Decision-making

Decision-making is the cornerstone of practice in Adult Support and Protection. The resources and tools in this section support critical thinking and collaborative decision-making. They will also help ensure that all decisions support a person-centred and trauma-informed response.

Rights, choices and decisions (5 Nations)

These are the slides from a 5 Nations webinar held in February 2024. This series of webinars shares adult support and protection / safeguarding knowledge across the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. 

The theme of this webinar is rights, choices and decisions. The sessions are:

Picture of smiling support worker

Capacity and decision-making challenges (5 Nations)

These are the slides from a 5 Nations webinar held in October 2025. This series of webinars shares adult support and protection / safeguarding knowledge across the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. 

The theme of this webinar is capacity and decision-making challenges. The sessions are:

Picture of smiling support worker

Professional curiosity: Bitesize video

This short video explains key concepts relating to professional curiosity. It accompanies the resource pack on the same subject.

Please note that this resource is from an English local authority (Waltham Forest). The context is different but its messages are transferable to Scottish Adult Support and Protection.

Still from video defining professional curiosity

Professional curiosity: Resource pack

This resource pack aims to raise awareness about embedding professional curiosity in practice. It can be used in team meetings, as part of group/individual supervision, or for individual professional development.

It includes several practical tips and practice scenarios. There is an accompanying video explaining key concepts.

First page of resource pack

Defensible decision-making (Tayside)

Defensible decision-making, in the context of Adult Support and Protection in Scotland, involves making decisions that are well-founded, transparent, and can be justified.
First slide in powerpoint presentation

Identifying and Responding to Hoarding: Good Practice Guidance (East Lothian and Midlothian Public Protection Committee)

This resource supports good multi-agency practice in identifying and responding to hoarding. It helps people to identify, understand and respond skillfully to hoarding in a trauma-informed way. The resource also outlines the responsibilities of the key statutory agencies. At the end, the guide has a useful checklist for managerial oversight of hoarding cases and a resource list of links to videos about hoarding, including input from adults who have lived experience of hoarding.

Cover of guide

Pathway for capacity assessments for protection-based decisions (Grampian): Screening tool

This tool provides a structured way for professionals to consider systematically whether an adult requires a formal assessment of their capacity for decision making. It is designed to support professionals to consider key factors relating to an adult’s capacity at an early point and record that information. This document is featured in the Grampian pathway for capacity assessments for protection-based decisions.

Image of screening tool

The ASPire Hub is a place for everyone working in Adult Support and Protection in Scotland to access and share resources. It is regularly updated and we welcome feedback and new additions!