In this paper the meaning and use of the term ‘financial abuse’ is explored and new ways of looking at the phenomenon suggested. In particular the paper looks at the interaction between financial abuse and neglect in the context of adults who lack capacity.

This paper draws on findings from a study examining attitudes, practices and policy in relation to charging and assessing older people who were considering entering residential and nursing home care. Its focus is on exploring the views of care managers and legal practitioners towards their work...

This paper explains the role, remit and mechanisms available to the Public Guardianship Office in relation to the administration of the financial affairs of adults unable to manage their affairs. A review of 51 cases suggests that in at least four per cent of those abuse may have occurred.

The risk of financial abuse is a major concern for the PGO and the Court of Protection. Master Lush has suggested that some 10‐15% of cases brought to the Court involve some element of abuse or impropriety. The study reported here analysed case files identified by PGO staff as those in which...

This paper explores the links between the PGO and social services in relation to abuse and to local authority management of the finances of vulnerable people. It also reports a small‐scale study of adult protection co‐ordinators in social services departments, which explored the nature of...

This short paper outlines the work of the advisory group established by the Welsh Assembly Government to monitor implementation progress and identify possible weakness in the adult protection guidance In Safe Hands.

This article explores the law relating to the sexual abuse of people with learning difficulties and proposes a number of key changes that need to take place in order to offer people with learning difficulties greater protection from abuse.

Many factors have been identified as being responsible for increasing the vulnerability of people with learning difficulties to sexual abuse. However, there has not been a great deal of debate about the term ‘vulnerability’. Here, an argument is developed that puts forward the case for a...

This article emphasises the importance of meeting the counselling and therapy needs of people with learning difficulties who have been sexually abused, citing a case study example of the themes, issues and benefits which this way of working can generate.

This article explores the sexual experiences of women with learning difficulties, highlighting the blurred nature of the boundary between abusive and consented sex.