Talk given to SACID on safety and how we might protect the interests of people who are most vulnerable to harm.

1. Better Safe than Sorry
protecting each other from harm
Dr Simon Duffy ￭ The Centre for Welfare Reform
￭ 18th October 2012 ￭ Adelaide, South Australia ￭
Presentation for SACID

2. Protection from harm
Exploring our options

3. We like to take our anger out on those who are
weaker, those who cannot answer. It is a human
trait. And somehow the arguments to prove we
are right appear out of nowhere.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn
“Better to be safe than to be sorry” is a remark of
value only when these are the actual alternatives.
Idries Shah

5. We still have much still to learn

6. Institutions are very unsafe
1. Devalued lives - self-expression and personal
development threaten institutional thinking
2. No freedom or control - it is very hard to be
heard when you have no authority
3. Impoverishment - economic power is nullified
4. Sheltered, but homeless - a home is more than
a roof - vital to control privacy and security
5. ‘Care’ not support - ‘care’ already assumes the
passivity and lower value of the person ‘in care’.
6. Disconnected- it is other citizens who report
abuse and it is structures of power within
institutions that make that harder
7. Loveless - the shift to focusing on abuse not
crime is a symptom of institutional thinking

7. Citizenship is vital to safety
1. Direction - Its risky if my life lacks meaning and
value
2. Freedom - Its risky if I cannot direct my life,
communicate or be listened to.
3. Money - Its risky if I lack money or if I cannot
control my own money.
4. Home - Its risky if I cannot control who I live with,
my home and my privacy.
5. Help - Its risky if I’ve no one to help me and if I
cannot control who helps me.
6. Life - Its risky if I am not a valued member of my
community.
7. Love - Its risky to have no friends or family.

8. Citizenship is the right goal

9. Being in control makes people safer

12. Who keeps people safe?
Paid staff are only one group involved in lives

13. Inspection regimes fail
Service Area % failing
User focused services 22%
Personal care 26%
Protection 29%
Managers and staff 33%
Organisation and running of the 23%
business
Standard % failing
The needs, wishes, preferences and personal goals for each user are 48%
recorded in a personal service user plan
Staff are supervised and appraised 43%
Safe procedures for medication, with users keeping 42%
control where possible
Rigorous recruitment and selection procedures 39%
The risk of accidents for users and staff is minimised 37%
CSCI Report - State of Social Care - 2005-2006 - Failure to meet minimal
standards in domiciliary care agencies

14. Risk grows as we
se
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’s Ex
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r Peo
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institutionalise
nalys
Olde
is of
Writ calls
ten b
y Acti
to th
e Ac buse
ices:
on o tion
n Eld on E
er A lder
en Vo
buse
and p Abus
ublish e help
ed by line.
Hidd
Help
the A
ged
se
Abu
lder
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on
Acti
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the A
Help
Action on Elder Abuse Data (2004)

15. Schools can lead the way...

16. Jonathan’s story
For the 3 years before 150 days in hospital -
responding to problems with breathing.
In the 3 years after leaving hospital he has spent
only 2 nights in hospital - for elective dental
treatments.
Personalised learning - on the job - 2 City & Guilds
Qualifications.
Saving NHS, LA & Education
•Over £100,000 in hospital stays
•Over £300,000 in residential care costs
•Over £100,000 of funding contributed by the LSC

17. Community
solutions can work

19. When is a crime not a crime? When it’s abuse of
someone with diminished rights.
The service system is riskier than real life - so the
solution to risk cannot be a service solution.
Begin at the beginning - if we are weak,
disconnected and unable to articulate our rights
can we expect the system to take our rights
seriously?

20. Questions
1. Research - Do we know what is working and not working?
2. Supported Decision-making - Do people have good
decision-making systems around them as a matter of right?
3. Control - Are people in control of their life and support?
4. Leadership - Do services understand how to raise
standards and tackle abuse?
5. A citizen’s duty - Do all citizens - including staff - have a
legal obligation to report crimes against those who can’t
themselves?
6. Policing - Do the police take these crimes seriously?
7. Justice - Do people get a good chance of justice from
criminal justice system?
8. Voice - How do we strengthen the voice of advocacy?

21. For more information go to
www.centreforwelfarereform.org
These slides are © Simon Duffy 2012 ￭ Publisher is The
Centre for Welfare Reform ￭ Slides can be distributed subject
to conditions set out at www.centreforwelfarereform.org ￭