Good enough decision‐making? Improving decision‐making in adult protection

Abstract

This paper examines decision‐making in adult protection based on arrangements operating in a local authority social services department and discussion generated in a specialist training intervention. The paper seeks to identify ways in which approaches to decision‐making can be made both more effective and more user centred. The need for good information for efficient and effective decision‐making is highlighted, along with the need for user involvement for the production of positive and valued outcomes. The paper looks at how user centred arrangements can be put into practice and discusses the potential for advocacy, outlining possible approaches for adult protection casework. With local authority social services departments struggling to implement No Secrets (2000), with adult protection a key social care competence and with the implementation of PCP and similar approaches a priority (Valuing People, 2001), it is important to improve decision‐making in adult protection in ways that are not only time and resource efficient, but place service users and their advocates at the centre of related processes.

Keywords:

• Adult Protection
• Decision‐Making
• Advocacy

Notes

Correspondence to: Paul Cambridge, Senior Lecturer, Tizard Centre, University of Kent at Canterbury, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7LZ, UK. Email: [email protected]

We wish to acknowledge the role played by Alisoun Milne (Tizard Centre) as well as the commissioners in helping to develop this initial training.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Paul Cambridge

Correspondence to: Paul Cambridge, Senior Lecturer, Tizard Centre, University of Kent at Canterbury, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7LZ, UK. Email: [email protected]