Regulator and directors agree adult protection protocol

The Commission for Social Care Inspection and council adult care leaders have agreed a protocol on dealing with adult protection cases, following reported disagreements over the regulator’s role.

CSCI chief inspector Paul Snell said yesterday the protocol clarified its role in local safeguarding arrangements, adding: “It is important for us to clearly set our role as a regulator and how we will work with our partner agencies, particularly local councils and the police.”

The protocol, signed by CSCI, the Association of Directors of Social Services and the Association of Chief Police Officers, lays out the role of agencies involved in local multi-agency work to protect alleged abuse victims.

ADSS had been reportedly unhappy with an earlier draft protocol, in which CSCI appeared to rule itself out of investigating adult abuse cases, a role directors felt it should retain in certain cases.

Anne Williams, incoming president of the Association of Directors of Adults Social Services, which will replace ADSS next month, said: “We are glad to see arrangements in place which will make it much harder for older people to fall through the safety net we jointly provide.”