Webinar:
Safeguarding People Living with Dementia:
The findings from a study looking at practice in social care, primary care and the voluntary sector
Presenters: Reena Lasrado, (Manchester University) Jeremy Dixon (Cardiff University) and Asri Maharani (Manchester University)
Date: Tues 10th February
Time: 13:00 – 14:00
Location: Online, Teams
Abstract
Research has shown that dementia makes adults more susceptible to abuse and neglect. The Care Act 2014 provides local authorities and other agencies in England with duties to safeguard adults from such abuse with partnership being a key principle. However, little is known about social care and health professionals’ views and practices on partnership working in this area. Our project aimed to understand how social care, health care and voluntary sector professionals understood abuse and neglect for people living with dementia, their understanding of safeguarding law and policy and their perspectives of partnership working.
In this presentation we report on three sets of findings. First, we report on findings from a realist literature review which drew from 44 studies published between 2014-2024. Second, we present findings from three datasets in England to examine the distribution of safeguarding concerns and enquiries among older adults with dementia in England, and to explore variations by sex, age, and region. Third, we report on semi-structured interviews with eighteen multi-disciplinary professionals including social workers, safeguarding managers, general practitioners, advocates and support workers.
We will explain what is original from our findings as well as messages for social care practitioners.
Biographies
Dr Reena Lasrado is a Research Fellow at the University of Manchester and a registered social worker with over 15 years experience in applied health and social care research across the UK and internationally. She specialises in qualitative and mixed-methods research, applying grounded theory, ethnography, realist and discourse approaches to dementia, safeguarding, and suicide and self-harm within mental health and healthcare systems. Her research is co-produced with communities to inform policy and improve practice.
Dr. Jeremy Dixon is a Reader in Social Work at the Centre for Adult Social Care Research (CARE) at Cardiff University. His research focusses on social work, mental health, the sociology of risk and uncertainty, end-of-life care and adult safeguarding. He is currently the deputy director of the Centre for Adult Social Care Research and President of the International Sociological Association’s Research Committee on the Sociology of Mental Health and Illness. He is also a registered social worker.
Dr Asri Maharani is a Lecturer in Public Health and Epidemiology at the University of Manchester, specialising in ageing, dementia, and health inequalities in the UK and global contexts. Her research uses advanced statistical and longitudinal methods to understand how social, environmental, and health system factors shape cognitive ageing and mental health across the life course. She works across disciplines to generate evidence that informs policy and strengthens health systems for older populations. Dr Maharani has led and contributed to multiple UK and international research projects funded by major national and global organisations. Her work aims to advance equitable, data-driven approaches to ageing and dementia care worldwide.
