Adult Protection Committee

Trading Standards were recently contacted by a resident in the Formartine area about a simple but notable roofing scam. The resident’s elderly neighbour had been contacted at home by a roofer who called at the address about work which the roofer believed was apparently required on the resident’s roof. The work was agreed and apparently completed and the neighbour paid the roofer by cheque for a 4 figure sum.

The roofer returned to the neighbour’s the next day and complained that the bank would not cash the cheque, so he would need a fresh cheque to cover his costs. Notably, the roofer did not return the first cheque but the neighbour duly obliged with a second cheque and the roofer left. However, he returned the next day to say the bank would not cash the second cheque either, so he would need a third cheque to cover the original costs. The roofer did not return the second cheque either. It was at this point that the resident, who was visiting his neighbour, intervened and called the conversation to a halt. He asked the roofer to leave or he would call the Police, so the roofer left.

The resident then helped his neighbour to contact his bank and report the matter. It appears that the roofer had presented the first cheque, which had cleared but the bank stopped the second cheque, which hadn’t yet cleared.

The obvious intent of the roofer was to extract as many cheques as possible from the vulnerable neighbour, thereby doubling or tripling his profits in the process.

Some points to consider:

• Our advice remains the same; as this incident demonstrates, dealing with doorstep callers is a highly risky business. Far safer to just thank them for their concern and say, “No thanks”,

• Take haggling out of the equation. Tell the caller that you have a relative who’s in that line of work and in this cost of living crisis, you’d like them to look at the issue instead,

• DO NOT discuss prices, so you remove the opportunity for the caller to say that they ‘will do it cheaper’,

• If the caller becomes persistent, tell them you have a visitor and you really must go back indoors,

• Alternatively, tell them you have a pot boiling on the stove and you’re worried it might boil over,

• If the caller becomes insistent, tell them you will call the Police (and mean it). If necessary, call the Police,

• DO NOT be afraid to close the door on the caller. They have had enough of your time, just remember to lock it too,

• Try to note as much detail as you can about the caller, their appearance and their vehicles and keep any paperwork they might hand over to you.

Report the matter to Police Scotland or Trading Standards, so that they can collate these reports and consider taking action against the caller.

Financial Harm is one of the most prevalent types of harm perpetrated against vulnerable adults – and across members of the wider community – and can occur under many guises.

Our aim is to achieve an effective & coordinated approach to preventing & responding to Financial Harm & minimising its impact, especially in relation to vulnerable adults, across Grampian. Action relating to this aim will be led by the Grampian Financial Harm Sub Group of the APCs. Core members of the Financial Harm Sub Group are:

• Aberdeen City Council (Adult Protection Social Work & Trading Standards); • Aberdeenshire Council (Adult Protection Network & Trading Standards); • Moray Council (Adult Protection Network & Trading Standards); • NHS Grampian; and • Police Scotland (Partnerships and Interventions & Crime Reductions Unit

The Grampian Financial Harm Group welcomes the publication of the Grampian Financial Harm Strategy. The Strategy and Financial Harm Group recognises the need to tackle Financial Harm and it's impact, which can be devastating.

National Hoarding and Awareness Week is running from the 15th May. If you have an interest in this topic please visit the website and download the official involvement pack which contain a number of excellent resources and information about free webinars that are running during the week.http://hoardingawarenessweek.org.uk/

In Aberdeenshire a Self-Neglect Review Group was appointed by the Aberdeenshire Adult Protection Committee last year and we are currently gathering evidence regarding best practice. If you would like more information about the work that is occurring in Aberdeenshire to reduce the impact of self neglect please contact annmarie.bruce@aberdeenshire.gov.uk.

http://publications.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/dataset/aberdeenshire-adult-protection-committee-2020

The Aberdeenshire Adult Protection Committee is please to announce that their Biennial Report 2020- 22 has been published. This report gives an overview of ASP activity in Aberdeenshire, what we have achieved over the last 2 years and what priorities are currently being taken forward.

Today is Carers Rights Day, a national campaign to raise awareness on the rights of unpaid adult carers and young carers and to let carers know where to get support. The theme this year is Caring Costs – to highlight the many ways caring can cost, from wellbeing to financial costs, particularly with the current cost of living crisis.

A carer, also known as an unpaid carer, is generally defined as someone who provides, or intends to provide, care for another individual. They may care for an older person, someone who is disabled, has a long-term illness, mental health issue or is affected by alcohol or drug misuse. Adult carers are aged 18 and over and young carers are children or young people under the age of 18, or 18 if still at school.

Caring includes physical, practical, and emotional support. It could be for a few hours a week, such as picking up prescriptions and preparing meals, to providing emotional or personal care, day and night, 365 days a year. We all probably know someone who provides care to another person. Some people don’t realise they are carers and consider the support they provide to be “just something they do” for family or a friend. It is estimated that there are approximately 800,000 unpaid carers in Scotland, with many juggling works with caring responsibilities, and nearly a third of carers say their mental health has suffered.

Carers’ Rights and Legislation

The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 came into force in 2018 and provided new rights to carers such as an Adult Carer Support Plan or Young Carer Statement if under age 18, or 18 and still at school. These identify carers’ needs and personal outcomes and are available to carers of all ages, no matter how many hours of care they provide. Other Carers Act duties include supporting carers by means of local eligibility criteria, preparation of local carer strategies, information and advice service for carers and a duty to involve carers in the hospital discharge of the person they care for. For more information visit Aberdeenshire. Council - Carers;' Rights and Legislation.

Carer Support Organisations

Quarriers are commissioned to provide a carer support service to unpaid adult carers and young carers in Aberdeenshire. Quarriers can support carers to complete an Adult Carer Support Plan or Young Carer Statement, which look at the carer’s roles, how it affects them and what support might be needed. Quarriers can also offer advice, information, and resources to carers, develops skills and confidence, assist carers to complete an emergency plan and provide opportunities to meet other carers. Meetings can be online or in person and include carer support cafes, mindfulness groups and activity sessions for young carers. For more information visit Quarriers Aberdeenshire Carer Support Service, Tel 01467 538700 or email aberdeenshirecarers@quarriers.org.uk

Quarriers also provide carer support for adult carers and young carers in Moray and adult carers in Aberdeen City. For other local authority areas or to join the Aberdeenshire Council Carer Support mailing list contact carersupport@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Carer Support Information can also be found on Aberdeenshire Council Caring For Others, NHS Grampian Information For Carers, and Carers UK / Carers Scotland webpages.

Financial harm includes theft, fraud, pressure to hand over or sign over property or money, misuse of property or welfare benefits, stopping someone getting their money or possessions, or being scammed by rogue traders, online scams, by email or by post.

Financial harm is one of the most common forms of harm reported to local adult protection units. It can have a significant impact on a vulnerable adult, not just on their finances, but also on their physical and mental health. Unpaid bills, having debts, taking out loans, or possessions going missing from their home, could all be signs of financial harm. Other signs could be that they look unkempt or thin, or has lost confidence, or are anxious or distressed.

How can you help?

The Grampian Financial Harm subgroup met today and discussed how to learn from people's experiences of financial harm to enable effective responses and resources to be developed. If you have a story around financial harm that you would be willing to share please respond using the my story tool on this page.

At the Adult Protection Committee meeting today Committee members considered the impact of the cost of living crisis on adults at risk of harm. Escalating prices and the impact this will have on residents are likely to increase numbers of adults that may require support and protection. Many actions have been agreed to increase the awareness of risk and the resources that can provide support.

The Committee were pleased to hear about the support that is currently available. If you need advice and support with the increased cost of living - please reach out.

Cost of living crisis - Aberdeenshire Council

One resident in the Garioch area recently saw workmen at her vulnerable

neighbour’s property, working on the driveway. Sensing something was amiss

she went to investigate and found one workman spraying a black tar-like

substance on the drive. When the resident asked the man what he was doing he

advised he was repairing a small hole. However, when she asked him to stop,

he quickly became abusive.

The resident entered her neighbour’s home to check on her and ask what was

happening. The neighbour advised that the workmen had come to her door

earlier that morning and offered to repair the small hole in the drive for £800 and

that she had been too frightened to say no, so had consented. No paperwork

had been provided and the men had started work straight away. The resident

went back outside and insisted that the men stop work immediately. The

foreman became highly abusive but the men all left, in their three vehicles when

the neighbour began filming them on her mobile phone. Details of the workmen

and their vehicles have been passed to Trading Standards and later Police

Scotland. Enquiries are ongoing.

If you don’t feel confident in dealing with cold callers at the door:

• speak to a trusted neighbour or friend who lives nearby to see if they

would be willing to act as your nominated neighbour, dealing with cold

callers to your home on your behalf,

• place ‘No Cold Caller’ stickers or notices near to your gateway and/or

front door to make it plain to visitors that cold callers are not welcome

(these can be obtained from Trading Standards or online from reputable

retailers for just a few pounds),

• if a cold caller comes to the door, you don’t have to answer or open the

door, simply call your nominated neighbour to see if they can assist you,

• if the caller refuses to leave your doorstep, especially if your nominated

neighbour is unavailable, phone the Police,

If you are a nominated neighbour:

• don’t let the caller enter your home,

• if possible, don’t let the caller enter your neighbour’s home either,

• make sure both properties are secured from people sneaking in whilst

your attention is elsewhere,

• never leave the caller alone in either house or permit them to move freely

about the property,

• check the caller’s ID carefully and verify it with their company, if possible,

• look the company number up in the Phone Book rather than relying on

information on the caller’s ID card,

• whatever happens, see the caller out of your neighbour’s house,

• if a caller or workman becomes aggressive or abusive, withdraw for your

own safety rather than risk making the situation worse,

• try to avoid getting into confrontations or arguments,

• get inside and call the Police on 999 if it becomes an emergency or 101 if

not,

Further information is available from Police Scotland at

https://www.scotland.police.uk/advice-and-information/scams-and[1]frauds/doorstep-crime-and-bogus-callers/ and from Take Five at

https://www.takefive-stopfraud.org.uk/advice/general-advice/doorstep-scam/

On the 20th April Committee members were supported by Improvement Service to undertake a self assessment and set priorities for the following two years. Positive progress has occurred with our current priorities despite the difficult years we have all had through the pandemic.

Looking forward there were be significant focus on improving practice around our use of data and engagement with service user, carers, families and the wider Aberdeenshire Community.