Self Neglect
Self-neglect includes situations where a person is declining support with their care needs, hygiene, health or their environment, and this is having a significant impact on their overall well being.
Self-neglect can be a complex and challenging issue for practitioners to address, because of the need to find the right balance between respecting a person’s autonomy and fulfilling a duty to protect the adult’s health and well-being.
Self-neglect implies there may be an inability or unwillingness or both to attend to ones’ personal care and support needs and impact on well-being and safety. It may manifest in different ways, from lack of self-care to an extent that it threatens personal health and safety by way of neglecting to care for one’s
- personal hygiene
- health
- surroundings
- hoarding
- a combination of any of the above.
Self-neglect differs from other safeguarding concerns and forms of neglect as there is no perpetrator of abuse, however, abuse cannot be ruled out as a purpose for becoming self- neglectful.
To understand more about the presentation and causes of Self-Neglect read more about the thematic review below:
Self-Neglect and Hoarding Strategy
This guidance is a reference for practitioners responding to situations where self-neglect is evident. It is envisaged that this will provide an understanding of self-neglect in the context of safeguarding adults and aid a proportionate response in accordance with the Care Act 2014. To download the guidance click the below.
Gill’s Story
Please watch our heartfelt interview with Gill, sharing her experience of loss, trauma and hoarding:
Mental Health
Coming Soon
Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)
Coming Soon
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Trauma Informed Practice
In Manchester we have an ambition to be an ACE-aware, trauma informed and trauma responsive city. A city with a coordinated approach to reducing exposure to ACEs, where all practitioners work with residents to prevent or mitigate the consequences of trauma; helping children, families, and communities to build resilience; and improve outcomes for residents by working in a trauma responsive way.
For more information on ACEs and Trauma-Informed Practice, please visit our resources page below: