Dumfries and Galloway Public Protection Partnership will acknowledge Adult Support and Protection Day on 20 February by highlighting resources to help the public engage with this year’s theme of financial harm.
The awareness day is designed to bring greater public awareness to issues which can affect vulnerable adults living in the community, and the focus this year is on awareness raising around forms of financial harm which can include things like fraud, scam calls and blocking access to money.
Organisations involved in the Public Protection Partnership will use social media to signpost helpful resources to help people recognise financial harm, and to provide information on what to do if you are concerned about a vulnerable person or a loved one.
This year’s message is that financial harm can happen to anyone, and that it can occur anywhere; for example, in someone’s home, where they work, in a romantic relationship or in a public place. Financial harm is often inflicted by the people closest to the victim, with older adults typically more likely to be targeted by fraud, scams or financial abuse by family and friends.
The public are encouraged to speak up about financial harm concerns they see or hear of, as the person at risk may not be able to do so themselves.
Speaking about the risks posed by financial harm, Chair of the Dumfries and Galloway Public Protection Committee, Hamish McGhie, said:
“Protecting people from different forms of financial harm is critically important, and there is a lot that people in the community can do to support wider Public Protection efforts to ensure vulnerable people are kept safe. In Dumfries & Galloway we have a quarter of the population aged 65 and over who are particularly at risk of financial harm.
“This Adult Support and Protection Day we want to help make people more aware that financial harm is a reality in our region and the types of financial harm to look out for in the community, and to let them know what to do if they are concerned a person may be experiencing or at risk of financial harm.
“If you’re worried that someone is at risk of harm or neglect from others, or harming or neglecting themselves, contact Social Work on 030 33 33 3001. Alternatively, you can contact the Police on 101 or dial 999 if you believe the person is in immediate danger.”
Brenda Walker, National Adult Support and Protection Coordinator for Scotland, said:
“It can be difficult to know what to do when you’re worried about someone, and you might feel that you don’t want to interfere. However, reporting your concerns could really help to keep someone safe and turn their life around.
“The current cost of living crisis is making it even more difficult for those who are looking after others, or struggling to take care of themselves, so it’s more important right now than ever to keep your eyes open for signs of harm.
“Everyone has a role to play in keeping those in their communities safe, so I would encourage anyone who has seen something that worries them to please say something.”
In addition to signposting the public to resources, the Public Protection Partnership will also be rolling out a new app for use by frontline social care staff to complement existing professional knowledge and to help them make informed decisions when dealing with adults at risk of harm. Dubbed the “Adult Support and Protection App”, it will launch on 20 February to coincide with Adult Support and Protection Day.
Developed by the Dumfries and Galloway Public Protection Committee in partnership with the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre, the app aims to provide health and social care staff, police and other partner agencies with quick access to guidance and good practice information about adult support and protection, as an additional support for staff in applying professional judgement to make the best possible decisions when supporting vulnerable adults.
It is hoped that by making guidance more readily accessible at point of need in community and care settings, faster decision making will be achieved and there will be clearer communication across multi-agency teams about clients’ needs. Crucially, the app seeks to ensure that staff can access the guidance they need to confidently take decisions about adult support and protection in line with national legislation and local guidance.
The app, once available, will join other digital resources on the Right Decision Service “Once for Scotland” source of digital tools, with both web and application-based versions available for staff to use.
