This is the report on the consultation on the review of No Secrets. The consultation included 12,000 participants.

The aims of the consultation
The Government Consultation on ‘Safeguarding Adults’ closed on January 31st  2009. It was led by four government Ministers – Phil Hope from the Department of Health, Maria Eagle from the Ministry of Justice, Vera Baird – the Solicitor General, and Vernon Coaker from the Home Office. The aim of the consultation was to listen to, and to learn about, views and experiences of adult safeguarding. The main question posed by the consultation was whether and how the No secrets guidance needed to change to enable society to keep adults safe from abuse or harm. This included whether new legislation was necessary.

The existing Government policy, as set out in No secrets, asked the question “Which adults are vulnerable?” and stated:

“In this guidance ‘adult’ means a person aged 18 years or over. The broad definition of a ‘vulnerable adult’ referred to in the 1997 Consultation Paper ‘Who decides?’, issued by the Lord Chancellor’s Department, is a person: who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation”.