and social care practitioners can take steps to safeguard themselves.

Answer:

1.  Adhering to policies and procedures.

The health and social care practitioner may protect themselves by adhering to their organisation's safeguarding, health and safety and lone-working policies. These processes include the protection of the organisation, health and safety and lone working policies. These processes provide the proper direction to follow when working safely and minimising risks at the workplace.  

2. Ensuring professional boundaries
Professional boundaries ought to be upheld at all times by practitioners with people. This implies remaining professional in the relationships, not being inappropriate, and not disclosing personal information. Boundaries are useful to keep the staff from confusion or accusation.

3. Training and supervision.
Taking frequent training will make the practitioners know how to deal with difficult situations without causing harm. Mentorship and periodical training are useful to make practitioners learn how to deal with difficult situations in a safe manner. Managerial supervision and support also enable the staff to raise issues, reflect on practice, and consult when necessary.

4. Keeping accurate records
One way that practitioners can guard themselves is by maintaining clear, factual and up-to-date documentation of care rendered and any issue observed. Proper record-keeping is evidence-based and facilitates safe practice.

5. Reporting risks and problems.
In case a practitioner is unsafe or perceives a threat, he needs to report it as quickly as possible through the proper reporting steps. Early reporting of matters prevents harm and safeguards the practitioner and the person under their care. 

Learning Outcome 2. Understand how to safeguard individuals in relation to legislation, policies and procedures.

AC 2.1. Summarise current legislation in relation to safeguarding.

Answer 
The UK laws in this sector, which support safeguarding in health and social care, are several, and focus on the protection of children and vulnerable adults against abuse, harm and neglect.  

Health and social care safeguard is underpinned by several UK laws that strive to ensure the protection of children and vulnerable adults against abuse, harm and neglect.

1.  Care Act 2014
The primary legislation that is related to the protection of adults is the Care Act 2014. It imposes a legal responsibility on local authorities to take care of adults who are vulnerable to abuse or neglect. It has facilitated well-being, person-centred care and collaboration with other agencies to ensure that people are safe.

2. Children Act 1989 and 2004
The Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004 are aimed at protecting children and young people. According to these laws, the welfare of the child is the paramount factor. They established the role of the professionals to collaborate in ensuring that children are not hurt and their well-being is secured.  

3. Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act, 2006.
This law assists in the avoidance of inappropriate individuals from working with young children or weak adults. This helps in safe hiring through the application of the background check as a solution to minimise the chances of abuse, e.g. DBS. This act assists in avoiding the employment of inappropriate individuals in work with children or vulnerable adults. It promotes secure recruitment through background checks, including DBS checks, to minimise the possibility of abuse.  

4.  Mental Capacity Act 2005
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 safeguards people who might fail to make their own decisions. This will make sure that any decision taken on their behalf is in their best interests, and it prevents any abuse or exploitation of them.  

5. Health and Social Care Act 2008 
This act provides standards for health and social care providers. It offers services to deliver quality, safe care and ensure the availability of systems to prevent harm to people.

In general, the combination of these laws helps to guarantee the safety of people, the preservation of their rights, and protection is one of the primary roles of health and social care environments. 

AC 2.2. Describe the relationship between legislation, policy and procedure.

Answer: 
Legislation, policy and procedure go hand in hand and work together to facilitate that protection is executed properly in a health and social care environment. 

Legislation is a law that has been created by the government, it defines the legal guidelines that organisations and professional is to adhere to, including safeguarding individuals against mistreatment and neglect. 

Policies are literature plans that are formulated by an organisation and based on legislation. They describe the manner in which the law is going to be observed within a particular health or social care context. Safeguarding policies demonstrate what they are expected to do and the level they should attain. 

Procedures are step-by-step guidelines that provide the staff with instructions on what to do in various situations. Safeguarding procedure elaborates how the concerns ought to be reported, who to approach and what should be done in case of any suspected abuse. 
Procedures are a step-wise guide which informs the staff of what they should do in various circumstances. Safeguarding procedures indicate what to do in case of suspected abuse and with whom to contact.   

In a nutshell, the legislation influences the rules, policies show how the organisation will comply with the rules, and procedures direct the staff on how to implement them in their day-to-day practices. 

AC 2.3. Identify policies and procedures in relation to safeguarding.

Answer:

1. Safeguarding Adults Policy
This policy provides the manner in which employees are expected to identify and act on any sign of mistreatment or neglect in the adult at-risk population. It outlines the duty of personnel in reporting the issues and the value of collaboration with the local authorities and other agencies to ensure the safety of people.

2. Children Protection Policy. 
This policy is based on children and youth protection. It outlines the ways in which the issues ought to be brought up, the sharing of information should be done, and the welfare of the child must be the ultimate goal.

3. Whistleblowing Policy 
Whistleblowing policy enables employees to report unsafe, abusive or unethical practices in an organisation without fear of being punished. This would make sure that the bad practice or maltreatment is pointed out and resolved promptly to protect people.

4. Health and Safety Policy
This policy assists in the protection of care environments through the minimisation of risks. It involves risk analysis, safe working procedures and advice on occupational accident or injury prevention, which provides a safe working environment to both users and employees.

5. Safeguarding Procedures
The safeguarding procedures contain guidelines on how to do things stepwise for the staff. These involve the identification of abuse indicators, proper documentation of the concerns, and reporting the same to a manager or a safeguarding lead. The procedures also describe how and when it is necessary to address outside agencies, e.g. social services or the police.

6. Protective Recruitment and Training Processes. 
DBS checks and other safe recruitment processes will guarantee that only the right individuals are employed to manage the vulnerable. Training processes assist employees in knowing the role of safety, identifying risks, and acting wisely on issues.

All these policies and procedures, as a combination, help the staff to facilitate a safe environment, safeguard the rights and well-being of the individuals and to make sure that the safeguarding practices remain similar and efficient universally across health and social care environments.

Learning Outcome 3. Understand factors that may contribute to an individual being vulnerable to harm or abuse

AC 3.1. Explain factors that may contribute to an individual being vulnerable to harm or abuse.

Answer:

There are a number of issues that may render one susceptible to injury or mistreatment in a health and social care environment. These are either personal, environmental or situational factors.

• Age: Children of an early age and those who are elderly are also likely to be the most vulnerable since they are less likely to defend themselves or express themselves. The children depend on the adults to provide care, and the elderly adults might be physically or mentally impaired, making them vulnerable.
• Disability or illness: Physical disabilities, learning disabilities, and even chronic illnesses may result in individuals being overly reliant on others, which may make them more susceptible to neglect or abuse. Mental conditions may also make a person more susceptible if he or she fails to realise danger or report it.
• Dependency on others: People who are unable to perform personal care, financial or daily living activities without the assistance of carers are more susceptible. This can be complicated because dependence prevents them from rejecting improper treatment or reporting.
• Social isolation: Isolated people with a limited number of friends or relatives can be more susceptible due to the lack of support and the lack of people to report the mistreatment. Isolation may be a result of living alone, illness or mobility problems.
• Previous experiences: The vulnerability can be caused by the experience of abuse or trauma. They might perceive themselves as less capable of speaking out, or they might more readily encounter abusive circumstances in the future.
• Environmental factors: Unsafe or not well-maintained care environments, insufficiency in supervision or understaffing may also be involved or contribute to a person being at risk of an injury.

To conclude, the vulnerability is a product of personal, social and environmental factors. Such factors can be known by understanding to support and monitor risks, and safeguard individuals effectively by health and social care practitioners.

Learning Outcome 4. Know the signs, symptoms, indicators and behaviours that may cause concern.

AC 4.1. Describe signs, symptoms, indicators and behaviours that may cause concern relating to:

• neglect
• self-neglect
• physical abuse
• emotional abuse
• sexual abuse
• domestic abuse
• financial abuse
• institutional abuse
• bullying.

Answer: 

Health and social care practitioners should also be in a position to identify abuse or neglect signs. These may be manifested in various ways based on the nature of harm.

Neglect

• Bad personal cleanliness or untidiness.
• Plastic or anti-nutrition or untreated disease.
• Poor or insecure conditions of residence.
• Absence of required clothing, bedding or food.
• People who look detached or exhausted.

Self-Neglect

• poor personal cleanliness and care.
• Stores or resides in unsafe and unsanitary environments.
• Failure to control medical conditions/medications.
• Lack of care is extreme to the point of neglect of personal safety.
• Quitting social contacts.

Physical Abuse

• Bruises, burns or fractures have no explanation.
• Trauma to some irregular areas (e.g. back, inner thighs).
• Regular accessing of healthcare facilities due to injuries.
• Shy of being touched or shocked.
• Violent behaviour or shyness.

Emotional Abuse

• Poor self-esteem or absence of confidence.
• Uneasy excitement, anxiety, or abnormal fearfulness.
• Eschewal of some individuals or things.
• Cessation of social life.
• Being too obedient or submissive.

Sexual Abuse

• Problems with locomotion and sitting.
• Genital injuries that are unexplained.
• Indecent sexual behaviour or education.
• Shy about a certain individual or will not like to be alone with him or her.
• Mood or behavioural changes, e.g. withdrawal or aggression.

Domestic Abuse

• Physical injuries, e.g. bruises or cuts.
• Angst of family members, partnering/controlling behaviour.
• Poor self-esteem, anxiety or depression.
• Aversion to the outside or social isolation.
• Common accounts of accidents appear contradictory.

Financial Abuse

• Unexpected loss of assets or monies.
• Unaccounted withdrawals from bank accounts.
• Aversion to spending money on the most fundamental needs.
• Feeling the pressure imposed by other people to engage in financial decisions.
• Lack of personal belongings.

Institutional Abuse

• Absence of privacy and dignity in care environments.
• Lack of hygiene, insufficient food or treatment.
• Employees overlooking or abusing people.
• Monotonous programs without taking the personal needs into account.
• Inhabitants who look scared or isolated.

Bullying

• Little self-esteem, anxiety, or depression.
• Unaccounted injuries or property damage.
• Shy away from social events or school/work.
• Retiring with peers or social groups.
• Aggression or self-harm Behaviour changes.

It is important to be able to identify these signs, symptoms, and behaviours in order to intervene early enough. Raising awareness about issues is a timely action to protect people and any negative effects on their well-being and health.

Learning Outcome 5. Understand the lines of reporting and responsibility in relation to the safeguarding, protection and welfare of individuals.

AC 5.1. Describe the lines of reporting and responsibility in relation to safeguarding, protection and welfare.

Answer:

In health and social care facilities, reporting and responsibility lines are very clear and therefore, protective issues are solved promptly and efficiently. Protection of people is an obligation of all staff members, although the layout of responsibilities is such that safety and accountability are preserved.

• Responsibility of staff: All staff members should be aware of the indicators of abuse or neglect and act accordingly. This involves putting down the concerns in the right way and reporting them as soon as possible to the concerned individual in the organisation. It is also necessary that the staff adhere to the organisational policies and procedures to be well-guarded.
  
  
• Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): The majority of organisations are represented by a Designated Safeguarding Lead or safeguarding officer. The DSL has the role of facilitating the protection issues, advising employees, and also making sure that the concerns are communicated to external agencies when required.
  
  
• Manager or Supervisor: Managers and supervisors contribute significantly to the protection. They assist employees, make sure that the policies are adhered to, and provide a reasonable response in case of misgivings. They also provide that all the incidents are recorded and tracked down.
  
  
• External agencies: In case a safeguarding issue needs to be addressed further, the staff is expected to refer to outside agencies. These may include:
  o    Social Services- of children or adults in danger.
  o    Police- when it comes to a crime or an imminent threat.
  o    Regulatory organisations, e.g. Care Quality Commission (CQC) of health and care environments.
  
  
• Whistleblowing: When a member of staff feels that there is no seriousness of concerns being raised in an internal setting, then he or she is under an obligation to employ whistle-blowing processes to go ahead to report unsafe practices outside the organisation.

Overall, the protection will be based on the definite chain of responsibility: employees raise the issues and make their complaints to DSL or the manager, and in case of any need, with reference to third parties. This framework will guarantee the safety of the individuals, accountability of the actions and handling of risks.

AC 5.2. Explain the boundaries of confidentiality in relation to the safeguarding, protection and welfare of individuals.

Answer

1. Confidentiality
Confidentiality plays a significant role in health and social care since it safeguards confidential details and the privacy of individuals. Nevertheless, there exist limits to safeguarding, protection, and welfare.

2. Distributing information in case of danger
Confidentiality should be upheld by the staff, although the staff should be allowed to disclose information in case an individual is prone to harm, abuse, or neglect. This will make sure that something can be done to save the individual. As an illustration, in case of abuse of a child, staff should pass this to the assigned safeguarding lead or any other concerned authority even when the concerned person does not desire the information to be shared.

3. Need-to-know sharing of information 
Sensitive information should only be disclosed to the people who are in need of knowing it to help and protect the individual. This involves the protection of leads, managers or outside agencies like the social services or the police. Discovery of information outside these limits can violate confidentiality.

4. Consent and capacity
When possible, employees are supposed to consult the person and ask them whether or not they can share information. Nonetheless, in case the individual is not in a position to provide informed consent or there is a risk of harm, the staff may provide information without consent.

5. Proper recording of information
Staff are supposed to record the safeguarding issues in a clear and factual manner with minimal personal opinions. This makes information handy in safeguarding the individual, and at the same time, does not violate confidentiality.
 
Overall, it is possible to outline the limits of confidentiality in the protection: it is necessary to keep it confidential unless it is needed to assist people in avoiding harm or acting in accordance with the law. Adherence to these boundaries will guarantee the safety, welfare and rights of individuals and trust in care relationships.

Learning Outcome 6. Understand the role and responsibilities of the health and social care practitioner in relation to safeguarding individuals.

AC 6.1. Evaluate the role and responsibilities of the health and social care practitioner in relation to safeguarding individuals.

Answer:

Health and social care workers are critical in the protection of people. Their roles are broad and are aimed at helping vulnerable individuals, wellbeing, and reducing harm.

• Identifying and managing risks: The practitioners should be in a position to recognise any abuse, neglect or unsafe conditions. This involves monitoring physical injuries, behavioural changes or environmental risks. Early identification of these signs will enable early intervention to avoid damage.
• Reporting and doing the right thing: Reporting concerns according to organisational procedures is one of the important responsibilities. Practitioners should be familiar with procedures of proper reporting, communicate effectively, and when needed, refer a problem to an agency or safeguarding leads. This would protect the person in time.
• Professional boundaries and ethical practice: By offering care to individuals, the practitioners are supposed to ensure professional boundaries are upheld with an appreciation of the privacy and dignity of people. They need to juggle between confidentiality and disclosure of information to safeguard people as per legal and organisational standards.
• Strengthening person-centred care: Protecting also entails appreciating and endorsing people. By fostering autonomy, valuing decisions, and engaging individuals in care-decision making, the practitioners are expected to do so. This will make them less vulnerable and enable people to defend themselves.
• Development and training of professionals: It is the duty of practitioners to maintain knowledge and skills up to date through attending safeguarding training and being informed of any alterations in legislation, policies and procedures. This makes sure that their practice is safe and effective.
• Evaluation: In general, the health and social care practitioner has a proactive and protective role in safeguarding. They have to recognise the risks, act, conduct procedures, assist people and uphold ethics. Through these roles, the practitioners can provide the safety, well-being and rights of the people they care about, which is the focus of high-quality health and social care practice.