Information for professionals asked to attend an adult protection case conference
Introduction
Before you attend an adult protection case conference, check your agency's guidance on such conferences. The Angus Adult Protection Multiagency Guidance (370 KB PDF) also contains information about adult protection case conferences.
The adult protection review officer, who works within Social Work and Health, will normally be the chairperson at the adult protection case conference.
The letter inviting you to the conference lists everyone who has been invited to it. Check this list to make sure that all of the people involved with the adult at risk have been invited. If you think that someone who should be there hasn't been invited, contact the chairperson of the case conference (as shown in the letter) so that everyone who can contribute is at the conference.
If you are worried about anything (for example, difficult relationships between family members, possible aggressive behaviour or sharing information), you can contact the adult protection review officer before the conference.
Preparing for the case conference
Please prepare for the case conference by researching the adult's history. Read information from your agency, discuss this with colleagues, and make sure, as far as possible, that the information is accurate. It would be useful for you to have written notes to refer to at the case conference so that you can provide accurate information, including dates of events.
Communication and sharing information at a case conference
- If you are representing an agency, gather any information your agency has available.
- You may have information about the whole family that is relevant to the assessment of risk.
- If you cannot attend the case conference, provide a full history in a report using the template sent with your invitation.
- If this is new to you, it may help to talk to and get advice from colleagues who have been to case conferences before.
- If you are concerned about sharing some information in front of the service user or their representative, contact the adult protection review officer to discuss how this can be managed.
- If you have any other questions before the case conference, contact the adult protection review officer.
At the case conference
- If you are not sure about something, or you have information which you think is important, do not be afraid to speak.
- Talk to the other professionals involved so that you know what their roles and responsibilities are.
- Do not presume that everyone knows the details of the situation, and please share all the information your agency has. However, if you have information you do not think should be shared in front of the service user or their representative, tell the chairperson this before the meeting starts.
Service users, family members and carers all take part
All the agencies involved have a responsibility to help service users and their carers to take part in case conferences and to give their views. The service user may want to write down their views for the case conference. This lets them say how they feel and what they want to happen. If you have a good relationship with them, you may be able to help. It may be helpful to consider using the Angus Independent Advocacy service so that the service user can be helped to take part, to give their views and opinions, or to be represented by an independent advocate.
If you have any questions about the case conference, phone the adult protection review officer on 01307 473762.
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