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This newsletter is for everyone working with children and adults in Waltham Forest.
Please share with your colleagues and encourage them to sign up to get it regularly.
This Spotlight raises awareness around safeguarding older residents, in support of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on Thursday 15 June.
The World Health Organisation shared the following research regarding the abuse of elderly people around the world in 2022, which revealed:
- Around one in six people aged 60 years and older experienced some form of abuse in community settings during the past year
- Rates of abuse of older people are high in institutions such as nursing homes and long-term care facilities, with two in three staff reporting that they have committed abuse in the past year
- Rates of abuse of older people increased during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Abuse of older people can lead to serious physical injuries and long-term psychological consequences
- Abuse of older people is predicted to increase as many countries are experiencing rapidly ageing populations
- The global population of people aged 60 years and older will more than double, from 900 million in 2015 to about 2 billion in 2050
How can we safeguard older residents?
Abuse can happen anywhere, at any time. Elder abuse can be defined as "a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person". Elder abuse can take various forms such as financial, physical, psychological and sexual.
Adults with care and support needs (for example, a disability, health condition, mental illness or learning disability) can be at increased risk of abuse and neglect, and less able to protect themselves from harm.
Safeguarding is the protection of the rights of those at risk. The Care Act 2014 sets out clear duties for local councils to protect these rights by preventing or stopping abuse and neglect of adults with care and support needs.
Abuse can happen in:
• Someone’s home
• A care home
• A hospital
• Supported employment/day services
• A public place
Signs of abuse include:
• Has an injury that is difficult to explain
• Seems frightened around certain people
• Seems unusually sad or withdrawn
• Finds that money has gone missing
• Hasn’t been given food or fluids
• Looks dirty or is not dressed properly
Abuse can be carried out by anyone, including:
• A partner or relative
• A friend or neighbour
• A paid or volunteer carer
• A bogus worker
• Someone in a position of trust
• A stranger
• More than one person
Physical abuse: being hit, slapped or kicked, withholding food, misuse of medication, being locked in a room or restrained inappropriately
Domestic abuse: when abuse occurs between partners or a family member (includes physical, psychological, sexual, financial, emotional abuse and coercive control)
Sexual abuse: someone being made to take part in sexual activity when they haven’t given consent, or are not able to give consent
Psychological or emotional abuse: enforced social isolation, removing mobility or communication aids, intimidation and harassment, use of threats and humiliation, bullying
(including cyber) and verbal abuse
Discriminatory abuse: unequal treatment or harassment because of someone’s age, gender, disability, sexuality, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/
maternity, race or religious belief
Financial or material abuse: stealing, fraud, scamming, withholding or misusing someone’s money or possessions, misuse of benefits or direct payments
Modern slavery: human trafficking, forced labour, domestic servitude, sexual exploitation and debt bondage
Organisational or institutional abuse: discouraging visits or the involvement of relatives or friends, run-down or over-crowded premises, lack of respect for dignity and privacy, not providing adequate food and drink, not offering choice or independence
Neglect and Acts of Omission: not giving adequate food, shelter, clothing, stimulation, activities and medical care, preventing the person from making their own decisions
Self-neglect: when someone chooses not to look after themselves properly such as not eating or drinking, refusing help and support for their health or care needs which has a significant effect on their well-being
Threshold guidance for adults: This guidance provides a framework for professionals working with adults, which aims to help practitioners understand the roles and responsibilities of all agencies to work together towards the best possible outcomes for vulnerable adults.
Mental capacity resources: All professionals who work within the health and social care sector have a duty to comply with the Mental Capacity Act, alongside their local authorities’ specific policies, procedures and regulatory requirements.
Waltham Forest's multi-agency mental capacity guidance supports professionals in:
- Working with people who can’t make decisions for themselves
- Caring for people who can’t make decisions for themselves
The guidance also outlines to voluntary carers how to support or make decisions on behalf of people who can’t act or make those decisions for themselves.
Self-neglect guidance: Self-neglect can occur as a result of an individual experiencing poor health, depression or a physically inability to care for themselves or the environment they live in.
Waltham Forest's multi-agency self-neglect guidance supports practitioners in identifying and responding to people who are at risk of harm due to self-neglect.
Professional curiosity is a combination of looking, listening, asking direct questions, checking out and reflecting on information received.
Practitioners across the partnership are encouraged to exercise professional curiosity at all time - if something doesn't seem right, or if something doesn't make sense - always ask the second question.
Translation and interpretation is vital to ensuring that our residents access the health and care services they are entitled to and understand their treatment.
Residents should be able to access services in a way that ensures their language and communication requirements do not prevent them receiving the same quality of care as others. Professionals are encouraged to speak to managers to understand how best to access interpreter services to support residents.
If you have urgent concerns that an older person and/or an adult with care and support needs is being abused or neglected, contact the safeguarding adults team at Waltham Forest Direct:
If you think a crime is being or has been committed, or someone is in immediate danger, call the police on 999.
You can report non-urgent crime to the Metropolitan Police online.
If you are concerned about a child?
If you have concerns about a child, please complete a MASH referral form. You can request either early help or statutory social work support for a family. Please return completed forms by emailing MASHrequests@walthamforest.gov.uk.
Where you feel your concern is urgent, you need to speak to a social worker to agree on a plan of action today. If you’re unsure about what support a child and family needs, or whether you should make a referral, please call MASH on 020 8496 2310 to speak to a social worker.
Outside of office hours, if your concerns are urgent, you can call our Emergency Duty Team on 020 8496 3000.
What to do if you don't think your concerns are being listened to?
This escalation process provides advice about how you can act, using the correct channels, if you believe that your professional opinions have not been properly responded to.
For example, if you have concerns about a lack of response to a safeguarding issue after your staff have flagged professional concerns. This would include concerns that social care services are not taking appropriate, timely actions regarding the well-being of an adult at risk.
 Residents invited to share ways to improve their communities
This summer, we’re running an engagement programme that aims to get residents talking – about how they’d like us to improve their local neighbourhoods.
If you work with residents, please do share the below information. We want to make sure as many residents as possible have their voices heard.
If you had £10,000, how would you improve your neighbourhood? Practical improvements could include more cycle paths, planting in parks, renovating a community building or anything which would improve their space.
Encourage residents to submit their ideas through the following webpage:
 We are hosting free weekly drop-in sessions to improve digital skills for all residents. Our friendly Digital Champion volunteers will guide residents through whatever questions they may have, whether it’s online shopping or wanting to connect with loved ones online.
Sessions are taking place in Leytonstone Library on Tuesdays from 5pm to 7pm and Walthamstow Library on Fridays from 2pm to 4pm.
Our Let’s Get Digital webpage also has information on cheaper broadband deals for residents on benefits and other digital skills sessions in different parts of the borough.
Book home fire safety visit for vulnerable residents
London Fire Brigade triage referrals 24 hours a day and categorise them from very high risk category, which receive a four-hour response, and high risk category referrals receiving a four-day response.
Please call 24/7 phone number to refer residents in need of a home fire safety visit: 0800 028 4428.
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This newsletter is brought to you by the Strategic Partnership Boards, which is made up of Waltham Forest Safeguarding Children’s Board, Safeguarding Adults Board, Health & Wellbeing Board and SafetyNet (our Community Safety Partnership).
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