HoardingUK Confidentiality

HoardingUK understands that confidentiality is a key element in relation to providing support and looking for solutions.  As a result of the Care Act 2014 self-neglect joined the list of issues in which good practice guidance suggests raising a safe-guarding alert.

HoardingUK will work with people who do not wish to have a safeguarding alert raised (people who have capacity can opt out). This means that we will not automatically raise a safeguarding alert, unless the person wants this or consents to it.  Child protection issues would need to be raised.  This does not mean that every person who is dealing with hoarding issues and has children will be referred into a safeguarding process.

HoardingUK is committed to working with people and professionals to reduce risk.  This is a core value.  HoardingUK also understands that hoarding at certain levels creates risk and that appropriate interventions need to include assessment of the impact on the person who hoards.  HoardingUK has many different models of interventions which can result in both risk and client wellbeing having proportionate consideration.

We will disclose information only with consent (you have to tell us its okay to tell someone).  There are different ways in which can obtain this consent including verbally and in writing.  There are some legally mandated exceptions.

There is a statutory obligation to disclose information to relevant authorities in cases of people discussing:

STATUTORY DUTY

Risk of harm to self or others (This does not mean a person cannot discuss feeling suicidal or talk about being angry enough to do harm.  It means if it was thought that the person was going to actually harm themselves and/or others)
Drug trafficking
People trafficking
Money laundering
Child Abuse
Prevention and detection of serious crime (this is not clearly detailed)
Upon instruction from the court

Safeguarding is a process in which prevention from abuse is the focus

SAFEGUARDING

  • Physical abuse
  • Domestic violence or abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Psychological or emotional abuse
  • Financial or material abuse
  • Modern slavery
  • Discriminatory abuse
  • Organisational or institutional abuse
  • Neglect or acts of omission
  • Self-neglect

To date HoardingUK has not raised safeguarding or made statutory disclosure without consent.