Our Safeguarding process 

When you report violence, abuse or harm to VisAble:  

• We assess the referral. 

• We determine whether it meets the criteria for VisAble’s involvement. 

• Where the referral is accepted for action, it’s called a “situation of concern” 

• The situation of concern is assigned to a SAFA Co-ordinator. 

• The role of the SAFA Co-ordinator is to set up and co-ordinate a multi-agency team to develop the safeguarding response (i.e., for each disabled Adult at Risk).  

• The multi-agency safeguarding team is responsible for the safeguarding response and the outcomes (results) to be achieved. 

• Led by a SAFA Co-ordinator, the multi-agency team members work together and with the disabled person to develop and deliver the right safeguarding response (intervention/s) to prevent or reduce harm.  

Sometimes another agency might be better suited to manage the situation of concern. In that case, we’ll make a referral to them, with your consent. 

Members of the safeguarding team (sometimes called the SAFA team or safeguarding response group SARG) may involve:  

• the disabled person 

• their whānau / welfare guardian / safe people 

These are individuals who know the disabled person well and who can help advocate for them (i.e., support them and make their needs more visible) 

• a carer or potential carer 

• ‘needs assessors’ (sometimes referred to as NASC assessors) who might be able to provide funding support to the person being harmed or at risk of harm, so they can be removed from the situation of concern, if necessary 

• various specialists, as needed (for example, doctors or lawyers) 

• ‘Supported residential care’ services, if needed 

• an independent advocate, whose role is to help understand what the disabled person needs and wants, and to help them have a voice (especially if they’re afraid to say what they want, in case they are further harmed, or they upset or disappoint a family member). 

Sometimes people’s own personal actions (or lack of action) can cause neglect.

We respect people's personal choices – and sometimes that means VisAble can’t be involved in a safeguarding response:

• Where an informed decision is made by a person who has decision-making capability, any resultant self-neglect won’t result in a safeguarding response by VisAble (i.e., it falls outside of our scope of work).  

• Initially, however, that critical information about their capability might not be available.  
  

• While our SAFA Co-ordinators will always seek to respect the wishes of the disabled person, they have a duty to act when there are concerns about safety or well-being. 

VisAble can get involved in certain circumstances.

For example:

• make that decision, and where the consequences aren't fully understood without supported decision making processes.

• Choices made by a disabled person where the consequences aren't fully understood without SDM processes.

This may look like:

• Romance scams.

• Financial exploitation (this could include being taken advantage of by people who move into a disabled person’s home and put the tenancy at risk).

• Experiencing continued intimate partner violence.

• Coercion into illegal activity.

In these instances, we assist with “supported decision making” advocacy or by supporting the assessment of decision-making capability. 

We do this in consultation with the disabled person and their whanau, wherever possible – and with their consent. 

Disabled people have the right to make the choices they want to make, even if they seem unwise to whānau or to professionals. 

Our SAFA Co-ordinators can’t intervene and provide support if the disabled person doesn’t want that. 

Consent

VisAble ensures that the people we support give us their informed consent (written or verbal) whenever possible, recognising their right to be supported in making decisions about their own lives. This may include a referral to supported decision making advocates who will identify the disabled person’s will and preferences. 

While we work to uphold and support informed consent wherever possible, our primary responsibility is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the person. It is our legal duty under the Crime's Amendment Act 2011 and the Family Violence act 2018 to assess risks, including the risk of gaining consent, and plan for safety. In doing so, we are committed to a process that is guided by the person’s will and preferences. 

We are mindful of our responsibility to lead and coordinate the work of professionals and agencies involved, ensuring that all actions are taken in accordance with safeguarding frameworks and the principles of Enabling Good Lives (EGL). While we are not the agency responsible for providing supported decision-making, we are guided by the individual’s will and preferences as shared through that process, and we ensure that all professionals involved remain accountable to safe, person-directed practice.   

If it is safe, we aim to obtain informed consent/s (written or verbal) at the outset of the safeguarding response.  

The following are reasons why it may be difficult to obtain consent:

• It is difficult to gain safe access to the disabled person 

• The disabled person is deemed to lack decision making capability  

• The disabled person may lack understanding of the abuse or neglect 

• The disabled person may experience undue coercion

• The whānau support / family member or the appointed welfare guardian may be the alleged perpetrator  

• The disabled person may be the alleged perpetrator 

• Please tick on the referral form whether you have gained consent or not. Or contact us if you have any questions about consent. If you cannot gain consent at the time of referral, we will regularly discuss consent with the multi-agency team.  

During and after the safeguarding response, we also appreciate the importance of maintaining people’s privacy. 

We have policies and procedures in place to respect and maintain your privacy.

Please see our privacy policy for more information.

Our experience over the past two years tells us that each “situation of concern” can take (on average) 3-6 months to resolve.