Adult protection: The processes and outcomes of adult protection referrals in two english local authorities

This article examines the processes and outcomes of adult protection referrals in two local authorities in England using adult protection monitoring data collected between 1998 and 2005, identifying learning for the use and development of adult protection monitoring. Findings: Associations were found between aspects of process and outcome in adult protection case management; police and regulatory agency involvement increased over time, over four-fifths of referrals resulted in investigations which were associated with higher levels of inter-agency involvement, abuse was confirmed for over two-fifths of referrals, there was significant territorial variation across a range of process and outcome measures and specialist adult protection coordinators were associated with higher levels of monitoring and post-abuse work. The study concluded that more work is needed to improve and standardize adult protection monitoring data if it is to more effectively inform case management and inter-authority comparisons. Applications: The evidence from the study suggests that adult protection monitoring data can be used to help review and organize adult protection work at agency, team and case levels and is consequently of potential value to team managers, social workers and specialist co-ordinators working in adult protection.