Multi Agency Strategy and Guidance for Self-Neglect and Hoarding

The multi–agency self neglect strategy aims to be part of the growing work around early intervention and preventative agendas. As such it directs collaborative multi-agency discussions of self-neglect and/or hoarding cases to be addressed at the early stages. To encourage a more preventative approach to cases of self-neglect and/or hoarding view the self neglect strategy for more details.

Published alongside the strategy is a Practitioners Guide. This guide is intended as a toolkit to support practitioners from a range of agencies with management of cases where an adult is deemed to be at risk due to self-neglecting and/or hoarding behaviours.

The Practitioners Guide includes:

  • characteristics of self neglect
  • self neglect and hoarding two page guide
  • self neglect legal literacy
  • the Clutter Image Rating Scale (CIRT)
  • guidance for practitioners
  • guidance questions which could be used during an assessment

The 7 minute briefing paper is a resource that managers can share with their staff. Clearly the briefing will not have all the answers, but it is hoped the paper will act as a catalyst to help front line staff and their managers to reflect on practice ans systems. Good practice would be to present this briefing paper at staff meetings to discuss on a regular basis.