The Care Act Guidance makes it clear and includes the principles of Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP) which involves asking the adult at risk what they would like to happen.

The aim of MSP is to;

• engage people throughout the process from the outset with a focus on outcomes for the Adult at Risk
• make people feel safe
• make people feel empowered and in control
• use an asset-based approach to help identify individuals strengths and networks

Practice in relation to Safeguarding Adults nationally has long been criticised for being driven by policy and process rather than focused on what the adult wants and Essex is no exception to this. Embedding Making Safeguarding Personal in practice has been acknowledged nationally as a culture change, moving away from process to personalisation. Making Safeguarding Personal is an evolving process and one which will be subject to regular review across Essex to ensure safeguarding practice is focused on outcomes which have been identified by adults at risk.

Mental Capacity

When raising a Safeguarding Adult Concern and the adult has capacity to state their views, then they should be asked what they want to happen, and this should be recorded on the Safeguarding Adult Concern form. It is important to remember that people retain the right to make unwise decisions and personalisation in safeguarding requires effective use of the Mental Capacity Act. Adults at risk have the right to make decisions that others might regard as being unwise or eccentric and a person cannot be treated as lacking capacity for these reasons. It is important to remember that everyone has their own values, beliefs and preferences, which may not be the same as yours. You cannot treat people as lacking capacity because they hold different values, beliefs or preferences from your own. http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/elearning/adultsafeguarding/resource. However it is important to remember in circumstances where other adults could be at risk a safeguarding concern should be raised regardless of the adults views.

Duress and Coercion

Where the Adult at Risk has capacity, but you suspect they are under duress or coercive control please refer to the SET procedures.