Purpose This narrative review aims to examine security education as a preventive safeguarding intervention for older persons in Nigeria. Drawing on social learning theory (SLT) and adult education principles, it argues that community-based protective learning can reduce harm, build protective agency and complement formal adult protection systems in resource-constrained contexts. Design/methodology/approach A narrative review was conducted, with literature from Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar, supplemented by grey literature from international development organisations. Sources addressed older persons’ security vulnerabilities, adult learning as a protective mechanism or safeguarding policy. SLT, extended by adult education principles, provides the analytical structure. Findings Three themes emerge. Firstly, older persons in Nigeria face structural risks that are rooted in institutional neglect and exclusion from protective decision-making, conditions that reactive safeguarding cannot address alone. Secondly, SLT provides a sound framework for preventive education, with its emphasis on observational learning, self-efficacy and social reinforcement, which fits Nigerian community contexts. Thirdly, security education generates protective outcomes across economic, social and civic domains, complementing formal protection systems and reducing exposure to financial exploitation, physical abuse, cybercrime, social isolation and climate risk through early prevention. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study offers one of the first conceptual examinations of security education as a preventive safeguarding strategy for older persons in Nigeria. It advances programme design principles, proposes integrating protective learning into policy and contributes to adult protection scholarship by establishing education-based prevention as a necessary complement to formal systems in resource-constrained contexts.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a record of the development of adult safeguarding law and policy in Wales. Design/methodology/approach An interview took place between the authors of this paper to explore relevant issues in adult safeguarding and the second author’s contribution(s) to the field. Findings This interview describes the development of safeguarding law and policy within Wales. It considers the dilemmas that practitioners face when balancing respect for a person’s autonomy against suspicions of coercion. It also considers the use of the Human Rights Act 1998 and inherent jurisdiction as well as the need for future legal reform and safeguarding research in Wales. Originality/value This interview is part of an interview series on the history of adult safeguarding.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to produce an extensive review of safeguarding adult reviews (SARs) pertaining to individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) since 2014. This review examines the lessons learned and recommendations arising from these reviews as they relate to health and social care practice in England. Design/methodology/approach The review presented and discussed findings across multiple reviews and then applied narrative analysis to synthesise the findings and recommendations from the SARs reviews. Findings The authors identified 22 SARs relating to people with ABI that matched the inclusion criteria. Four main themes were identified: (1) ABI-responsive safeguarding policies and legal frameworks, (2) training and awareness of ABI, (3) integrated multi-agency pathways for complex ABI care and discharge and (4) organisational contexts shaping ABI support that led to poor safeguarding practices. Research limitations/implications The review highlights significant gaps in health and social care practice, education and training in England in relation to ABI. Practical implications The paper offers recommendations for current health and social care practice and emphasises the need for substantial improvements in both pre-qualification and post-qualification training and supervision of practitioners. Originality/value This paper builds on a previous review of SARs pertaining to adults with ABI, but it has provided a systematic approach to extend the previous review.
Purpose Domestic abuse continues to present a public health risk in England and Wales, resulting in one woman killed every five days, and costing health, social care and criminal justice systems. This study aims to present findings from a review of 58 Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs). Design/methodology/approach The review analysed 58 DHRs in detail in which the victim had died by suicide. The review identified patterns or commonalities between the victims and alleged perpetrators. Findings The review found that most victims had experienced psychological or emotional abuse, and/or coercive and controlling behaviour. In total, 89.7% had experienced physical abuse and 36.2% had experienced non-fatal strangulation. More than half of victims had voiced suicidal ideation to a professional prior to their deaths and 94.8% of victims had told at least one professional that they were being abused. Almost half of victims had left the relationship in the 6 months prior to their death. Originality/value This review contributes to the growing knowledge base around domestic abuse related suicide. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this review is the first to use suicide-related DHRs to analyse similarities between victims.
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to synthesize existing evidence through a bibliometric and systematic literature review (B+SLR) on the use of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), virtual reality (VR), and Indonesian Sign Language (Bisindo) in psychological interventions, in order to establish a rationale for an integrated, adaptive, and trauma-informed digital therapy model for Deaf women survivors of sexual violence. Design/methodology/approachAdhering to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) 2020 guidelines, the authors systematically searched the Scopus database for English-language articles published between January 1, 2015, and July 31, 2025, and assessed methodological quality using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklists. FindingsData from the 17 included studies were analyzed via thematic synthesis and supplemented by bibliometric analysis. The synthesis confirms that while REBT is effective for cognitive restructuring in trauma, and VR provides a safe, immersive therapeutic environment, both approaches lack adaptation for deaf individuals. Originality/valueNotably, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no studies were found that explicitly integrate all three components. This review highlights a significant gap in the literature and provides the evidence-based foundation for the proposed REBT BiVR model, a novel intervention framework designed to bridge this communicative and technological divide.
PurposeThis study aims to systematically review the literature on elder financial abuse and exploitation, with a specific focus on identifying key vulnerabilities and protective factors. It consolidates fragmented evidence to inform policy, safeguarding practices and future research. Design/methodology/approachA structured title-based search was conducted in Web of Science using population-related terms (e.g. elder, older adult, vulnerable adult) combined with financial abuse terms (e.g. financial exploitation, economic abuse, financial harm). The query retrieved 186 records, of which 93 peer-reviewed papers met the eligibility criteria. Data extraction covered theoretical approaches, contexts, methodologies and documented vulnerabilities and protective mechanisms. FindingsResearch has expanded substantially since 2010, with the USA, Israel and the UK contributing most studies. Frequently reported vulnerabilities include cognitive decline, limited financial and digital literacy, social isolation, minority status and complex family dynamics. Protective factors, less commonly examined, encompass financial education, community engagement, social support, policy reforms and multidisciplinary safeguarding frameworks. Significant geographic gaps exist in Latin America, Africa and parts of Asia, limiting the global applicability of current evidence. Originality/valueTo the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first systematic review to integrate vulnerabilities and protective factors in elder financial abuse and exploitation through a cross-disciplinary perspective. It reveals a marked imbalance between risk documentation and prevention research, underscoring the need for culturally sensitive, evidence-based interventions and proactive safeguarding strategies.
Purpose Elder abuse is a growing and significant issue that often remains hidden and under-addressed. The purpose of this study is to deepen and expand the knowledge of this issue. This study provides population-based estimates of elder abuse in Czechia and examines its risk structure using nationally representative survey data.Design/methodology/approach This study analyses data from the 2022 RESTABUS survey of 2,687 respondents aged 65+, combining prevalence estimates with multivariable logistic regression modeling.Findings The findings indicate that poor self-rated health, functional limitations, low household economic status and cumulative lifetime adversity are strongly associated with abuse risk. Living alone or only with a partner is associated with lower abuse probabilities than other forms of arrangements. The findings reveal, for the first time, the true magnitude of elder abuse in the Czech Republic. The results highlight elder abuse as a pervasive but under-recognized challenge for social and health policy in Czechia.Originality/value The value of this study is threefold. First, this study establishes credible prevalence estimates and risk factor profiles of elder abuse in Czechia. Second, this study broadened the scope of what counts as elder abuse - capturing subtle forms of psychological harm and rights violations. Third, this study makes the results comparable to studies from Western Europe, North America and beyond.
PurposeDomestic violence remains a pervasive public health and human rights concern in Albania, where gendered power relations, economic dependence and community norms shape both the experience of abuse and pathways to safety. This study aims to explore how tradition and social stigma influence women survivors' lived experiences of domestic violence in Shkodra, Northern Albania.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study recruited ten adult women survivors through community and support services. Participants completed in-depth, semi-structured interviews in Albanian. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis within an interpretivist, feminist-phenomenological framework to capture meaning-making, embodied distress and socio-cultural constraint.FindingsFive themes were generated: a moral economy of "family honour" that normalised control and endurance; stigma, victim-blaming and strategic silence; embodied fear and trauma-related distress; turning points and the gradual construction of agency; and an ambivalent institutional role, where protection mechanisms coexisted with delays, distrust and re-stigmatisation. Stigma functioned not only as a social reaction after disclosure but as an internalised constraint that delayed help-seeking and intensified psychological suffering.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample was small, service-linked and drawn from one northern city, limiting transferability to other regions and to survivors not connected to services. Future research should expand regional coverage, include non-service-engaged survivors and examine the effects of stigma-focused and economic-support interventions on disclosure, safety and wellbeing.Practical implicationsFindings underscore the need for culturally responsive, trauma-informed services that explicitly address honour-based pressure, stigma, safety planning and economic dependence. Strengthening inter-agency coordination and reducing victim-blaming in frontline responses may support earlier disclosure and more consistent protection.Originality/valueThis study provides rare qualitative evidence from Shkodra and clarifies how tradition and stigma operate as both social regulation and internal psychological constraint, shaping silence, agency and women's encounters with protective institutions.
PurposeThe Mental Capacity Act (2005; MCA) entered into force in 2007, some 18 years ago. Since its implementation, several authors have identified gaps in knowledge and confidence in different professional groups. There has, however, been very little research considering this question in relation to Clinical Psychologists, and many wider surveys are now dated. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and confidence in working with the MCA in a group of practicing Clinical Psychologists.Design/methodology/approachA bespoke survey assessed knowledge and confidence in key domains of the MCA specific to the role of a Clinical Psychologist, including a scenario-based vignette and qualitative responses to address additional training needs. A total of 58 Health and Care Professions Council-registered Clinical Psychologists responded to the survey.FindingsIn the scenario, Clinical Psychologists demonstrated good knowledge of applying principles of the MCA to a psychology-specific scenario. However, confidence seemed lower, and not all psychologists considered the MCA as very important to their work.Research limitations/implicationsResearch limitations include using a bespoke survey and likely self-selection bias which may mean knowledge and confidence is over-represented. A number of different areas for potential training were identified by the participants.Originality/valueWhilst various studies (Marshall and Sprung, 2016; Scott et al., 2020) have explored the knowledge and confidence of the MCA in different professional groups, there has been limited reported data on the knowledge and confidence of a psychological workforce.
PurposeThis study aims to examine the cybercrime awareness among older victims of cyber fraud, emphasising the paradox of high awareness coexisting with vulnerability.Design/methodology/approachThe data used for this study are based on the experience of 98 older individuals who were victims of cyber fraud. The data were collected with the help of a structured interview schedule and a Cybercrime Awareness Scale, using a purposive sampling method.FindingsThis study revealed a paradoxical relationship between awareness and victimisation. Cybercrime awareness among older victims is widespread yet unevenly distributed across socio-demographic profiles. The strongest predictors of awareness are education, nativity and religion, but none of these factors provides guaranteed protection against cyber fraud victimisation.Practical implicationsThe study's findings suggest that we need programs focused on behaviour that move beyond not just sharing information, instead offering training that builds emotional and cognitive resilience among older adults.Originality/valueThis research provides new insights that the persistence of victimisation among highly aware individuals demonstrates that cybersecurity is not just a technical issue but also a matter of how we think (cognition) and behave (behaviour) online.
Purpose This study aims to investigate the relationship between loneliness and mental well-being in unmarried older adults, emphasizing the moderating role of locus of control. The objective was to ascertain whether internal, external and powerful others’ control orientations mitigate or exacerbate the psychological impacts of loneliness, with the intention of informing culturally sensitive safeguarding strategies and promoting psychosocial interventions that bolster resilience, autonomy and emotional security in at-risk older populations. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional correlational design was used to analyze the study variables among 200 purposively selected unmarried older adults aged 60 and up from various places across Pakistan. Standardized tools were used, such as the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale and the Levenson Multidimensional Locus of Control Scale. Data collection followed ethical guidelines, assuring informed consent and anonymity. SPSS version 26 was used for statistical analyses, which included descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation and hierarchical multiple regression. Findings Results indicated a significant negative relationship between loneliness and mental well-being. Internal locus of control moderated this relationship by buffering the adverse effects of loneliness, whereas external locus of control intensified them. The “powerful others” dimension exhibited a mild positive moderating influence, suggesting that reliance on supportive figures can offer partial protection. Gender and family structure differences revealed that women and individuals in nuclear families reported higher loneliness and lower well-being. Originality/value This study presents original data from a collectivist setting, framing locus of control as a protective psychological mechanism that informs culturally relevant safeguarding treatments to improve resilience and mental well-being in later life.
PurposeThis study aims to address a pressing and underexplored issue in financial markets: the susceptibility of older adults to digital investment fraud. While existing research has primarily emphasized technological safeguards, this study highlights the critical psychological and behavioural dimensions of vulnerability. A comprehensive conceptual model is proposed to capture the multifaceted nature of fraud risk in older populations. Additionally, a measurement instrument is developed based on established scales and validated by experts to ensure both methodological rigour and contextual relevance.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on fraud triangle theory and protection motivation theory, this study integrates theoretical perspectives to conceptualize fraud vulnerability in the digital investment context. An instrument was designed through the adoption and adaptation of validated scales from existing literature. Content validity was evaluated by five experts using both quantitative indices (I-CVI, S-CVI/UA, S-CVI/Ave) and qualitative assessments to refine and strengthen the measurement items.FindingsThe results demonstrate strong content validity at both item and scale levels. Expert feedback led to refinements that enhanced item clarity, specificity and contextual appropriateness, confirming the robustness of the developed instrument.Originality/valueThis study advances the understanding of digital investment fraud by integrating psychological and behavioural constructs within a unified theoretical framework. It contributes a validated measurement instrument and a theoretically grounded model, providing a foundation for future empirical investigations and practical interventions to reduce fraud risks among older adults.
PurposeThis study aims to explore the views of professionals about specialist services supporting older people in England and Wales who have experienced current sexual violence and answer the following questions: Research questions: What are the barriers to accessing support for older victim survivors? Is there any best practice that can be identified? Specialist Services refers to Sexual Assault Referral Centres and support services such as Rape Crisis.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology used in this research involved semi-structured interviews with four professionals working in roles where they have provided direct support to older survivors of sexual violence and abuse and one academic conducting research around survivors of abuse. Data collection was qualitative and identified barriers to disclosure, seeking and accessing support for older victim survivors, along with some examples of best practice.FindingsThe findings are grouped into nine themes spanning barriers to initial disclosure through to barriers encountered in the criminal justice system for older survivors. Examples of best practice are also presented, detailing opportunities to improve support for older survivors. The research found that, whilst there are some unique barriers that older victim survivors of sexual violence and abuse experience, some of these barriers could be overcome by replicating the good practice identified and by professionals working closely with specialist sexual violence support agencies.Research limitations/implicationsThis research was conducted with five professionals so is limited in scale. It also only covers practitioners working in England and Wales. Despite these limitations, some common themes emerged that identify barriers to seeking and accessing support for older survivors of sexual violence as well as some good practice examples. These findings could be used to improve policy and practice to support older survivors.Practical implicationsThe findings of this research could directly improve practice across a range of services including adult social care, adult safeguarding and specialist sexual violence support services with potential implications for improvements to national practice in agencies such as the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.Social implicationsRemoving barriers to reporting and seeking support, along with replicating examples of good practice in service provision, could lead to more older victims of sexual violence feeling able to disclose and begin a journey to recovery.Originality/valueThis research offers current perspectives from front line professionals working with older survivors of sexual violence alongside real life examples of good practice that can be used to form new perspectives for professionals working with older people. The identification of themes relating to barriers to seeking and accessing support reflect the current situation within a range of agencies and the impact this directly has on victims' recovery.
PurposeThe purpose of the study, which is an extension of the corresponding author's PHD work, is to assess the nature, scope and extent of elder abuse in India's urban settings. It tries to explore the reasons as to why elder abuse is increasing and tends to suggest how a futuristic law may help in resolving the issue.Design/methodology/approachThe design of the study is qualitative and uses both doctrinal and empirical approaches to reach summarized findings. The apriori theoretical generalizations of the paper are augmented by means of empirical data collected through cross-sectional field surveys conducted in old-age homes across a few select cities of India. A total of 86 respondents (51 women and 35 men) participated in the surveys.FindingsOut of the 86 older adults, 28 respondents had reported abuse for a prevalence of 32.6%. The prevalence of abuse was 19.6% in female respondents and 51.4% in male respondents. Sons followed by daughters were the main abusers.Research limitations/implicationsThe empirical part of the study examines elder abuse with reference to the urban settings and does not advert to the rural settings. Another limitation (in reference to the empirical part) is that the size of the sample (86 older adults) is relatively small to reach broad generalizations regarding the prevalence of elder abuse. Yet another limitation is the skewed gender ratio of the survey respondents.Originality/valueThis study bears contemporary policy and legal relevance because India is contemplating amending the provisions of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 to bestow liability on the perpetrators of elder abuse.
PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the causal impact of education on informal caregiving for retirees in Europe, with a particular emphasis on safeguarding implications and protection of older adults and caregivers. It explores how education influences caregiving responsibilities across gender and cultural contexts and its role in shaping policy responses to support vulnerable populations.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) across seven countries from 2004 to 2019, this study uses probit and instrumental variable techniques to address endogeneity and estimate the causal effects of education on caregiving.FindingsHigher educational attainment significantly reduces the likelihood of providing informal caregiving, particularly among women and in individualistic societies. These findings highlight education as a protective factor that can mitigate caregiving burdens and enhance access to formal care services.Originality/valueThis study contributes to adult protection literature by demonstrating how education can serve as a safeguard against caregiving stress and vulnerability. It underscores the importance of integrating educational policy into broader frameworks for protecting older adults and supporting informal caregivers.
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the language being used by leaders in a charity offering residential care to adults in relation to safeguarding and, therefore, improve leadership practice.Design/methodology/approachAction learning sets (ALSs) were used to explore the use of language and its relationship to practice. In addition, interviews were held with the presenters of each case and surveys were completed at the mid-point and end of the ALS series. The researcher used the Multiple Lens View Model (Shippen and Trussler, 2024) to encourage leaders to examine the perspectives they took when discussing safeguarding issues.FindingsLanguage used to evaluate safeguarding incidents, particularly the terms care, capacity and consequences exposed contrary understanding and application of policy, potentially increasing risk.Research limitations/implicationsIt is valuable for leadership teams to examine how they are operationalising the legislation, policy and procedures of their organisations using ALSs. This helped the organisation examine its practice and implement more ALSs in reviewing safeguarding issues as they emerge.Originality/valueStudies have examined practice in relation to legislation; however, to the author's knowledge, not in terms of the language used in care, capacity and consequences and how the use of ALSs can examine the operation of safeguarding adults.
PurposeThis study aims to explore the concrete experiences of elder abuse and perceived insecurity and to elicit older adults' own preventive proposals in light of the persistent vulnerabilities of ageing populations and the urgent need for comprehensive, evidence-based strategies that enhance safety and contribute to the goal of achieving truly age-friendly cities.Design/methodology/approachConvergent parallel mixed-methods study with a convenience sample of 69 community-dwelling adults aged = 60 years. Semi-structured interviews combined the elder abuse suspicion index (EASI) with ad hoc insecurity scales; quantitative and qualitative data were integrated using SPSS and ATLAS.ti.FindingsTen percent of participants reported personal humiliation or threats in the previous year and 19% knew of recent abuse cases - mostly physical and psychological. Women experienced a significantly higher daily impact of insecurity, especially fear of robbery and online fraud. Proposed solutions centred on stronger police presence, age-friendly urban design and community awareness campaigns and reinforced social support networks.Research limitations/implicationsThe small, non-probabilistic sample limits generalisability. Future research should test the proposed measures in larger and more diverse cohorts.Practical implicationsResults offer local authorities low-cost, community-driven interventions to curb elder abuse and fear of crime.Social implicationsIntegrating older adults' perspectives can foster safer, more inclusive environments as well as enhance well-being in ageing societies.Originality/valueThis study foregrounds older adults as co-designers of safety policies, combining prevalence estimates with participant-generated strategies for prevention.
PurposeResident-to-resident aggression (RRA) is defined as "negative and aggressive physical, sexual or verbal interactions between long-term care residents that in a community setting would likely be construed as unwelcome and have high potential to cause physical or psychological distress in the recipient" (Rosen et al., 2008). Although a commonly occurring phenomena, there is limited research on RRA particularly in residential services for people with disabilities (RCF-D), knowledge which would inform targeted safeguarding action. This study aims to identify the major forms of RRA that are found in RCF-D.Design/methodology/approachAnalysis was performed on notifications of allegations of abuse submitted to the Regulator of social services in Ireland, from RCF-D. The authors extracted one year of notifications of abuse made by RCF-D (n = 696) from a large, national database of all notifications made in Ireland. The authors used a hybrid inductive-abductive approach and performed thematic content analysis using an existing framework by Pillemer et al. (2012), originally designed to characterise RRA in nursing homes.FindingsAnalysis of the notification events identified 17 forms of RRA. The most prevalent forms of RRA were physical bodily aggression (31.6%), general verbal abuse (21.0%) and angry attempts at social control (10.9%). In total, 35.6% of events involved two or more forms of RRA. The findings were used to develop an adapted framework for categorising forms of RRA in RCF-D.Research limitations/implicationsThis study offers a novel insight into RRA events occurring in RCF-D, encompassing a wide range of behaviours, with physical bodily aggression being the most prevalent.Practical implicationsThe adapted framework will inform practice and training programmes; it will also support data collection and future research.Originality/valueThis study found that RRA events in RCF-Ds in Ireland encompass a wide range of behaviours, the majority of which did not match any of the categories already defined in a framework for nursing homes. This study produced an adapted framework for RCF-Ds to categorise and measure the frequency of RRA. Use of this adapted framework will support practice development and research in this understudied area, and will inform safeguarding policy and practice within services.
Purpose This interview provides insight into the conception and implementation of Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP) and how it has shaped adult safeguarding practice in England. Design/methodology/approach An interview took place between the authors of this paper to explore relevant issues in adult safeguarding and the second author’s contribution(s) to the field. Findings Dr Cooper highlights how the MSP programme of work was a partnership endeavour that aimed to improve adult safeguarding practice through culture change. From its conception in 2008, MSP aimed to move adult protection away from what was viewed as overly protective and sometimes disempowering practices to reflect the principles of the personalisation and rights agendas by reaching beyond simply keeping people safe, to supporting people to improve their wellbeing. Dr Cooper shares how something that started as “the right thing to do” gained momentum and was eventually codified into statutory guidance under the Care Act 2014. Originality/value This is an original interview facilitated by Dr Rebecca Burden, as commissioned by Dr Jeremy Dixon (Series Editor).
