Self-neglect

The aim of this document is to provide guidance for multi-agency staff supporting adults with care and support needs who are at risk of harm as a result of self-neglect and/or hoarding. The protocol looks, in detail, about the possible reasons for self-neglect and/or hoarding, the legal context, use of the Clutter Image Rating Scale (CIRS) and the local multi-agency process. The protocol also includes a decision-specific screening tool.

The aim of this Self Neglect and Hoarding Protocol and Toolkit is to provide practitioners in Orkney with a toolkit for assessment and intervention, where appropriate. The guidance contains information on what hoarding and self-neglect are, legal duties, and good practice principles. There are additional information and images from the Clutter Image Rating Scale (CIRS) and the practice implications of each level.

Self-neglect is one of the key challenges in Adult Support and Protection. Research has identified that health and social care professionals often find self-neglect cases personally and professionally difficult. Ethical and legal considerations, particularly where adults have the mental capacity to refuse support, can be particularly challenging. This briefing sets out key knowledge on self-neglect, including definitions, potential causes, impacts, and directions for future research. Part of the Iriss outline series.

Adult Support and Protection is everyone's business. This video animation, made for Scotland’s national Adult Support and Protection Day 2023, highlights the signs of self-neglect and neglect. The video is especially useful in highlighting the role that people in the community have in raising concerns. The particular context of this video is the cost-of-living crisis, which may make day-to-day decisions harder. This, in turn, can impact on people's ability to look after themselves or others around them.

This video, presented by Lisa Cox of Scottish Fire and Rescue, defines a hoarding disorder and its key attributes. It looks at origins, prevalence, risk, assessment, and effective working with people affected by hoarding. The video also covers Diogenes Syndrome (DS).

This informal learning review is based on a request made by the Mental Welfare Commission (MWC). Issues covered in this review include self-neglect, hoarding behaviour, multi-agency working, chronologies, and professional curiosity.

Podcast between Neil Whettam (Learning and Development Advisor, Clackmannanshire) and Paul Comley (National Adult Support and Protection Co-ordinator) about hoarding and self-neglect. Covers what hoarding and self-neglect are, choice, capacity, assessment frameworks, and research. Working in these areas can be very challenging and this podcast supports individual and team reflection on these areas of practice. 30 minutes long.

This multi-agency guidance for managing self-neglect, hoarding and non-engagement provides a framework to complement any single agency protocol or guidance. It includes material on defining the issue, assessment, information sharing, working together to find solutions, and addressing non-engagement with services. The guidance is accompanied by several appendices, including checklists, infograms and pathways.

This video and one-page briefing share practice from Aberdeen's experiences when working with people with hoarding and/or self-neglecting behaviour. The material prompts practitioners to think about what might be the reasons for the person's behaviour and the possible impacts. It also addresses when an Adult Support and Protection referral should be considered. Relationship building, multi-agency working, and the balance of 'choice' and risk are all considered.