Week 7 - SAFA roles - Group supervision




Although the SAFA (Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults) initiative is underpinned by Te Whatu Ora, it operates within the community under the Whangaia o Harakeke (Family Harm) banner. Its primary purpose is to function as a specialist service that collaborates with various stakeholders, presenting both advantages and disadvantages. SAFA was designed as a streamlined process to assess risk, identify needs, and collaborate with Taikura Trust, DAPAR (Disability Adults' Prevention & Response Team), PASAT (Personal & Adult Safeguarding Team), and independent support services to assist whānau with disabilities.

Referrals to SAFA typically come from the police, hospitals, and other service users, primarily due to ongoing risks of physical, sexual, or financial abuse towards vulnerable individuals. However, there are challenges regarding how a SAFA coordinator can effectively reduce risks, as there is currently no legislation protecting vulnerable people without substantial evidence of the abuse in question.

For example, consider a vulnerable adult who was a stroke victim, had no mobility, and relied on her partner for daily care. Support services expressed concerns about her hygiene and noted several police calls due to verbal abuse. Despite the patient’s condition and her support services' concerns, she did not wish to prosecute her partner, which left no legal grounds for intervention. The role of SAFA is to liaise with other services; it does not manage cases directly. However, due to the relationship within the Family Harm team, a home visit was organized but ultimately halted by the leading detective, who advised against it due to the involvement of other services. Tragically, one week later, this patient was declared deceased as a result of physical abuse.

While the SAFA program is fundamentally sound, the ambiguity of its role and the internal issues within the hierarchy of law enforcement impacted its effectiveness. The SAFA coordinator was left questioning whether a timely visit could have altered the outcome. It is crucial for our legal system to establish better processes to protect vulnerable adults and to enhance the legal framework for services that can facilitate quicker responses to those in need. 

This situation emphasized the importance of self-care and the prevention of burnout among social workers. The supervisor of the SAFA coordinator promptly initiated a group supervision session with other practitioners to reflect on the incident and identify potential improvements in approach. During the supervision, the team of social workers demonstrated empathy, offered constructive feedback, and collaboratively developed strategies to address the challenges. Despite some initial tension, the supervisor's ability to realign the conversation was inspiring to observe. This process highlighted the critical role of ongoing supervision in supporting social workers and ensuring effective responses to difficult situations.

Comments

  1. Elias Martis1 December 2024 at 03:05

    Good journal entry. The refection, however, could have been more focused on the kaupapa specified for weeks 7-9: roles of professional social workers. Further the issue of 'Self Care' is an important practice issue which you should have been discussed in weeks 4-6.

    ReplyDelete

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