Safeguarding adults appendix C
Key government initiatives and legislation
Achieving Best Evidence 2015 ‘Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings’ offers guidance for vulnerable or intimidated witnesses, including children. It covers the planning and conducting of interviews, witness preparation and support and witnesses in court. www.cps.gov.uk
The Care Act 2014 – statutory guidance (updated August 2017) The Care Act introduces new responsibilities for local authorities in England. It also has major implications for adult care and support providers, people who use services, carers and advocates. The Care and Support Statutory Guidance issued under the Care Act 2014 replaces No Secrets and puts adult safeguarding on a statutory footing. Although the statutory guidance is not law in itself, the law requires that services ‘have regard’ to what the guidance says. The edition published on 10 March 2016 supersedes the version issued in October 2014. It takes account of regulatory changes, feedback from stakeholders and the care sector, and developments following the postponement of social care funding reforms to 2020. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-statutory-guidance/care-andsupport-statutory-guidance
Disclosure & Barring Service 2012 Criminal record checks: guidance for employers – How employers or organisations can request criminal records checks on potential employees from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service
Making Safeguarding Personal Guide 2014 This guide is intended to support councils and their partners to develop outcomes focused, person-centred safeguarding practice. www.local.gov.uk/publications//journal_content
Mental Capacity Act 2005 Its general principle is that everybody has capacity unless it is proved otherwise, that they should be supported to make their own decisions, that anything done for or on behalf of people without capacity must be in their best interests and there should be least restrictive intervention. www.dca.gov.uk
Sexual Offences Act 2003 The Sexual Offences Act introduced a number of new offences concerning vulnerable adults and children. www.opsi.gov.uk
Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014
This act has provided a new legal framework for social care in Wales to engage with and empower citizens, to help them achieve independence and well-being, and where necessary, to obtain the support they need. www.legislation.gov.uk/anaw/2014/4/contents/enacted
Speaking Up For Justice 1998 A report on the treatment of Vulnerable or Intimidated Witnesses in the Criminal Justice System with 78 recommendations for improvements to the criminal justice system including the reporting of crime, identification of vulnerable or intimidated witnesses, and measures to assist witnesses before, during and after the trial www.cps.gov.uk