H&SC Unit 7 LO2 - Understand factors which may lead to abusive situations
Individuals most at risk from abuse
Learning disabilities - They may not know or understand their rights or may want to please others.
Dementia - They may not recognise that abuse is happening, may have difficulty remembering and communicating their experiences to others, and behaviours such as withdrawal may be mistaken as part of their dementia
Lack mental capacity - They may not be able to tell others what is happening and they may have to depend on others to make decisions on their behalf, medication may dull senses
Sensory impairment - They have limited experience of personal relationships and may depend on others to meet their intimate care needs and are therefore less likely to report abuse
Physical disabilities - They have to depend on others and therefore may feel powerless to prevent abuse from happening
Looked-after children - They may have had poor life experiences, may move in and out of different settings and may be unlikely to form trusting relationships with adults and/or other children and are therefore less likely to report abuse
Environmental factors that may make abuse more likely
Care services with institutional practices - Institutional settings can involve ridged routines and intrusive and invasive practices that do not respect individuals' privacy, comfort and unique needs.
Adults and children residing in health and social care settings - They usually perceive these settings as safe and those who work there or live there with them as being in positions of trust and power.
Health services - E.G. GP's and physiotherapists will be visited by individuals with a wide range of needs - practitioners are in a position of trust and power.
Independent living facilities - These facilities are not staffed all of the time so individuals may become targeted by other individuals who live there, by staff, visitors or relatives.
Homelessness - Individuals can become isolated and do not have much contact with family and friends, this can turn them into targets of abuse.
Situations where people are dependent on others
An elderly person with dementia and depeds on others for personal care and management of money
A child who is dependent on an adult to help with personal care
A service user who as a physical disability depends on others for personal care, maybe has a carer to get money out for them
Relationships where there is an imbalance of power
A child who has autism and their teacher
An elderly service user and their carer
A homeless women who relies on a member of the public to give them food
Social isolation
An individual with a mental health condition and is living alone
An elderly person living on their own
An individual with a physical disability living alone
Situations where there is an invasion of privacy
A child getting undressed in front of lots of people
An individual in a hospital getting undressed when the curtains are kept open
A meeting with an individual with a mental health condition and the door is kept open for others to hear