Police Scotland Vulnerability and the iVPD 2022 PDF

OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10...

OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) Lesson Aim: The learner will be able to explain the concept of adversity/vulnerability and what this means in relation to the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database Learning Outcomes: Introduction On successful completion of the lesson, 4 out of 5 calls to police involve a vulnerability students will be able to:- related issue. 1. Define Vulnerability and Adversity These incidents form a major part of our role protecting and supporting the communities 2. Identify the Interim Vulnerable Persons we serve, particularly in relation to:- Database (iVPD) and its role in information sharing with partners. 3. Explain the criteria for submitting a report Mental Health concerns using the iVPD system. Wellbeing / Protection concerns 4. List the statutory partners who Police Domestic Abuse Scotland share information with. Missing Persons 5. List the exemptions from seeking an Youth Offending individual’s views. Hate Crimes / Incidents 6. Prepare and Submit an iVPD report. The number of concern reports submitted by Police Scotland officers over the past couple of years are as follows:- 2021 – 215,767 2022 – 220,215 1 th Amended 7 March 2024 v.4 OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) Activity 1 A1 Take a few moments to think of what vulnerability means to you? What words and circumstances come to mind? What is Vulnerability? The definition of vulnerability is:- “A person is vulnerable if, as a result of their situation or circumstance, they are unable to protect themselves from harm” Vulnerability can be described in different ways: Inherent vulnerability has been defined as the degree to which a person is susceptible to harmful wrongdoings; exploitation or threats to their interests or independence. It therefore focuses on the characteristics of the individual. For example:- If one person was having eggs thrown at their house, it might not bother them too much. If this was to happen to a different individual, they may find this really upsetting. This is their inherent vulnerability. 2 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) Situational vulnerability is context specific (whether personal, social, political, economic or environmental). For example:- This can be possibly related to age, mental health, living in a poverty-stricken area etc. However, we must be careful. It is unhelpful to label groups of people as vulnerable solely due to their personal characteristics i.e. they are elderly or infirm or they have a physical or mental condition, or due to their social status i.e. they are members of a particular ethnic group, or economically disadvantaged etc. What is Adversity? Adversity is more centred on something that happens in someone’s life - life events or circumstances that pose a threat to their wellbeing. Adversity is often defined as:- ‘a difficult or unfortunate event or circumstance’. It is likely that most individuals will face adversity at some point in their lives, however, some face adversity more than others. Adversity can occur under various guises:- Physical Adversity - the most obvious example is physical disability. Physical disability can be experienced from birth, can be as a result of a traumatic event such as a road traffic or sporting event or as a result of a chronic or degenerative condition. Challenges such as chronic pain, fatigue, diseases and obesity can all force people to struggle in order to find a sense of normality in their lives. Emotional Adversity - emotional adversity can arise from many sources including negative experiences in childhood, the death of a loved one, being in a coercive/abusive relationship or going through the break- up of a relationship Financial Adversity - this can cover a range of situations including unemployment, low income, financial strain, debt and bankruptcy 3 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) Social Adversity - social adversity can arise from many sources such as social isolation, residential instability, bullying or harassment which can result in loneliness Mental Adversity - mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions. In many cases there appears to be a continuum between mental health and mental illness. Psycho-social adversity causes mental distress and psychiatric disorders. Such trauma can be acute (e.g. bereavement), recurrent (e.g. domestic abuse) or chronic (e.g. poverty). Activity 2 A2 Jess’ Story Jess is a 15-year-old female, who lives in the family home with her unemployed mother, older and younger sister. Her older sister is known in the local area as someone who has access to and is possibly dealing drugs. Concerns have been expressed around Jess’s offending behaviour and her families’ involvement in drug dealing. Jess appears to have access to money, lots of designer clothes and goods despite her age and the employment status of those within the household. Jess imitates her older sister’s behaviour in the community, including manipulating her peers and getting them to act out her demands. During an enquiry Jess’s house was searched and she was found to have a large quantity of money in her bedroom drawer. She refused to say where the money came from. Jess gives the impression that she doesn’t care, she demonstrates little regard for others and is abusive to police at any opportunity. Jess is very loyal to and defensive of her family and understands her way of life as ‘normal’. She sees Police and statutory services as a threat to her family. 4 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) Activity 2 continued A2 Jess’ Story What are your first thoughts and considerations? 5 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) Feedback 2 F2 You may initially think drug related and you could be right, however consider the ‘bigger picture’ and ask yourself what else might be going on. Jess’ case raises wellbeing concerns (SHANARRI) in relation to Safe, Healthy, Nurtured, and Responsible. The environment within the household exposes her to drugs, unknown threats and associates, bullying, intimidation and behaviour that she is replicating in the community. Her possession and attempted concealment of cash may indicate that the circumstances surrounding her situation are more serious and complex. It could be indicative of CSE where she is being paid money for sexual encounters, or as part of ongoing grooming which may in turn be orchestrated and managed by a serious and organised crime group. Both Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and Drugs can be linked to Serious and Organise Crime (SOC) and your concern form should indicate these possible links. Consider in this scenario what your concerns would be for the younger sibling and make sure that these are also recorded. 6 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) Police Responsibilities Why do the Police need to get involved in this? Don’t we just deal with crime? Section 32 of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 states:- The policing principles are:- (a) that the main purpose of policing is to improve the safety and well-being of persons, localities and communities in Scotland, and (b) that the Police Service, working in collaboration with others where appropriate, should seek to achieve that main purpose by policing in a way which:- (i) is accessible to, and engaged with, local communities, and (ii) promotes measures to prevent crime, harm and disorder The main points we need to take from this are that, firstly, it is our duty as police officers to improve the safety and wellbeing of people in Scotland. Secondly, we may work together with other agencies to achieve this, making sure we are including everyone and helping to prevent crime, harm and disorder. This is more than just dealing with crime. This is assisting people in mental health crisis, looking for missing persons, assisting those who require support from other agencies who we may come across in the course of our daily business. What is recorded on this database is unlike anything else you will record elsewhere. There is no use of the words “witness”, “suspect”, “accused” etc and no use of any police speak such as “locus”. The reason for this is that your report may be shared with other agencies such as social work, health or education. They do not need to know the same information that the Procurator Fiscal needs to know. They want to know about your concerns for the individual using normal language and first names. It is so important that you articulate your concern and do not regurgitate an entire crime report or police report. 7 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) Example:- Jess lives with her mum, dad and 2 sisters. Police were in her home address on an unrelated matter which caused Jess’s bedroom to be searched. During this search, a large amount of cash was found in her bedside table which Jess’s mum and dad did not appear to know about. When asked about this, Jess did not disclose exactly where she got the money but did raise concerns with her answers, stating that she was holding it for older males who would ‘reward her for keeping it safe’. She would not say anything further. What is the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database? The iVPD (Interim Vulnerable Persons Database) system is used to record incidents in relation to those in our communities experiencing some form of adversity and/or vulnerability - it can create a Concern Report which can be shared outside PSoS. A Concern Report is a PDF document produced on the iVPD system which is sent by secure email to partner agencies. This job is carried out by the Concern Hub which is department based in the Public Protection Unit in every division. Recap A recap of the following lesson notes will help you understand this lesson:- Hate Crime - Unit 6, Lesson 2 Missing Persons - Unit 6, Lesson 3 Mental Health - Unit 6, Lesson 4 Child Protection and GIRFEC - Unit 6, Lesson 8.1 Youth Offending and Statutory Grounds for Referral - Unit 6, Lesson 8.2 Adult Protection - Unit 6, Lesson 12 8 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) Vulnerability / Adversity & the iVPD When we speak about Vulnerability and Adversity in relation to the iVPD, we are referring to:- Adult concerns including Adult Protection (AC) Child concerns including Child Protection (CC) Domestic Abuse (DA) Youth Offending (YO) Hate Concerns (HC) You will often hear these areas of adversity and/or vulnerability referred to as ‘public protection’. They can be linked, and where someone is a victim or the subject of concern may and be experiencing adversity or vulnerability in one area, it can impact or involve them in one or more of the other areas. When do I Submit a Concern Report? You should not be submitting an entry onto the database unless:- There is a genuine concern for an individual or A force policy dictates you must These are the only 2 occasions where a Concern Report would be submitted. If the incident does not fit these criteria, just record this on the Command and Control system with your reasons why. Genuine concern will come from your (and your tutor’s) professional assessment of the incident. 9 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) Force policies are:- All Domestic Incidents, whether criminal or not All non-crime hate incidents All Youth Offending Concerns where there is sufficient evidence to charge All Sexual Crime - in order to comply with stats recording around the Victims and Witnesses Act (following liaison with PPU) All instances where extremism or radicalisation is suspected (PREVENT strategy) Missing Persons:- Children - on every occasion when they go missing Adults - only when there is genuine concern upon going missing or when they return 10 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) What Happens to my Concern Report? Identify Submission Required Attend Incident - Genuine Concern - Force Policy Share with Statutory Note Details Agencies and Third Make sure you note Sector everything you need Organisations to complete the Concern Report Submit Concern Triaged, Researched Report and Assessed Include all nominals of note Forwarded to Supervisor Checks Concern Hub Key Information KI Sharing of information via iVPD is a 2 way process, Police hubs often receive concern reports submitted by Social Work, NHS, Education etc. 11 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) Statutory Agencies Police Scotland share information with 5 other statutory agencies. These are called statutory agencies as they are enshrined in statute law and have a duty within this:- e.g. NHS Scotland - enshrined in the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 and have a duty to provide health services Education - enshrined in the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 and have a duty to provide education The Family NESSS! N - NHS Scotland E - Education S - Social Work (Health and Social Care) S - Scottish Fire and Rescue S - Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration Third Sector Organisations (TSO’s) We also share information with agencies we call Third Sector Organisations (TSO’s) which are generally charities who provide services to victims of crime. These TSO’s differ from area to area so you’ll find out who your local ones are when you get to division. Examples of these are:- Domestic Abuse Advocacy Services such as Assist and Women’s Aid Barnardo’s Armed Services Project 12 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) Recording of Individuals on iVPD In addition to the subject(s) of concern, all relevant nominals must also be recorded - may include victims, perpetrators, children, appropriate adults and interpreters. On attending initial incidents, officers should make every effort to identify and obtain the details of all relevant nominals, including children who are not present at the time (particularly relevant for Domestic Abuse incidents). Individuals have the right to be informed about the collection and use of their personal data and you will be provided with an aide memoire which you are required to read to each individual, thereafter noting their views. The Aide Memoire (082-009B) can be seen in Appendix A. You will be given a copy of this Aide Memoire - keep it safe as you will need it at every incident you attend where you plan on recording details of an individual on iVPD. Seeking Views The views of every subject of concern/victim must be recorded on the iVPD:- Where the subject of concern/victim is aged 12 years and over (includes children with capacity to consent and those associated with domestic abuse), their individual views must be sought and recorded Where the subject of concern/victim is aged under 12 years (including children associated with domestic abuse and those children that don’t have capacity to consent), the views of the parent/guardian/carer must be sought and recorded Unless applying an exemption or you assess asking would not be proportionate or justified, you MUST make every effort to obtain the views of the subjects of concern/victims you intend to record on iVPD If for any reason views have not been sought this must be clearly recorded on the Concern Report If an individual declines to give their views this should also be clearly recorded On receipt of the Concern Report, the Concern Hub will assess suitability for sharing and will consider the views of individuals in doing so 13 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) Exemptions from Seeking Views On all occasions the individual MUST be informed that their information will be recorded and may be shared unless:- where informing an individual would be prejudicial to the prevention or detection of a crime where it is not possible or appropriate to inform the individual due to a serious risk of identifiable harm to that data subject or another individual. Data Standards Remember to record information appropriately, what YOU write down may be shared with partners and the individual may access this information via Subject Access Request Remember this is not a crime recording database Refer to the nominals by name NOT witness/suspect etc. Do not use ‘police speak’ - e.g. locus etc. Do not include extensive details of any crime Remember to highlight what the concern is and your reason(s) for this Professional and Impartial Always pay attention to your use of language and be objective. Be careful and consider how you would feel if the report or information was written about you and shared. Accurate Data Protection demands that anything we record is accurate. This means spelling, dates of birth etc. as well as an accurate reflection of the circumstances. If you express an opinion or view, you must articulate your reasons for this. 14 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) Proportionate, Appropriate and Relevant The information you have recorded must be proportionate, appropriate and relevant to the child or adult for whom you have a concern. You cannot add unnecessary information about other people. Sufficient The information you provide must be sufficient to inform decision making at any stage whether by police or partners, and help determine if any action or support is needed. Search and View The second part of this lesson will teach you how to search and view nominals and incidents on the iVPD. Create and Update The third part of this lesson will teach you how to create a concern report on the iVPD and how to update an existing report. Should you require any assistance with this system, the user manual can be found on the intranet on the iVPD home page. 15 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) Appendix A 16 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) 17 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) For further information, use the resources shown below:- A user’s guide can be found within the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database application on the Intranet Review: You can define Vulnerability and Adversity You can identify the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) and it’s role in information sharing with partners You can explain the criteria for submitting a report using the iVPD system You can list the statutory partners who Police Scotland share information with You can list the exemptions from seeking an individual’s views You can prepare and submit an iVPD report 18 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) Learning Log: How will what you have learned in this module impact your day-to- day role? Are there any skills or knowledge you would like to develop further following this module? End of Module 19 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL  OFFICIAL Unit 6 Lesson 10 Vulnerability and the Interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD) 20 Protection and Wellbeing in our Communities OFFICIAL