Introduction
Duty of care is the legal responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of others.
For example, teachers have a duty of care to ensure the safety of students. Duty of
care is important as it ensures that everyone is safe and looked after and avoids any
accidents that may happen in not only Health and Social care settings but in places
such as schools and other workplaces.
Research
Neglect means that someone has failed to do something that they should have done
such as leaving someone at a care home that needs help. An act of omission is
different to neglect as it is when a professional forgets to do something that they
should of by accident. Neglect can be seen through failing to provide medication to a
service user which could potentially cause them harm. This can be avoided by filling
in records about what medication is being taken. Basic care needs such as
showering, or eating must be given to service users. If the service user is not given
these basic needs, then this can be classed as neglect or an act of omission. The
professionals have a duty of care to reach these needs. Dignity is respecting an
individual’s privacy. For example, if someone spilt something like a drink on their
trousers the professional should take them somewhere private to change them.
An unkempt appearance could be a sign of neglect or an act of omission, this means
they may look dirty or smell dirty, they could have messy hair. If the service user's
family are visiting them and know that their relative would never not have makeup on
or have their done and it is not this could also be a sign. Unexplained weight loss
could also be a sign of abuse as it could mean they are not being given enough food
or not being given the right and they are therefore malnourished. Ulcers or bed sores
could also be a sign of abuse as it means that the individual is being left in the same
position too long. Not moving the individual of they need to be moved can be classed
as neglect.
Another type of physical abuse can be hitting or pushing. This can be shown through
bruises or red marks on an individual's skin that look unusual for some reason such
as finger marks around the wrist shows that someone is grabbing or pulling them too
hard. Burning is also a sign of physical abuse and can be show through burn marks
on the skin. These may be noticed through family members of the victim noticing and
reporting these things. Misuse of medication is also a sign of abuse. Forgetting to
give a service user their medication ca be an act of omission or purposely not giving
an individual their tablets ca be neglect. To avoid this in all health care settings that
medication is given out they have record it on records to show when it is taken or f it
is not taken. They also must report when they take medication out of the place it is
stored for safety purposes to make sure it is not in the wrong hands.
Another sign of physical abuse is unexplained injuries or bruises which again could
be finger marks around someone's wrist. This could also be bruises on someone's
face if they are forced to take their tablets which has been reported before, although
not maliciously. Burn marks are also a sign of physical abuse and can be seen as
red marks on the skin an ca sometimes blisters if they are bad enough. Malnutrition
is another sign of abuse and can mean that an individual s not getting fed the proper
food such as vegetables. The individual ca become very thin because of this which
could be reported through family members noticing they are thinner than usual. In a
child's case it is more likely to be seen through finger marks as children can easily
get bruises through running around and falling over a lot and in the elderly, they may
have bruises from just falling over and isn't necessarily a sign of abuse.
, Psychological abuse can be emotional abuse which can be seen through blackmail
which means that they say if someone doesn’t do something then there is
consequences such as hitting which may never be carried out. For example, “if you
don’t do this, I will hit you”. This can be verbal abuse which can be swearing or
calling the individual names to make them feel bad about themselves. Humiliation
constantly can be abuse as it may start of as a joke but then could escalate and
become psychological abuse. Threat of punishment is also a sign of abuse, this can
be similar to blackmail as it can be hitting someone if they don’t do something or
threatening to do so.
A sign of psychological abuse is unexplained changes in behaviour. For example, if
someone who is usually very bubbly and loud becomes very introverted it could be a
sign of abuse. For example, in 2000 Victoria Climbie who was a 9-year-old child who
was born in the ivory coast but moved to France where her aunt lived who promised
her of a better education was murdered because she was abused by her aunt who
believed she was “possessed by the devil”. Victoria was reported by the staff at her
school to become very quiet when her aunt picked her up from school. This is a sign
of abuse as it shows she feared her aunt and didn’t want to go home with her.
Another sign is anxiety as an individual may become very worried about things and
could come across as paranoid. Another sign of abuse is depression as someone
may again become very introverted and seem like they are unhappy.
Sexual abuse can be when an individual does not give consent to sex and therefore
is raped. It can also be seen through sexual harassment which can be unwanted
touching in certain areas. A sign of sexual abuse can be bruising or bleeding in rectal
or genital areas due the force on these places. Also, someone who is being sexually
abused may keep getting sexually transmitted disease or may become pregnant.
Financial abuse includes the misuse or theft of money. This means that money may
be stolen from the individual's purse or they could have a visitor that is asking them
to pay for things for them. It can be seen through opening birthday cards with money
and stealing the money, for example. Fraud is also an example of financial abuse as
it can mean that an individual is being cheated out of their money. For example, if
someone said they will cut an individual's grass for £10 and then says it took longer
than expected and charge them more could be an example of financial abuse.
Another example is exploitation of property or inheritance, this means that someone
may use an individual for their property or inheritance and take advantage of them.
For example, charging them more for something because they may have a lot of
property and inheritance.
A sign of financial abuse can be inability to pay for household expenditure. This can
be seen through not being able to pay bill such as water or electricity and may be
spotted if their electricity goes off, for example. Another may be noticing that the
individual is losing household possessions. This may happen by people such
as carers coming into the house and stealing things such as jewelry that they may be
selling or keeping for themselves.
Discriminatory abuse includes discriminating someone for their sex, race, culture,
religion, age, ability or sexual orientation. For example, if a woman wasn’t hired for a
job because she is pregnant, and the employer doesn’t want to pay her for maternity
can be seen as discriminatory behaviour towards someone due to their sex.
Someone may be discriminated against because of their ability as they be in a
wheelchair and an employer may think that it may take them longer to do a job than
someone who is able bodied. In a care setting discrimination could be seen through
a carer saying they are helping someone last maybe because of their religion as they
Duty of care is the legal responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of others.
For example, teachers have a duty of care to ensure the safety of students. Duty of
care is important as it ensures that everyone is safe and looked after and avoids any
accidents that may happen in not only Health and Social care settings but in places
such as schools and other workplaces.
Research
Neglect means that someone has failed to do something that they should have done
such as leaving someone at a care home that needs help. An act of omission is
different to neglect as it is when a professional forgets to do something that they
should of by accident. Neglect can be seen through failing to provide medication to a
service user which could potentially cause them harm. This can be avoided by filling
in records about what medication is being taken. Basic care needs such as
showering, or eating must be given to service users. If the service user is not given
these basic needs, then this can be classed as neglect or an act of omission. The
professionals have a duty of care to reach these needs. Dignity is respecting an
individual’s privacy. For example, if someone spilt something like a drink on their
trousers the professional should take them somewhere private to change them.
An unkempt appearance could be a sign of neglect or an act of omission, this means
they may look dirty or smell dirty, they could have messy hair. If the service user's
family are visiting them and know that their relative would never not have makeup on
or have their done and it is not this could also be a sign. Unexplained weight loss
could also be a sign of abuse as it could mean they are not being given enough food
or not being given the right and they are therefore malnourished. Ulcers or bed sores
could also be a sign of abuse as it means that the individual is being left in the same
position too long. Not moving the individual of they need to be moved can be classed
as neglect.
Another type of physical abuse can be hitting or pushing. This can be shown through
bruises or red marks on an individual's skin that look unusual for some reason such
as finger marks around the wrist shows that someone is grabbing or pulling them too
hard. Burning is also a sign of physical abuse and can be show through burn marks
on the skin. These may be noticed through family members of the victim noticing and
reporting these things. Misuse of medication is also a sign of abuse. Forgetting to
give a service user their medication ca be an act of omission or purposely not giving
an individual their tablets ca be neglect. To avoid this in all health care settings that
medication is given out they have record it on records to show when it is taken or f it
is not taken. They also must report when they take medication out of the place it is
stored for safety purposes to make sure it is not in the wrong hands.
Another sign of physical abuse is unexplained injuries or bruises which again could
be finger marks around someone's wrist. This could also be bruises on someone's
face if they are forced to take their tablets which has been reported before, although
not maliciously. Burn marks are also a sign of physical abuse and can be seen as
red marks on the skin an ca sometimes blisters if they are bad enough. Malnutrition
is another sign of abuse and can mean that an individual s not getting fed the proper
food such as vegetables. The individual ca become very thin because of this which
could be reported through family members noticing they are thinner than usual. In a
child's case it is more likely to be seen through finger marks as children can easily
get bruises through running around and falling over a lot and in the elderly, they may
have bruises from just falling over and isn't necessarily a sign of abuse.
, Psychological abuse can be emotional abuse which can be seen through blackmail
which means that they say if someone doesn’t do something then there is
consequences such as hitting which may never be carried out. For example, “if you
don’t do this, I will hit you”. This can be verbal abuse which can be swearing or
calling the individual names to make them feel bad about themselves. Humiliation
constantly can be abuse as it may start of as a joke but then could escalate and
become psychological abuse. Threat of punishment is also a sign of abuse, this can
be similar to blackmail as it can be hitting someone if they don’t do something or
threatening to do so.
A sign of psychological abuse is unexplained changes in behaviour. For example, if
someone who is usually very bubbly and loud becomes very introverted it could be a
sign of abuse. For example, in 2000 Victoria Climbie who was a 9-year-old child who
was born in the ivory coast but moved to France where her aunt lived who promised
her of a better education was murdered because she was abused by her aunt who
believed she was “possessed by the devil”. Victoria was reported by the staff at her
school to become very quiet when her aunt picked her up from school. This is a sign
of abuse as it shows she feared her aunt and didn’t want to go home with her.
Another sign is anxiety as an individual may become very worried about things and
could come across as paranoid. Another sign of abuse is depression as someone
may again become very introverted and seem like they are unhappy.
Sexual abuse can be when an individual does not give consent to sex and therefore
is raped. It can also be seen through sexual harassment which can be unwanted
touching in certain areas. A sign of sexual abuse can be bruising or bleeding in rectal
or genital areas due the force on these places. Also, someone who is being sexually
abused may keep getting sexually transmitted disease or may become pregnant.
Financial abuse includes the misuse or theft of money. This means that money may
be stolen from the individual's purse or they could have a visitor that is asking them
to pay for things for them. It can be seen through opening birthday cards with money
and stealing the money, for example. Fraud is also an example of financial abuse as
it can mean that an individual is being cheated out of their money. For example, if
someone said they will cut an individual's grass for £10 and then says it took longer
than expected and charge them more could be an example of financial abuse.
Another example is exploitation of property or inheritance, this means that someone
may use an individual for their property or inheritance and take advantage of them.
For example, charging them more for something because they may have a lot of
property and inheritance.
A sign of financial abuse can be inability to pay for household expenditure. This can
be seen through not being able to pay bill such as water or electricity and may be
spotted if their electricity goes off, for example. Another may be noticing that the
individual is losing household possessions. This may happen by people such
as carers coming into the house and stealing things such as jewelry that they may be
selling or keeping for themselves.
Discriminatory abuse includes discriminating someone for their sex, race, culture,
religion, age, ability or sexual orientation. For example, if a woman wasn’t hired for a
job because she is pregnant, and the employer doesn’t want to pay her for maternity
can be seen as discriminatory behaviour towards someone due to their sex.
Someone may be discriminated against because of their ability as they be in a
wheelchair and an employer may think that it may take them longer to do a job than
someone who is able bodied. In a care setting discrimination could be seen through
a carer saying they are helping someone last maybe because of their religion as they
