Guidance for Maracs: Older people

This guidance aims to ensure the appropriate safeguarding of older people (60+) who are victims of domestic abuse. Historically there have been inconsistent or lower levels of reports of domestic abuse towards older people resulting in older people being considered part of a ‘hidden’ group.

The reasons for inconsistent approaches to support for older victims of domestic abuse include factors such as:

• services typically being set up with younger clients in mind
• older people being less likely to call 999
• particular cultural or generational attitudes that often exist towards marriage and family life.

Abuse can often be hidden behind other physical and mental health conditions, and a lack of awareness among some professionals prevents recognition of this underlying cause.

What this guidance resource contains

• Aim of this report
• What’s different about older victims’ experiences of domestic abuse?
  • Engagement with services
  • Financial and housing issues
  • Health/mental health issues
• Prior to Marac
  • Set up a single point of contact with a trusted professional
  • Arrange a strategy/professionals meeting
• Get the right people around the table
  • Adult social care
  • Mental health and health
  • Other relevant agencies
• Do your research
  • Adult social care
  • Police
  • Health/mental health
  • All representatives
• Effective action planning
  • Has entry been denied to a professional during a visit (planned or unannounced)?
  • Has any agency had meaningful engagement with the victim?
  • Have the victim’s views been expressed?
  • Is the statutory responsibility being fulfilled?
  • Are the appropriate experts taking the lead, and a single point of contact nominated?
  • Are appropriate protocols/plans in place and have they been communicated to all relevant agencies?
  • Have the victim’s finances been considered?
  • Have cultural barriers or differences been identified?
  • Are you following your local policies, protocols and procedures for safeguarding adults?
  • Could Marac agencies (such as the Idva service or adult social care) facilitate engagement with victims through other organisations?
• Outside the Marac meeting
  • If you’re part of a Marac strategic or governance group
  • If you’re a commissioner
  • Maracs and local safeguarding adult boards (LSABs)
  • If you’re a health/mental health professional
  • If you work in Wales