Donegal Disability Services host Safeguarding Awareness Event

Following on from the success of previous Safeguarding Awareness Events, Donegal Disability Services held its third Safeguarding Awareness Event in the Raddison Blu Hotel in Letterkenny recently, to mark national Adult Safeguarding Day. The theme for this year’s National Safeguarding Day was ‘My Voice is My Right’. Since the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act came into effect in 2023, all people now have legal protections to ensure their wishes about money, health, and welfare are respected. Health services, banks, utilities, government services, professionals and family and friends must take steps to hear and support each person’s decision.

An initiative of Safeguarding Ireland, supported by the HSE, the aims of the national Adult Safeguarding Day are to raise a greater understanding of adult abuse and safeguarding and to empower people to protect themselves. These aims were reflected at the Donegal Disability Services event and provided adults with an intellectual disability and their families the opportunity to get advice and to speak with or be signposted to other relevant services and stakeholders. The event also demonstrates the HSE Disability Services commitment in relation to its self-advocacy strategy and action plan and its work in this area in partnership with Inclusion Ireland.

The event was an interagency initiative organised by Donegal Disability Services and attended by staff from HSE Disability Services, the Adult Safeguarding and Protection Team, An Garda Síochana, Cara House, Donegal Domestic Violence Service, SAGE, PTSB, Special Olympics, Citizens Advice and the Credit Union.

Edel Quinn, Head of Disability Services for Cavan Donegal Leitrim Monaghan and Sligo said, “Safeguarding is a fundamental aspect of upholding the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of every individual. It involves the implementation of measures that protect individuals from harm, promote their health and empower them to self-advocate and take an active role in their own protection. For adults who may experience additional vulnerabilities, safeguarding requires a coordinated and collaborative approach, where individuals, families, professionals, services and agencies work together to prevent, identify, and respond effectively to abuse, neglect, or coercive control. This interagency safeguarding event shows the strong collaboration between individuals, their families and the professionals who support them.”

The HSE Donegal Disability Services Safeguarding Awareness Event was a great success with over 200 people in attendance including adults with disabilities, their families, staff from other services and members of the public attending on the day. The feedback from attendees and services was positive and the event was described by one attendee as an example of the importance of promoting a person’s rights.

Donegal Disability Services would like to thank anyone who attended the event for their support and to thank them for their commitment to promoting the appropriate safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults.

Anyone with concerns regarding adult abuse and who wants further information on safeguarding can visit the Safeguarding Ireland website on www.safeguardingireland.org