What is adult support and protection?

The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act, 2007 gives legal measures to statutory agencies to protect adults at risk from harm or abuse. There is a need to strike a balance between the "need to protect" and the rights of the adult.

Since the implementation of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act, 2007, there have been a number of developments both within the overall context of Adult Support and Protection and in day-to-day-practice. For example, there is now a growing appreciation that Adult Support and Protection can have direct relevance to a broader range of people than originally anticipated including some people who have addiction problems or who are homeless. It can also potentially apply to people who may be being placed at risk and having their human rights infringed through inappropriate arrangements for their care.

As a result of these developments, the Code of Practice is currently being revised, which will undoubtedly have implications for future practice.

There are many other pieces of relevant legislation designed to support and protect adults. Two of the most significant pieces are the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 and the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.