“To protect or not to protect?” Complaining vulnerable adults? That is the challenge

Abstract

PurposeHidden camera television documentaries filmed in care home settings have shown evidence of the abuse of vulnerable adults, been widely discussed in the mass media and have brought the attention of the mass population to the importance of these issues. Governmental documents have also emphasised the need to protect vulnerable adults. It is therefore known that vulnerable adults exist and require protection from abuse in any shape or form. However, this paper aims to argue that protecting vulnerable adults and the current mechanisms for encouraging such individuals to make their views known to services are not mutually compatible. The main technique vulnerable adults may use, the complaints procedure, currently may not be sufficient to enable vulnerable adults to express themselves and their anxieties adequately.Design/methodology/approachThe paper provides a case study which clearly demonstrates the nature of the problems, and then recognises and describes a number of levels which could be explored to learn more about these issues.Research limitations/implicationsPotential solutions are explored by the authors, who draw conclusions about the need for further research into this area.Originality/valueThis paper defines a gap between adult protection and complaints procedures, questioning both their efficacy and abilities to meet their stated aims. The paper also highlights that the nature of these may not sufficiently enable complaining vulnerable adults to express their views of services.