Making Safeguarding Personal is achieved through relationship based engagement and supporting adults to understand their choices and their situation and to find resolution and recovery in their lives. Implementing MSP requires striking a balance between promoting autonomy and achieving risk mitigation.
There are situations in which action should be taken without consent even where the person has mental capacity:
• Emergency or life-threatening situations
• Any other person is at risk, including children
• A serious crime has been or might be committed.
• If the risk appears to you unreasonably high
• If someone in a position of trust is implicated.
Best Practice
- Always explore what the adult at risk wants to happen
- Remember that what people want is not set in stone – relationship based working can help people change their feelings about safety and change in their lives.
- Think about who is the best person to have difficult conversations with the adult at risk – who knows them best and has the skills to communicate with them?
- Ensure you understand and fulfil the rights of the adult to advocacy or representation within a safeguarding enquiry.
- Think about how to enhance wellbeing and quality of life, not only safety.
