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Adult Support and Protection Committee

What does Fife Adult Support and Protection Committee do?

The Adult Support and Protection Committee (ASPC) is a statutory body established under Section 42 of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 (the 2007 Act) within each Council area.

The committee is chaired by an independent convenor who is neither a member nor an employee of the Council. Fife Adult Support & Protection Committee Biennial Report 2020-22 and Easy Read Version give details of the Committee’s work during those two years.

ASPC Committee minutes are available to download from this page's 'Publications' section.

The ASPC’s Key Functions

  • to keep under review the procedures and practices of the public bodies;
  • to give information or advice to any public body in relation to the safeguarding of adults at risk within a council area, and
  • to make, or assist in the making of, arrangements for improving the skills and knowledge of employees of the public bodies.

In performing these functions, ASPCs must regard the promotion and support of co-operation between each public body. The public bodies involved are the relevant council, the Care Commission, the relevant Health Board, Police Scotland, and any other public body as may be specified by Scottish Ministers. The Mental Welfare Commission and Office of the Public Guardian also have the right to attend and must be informed of Adult Support and Protection Committee Meetings.

Fife Adult Support and Protection Committee does not deal with individual complaints about services or professional decisions but may use their findings to inform and enhance practice development. The Act does not require ASPCs to become involved in individual case reviews. ASPCs have a strategic and monitoring function rather than an operational role; therefore, a routine case review is inappropriate. Any complaint about a public body relating to its functions as set out in the Act should be made through the relevant agency’s complaints procedure.

The ASPC Strategic Improvement Plan 2023-25 and Easy Read version details their commitment to protecting adults aged 16 years and over from harm and to provide better outcomes for adults at risk of harm and their families. It's recognised that this document will be further informed and influenced by other activities such as audits and significant case review findings, national priorities, and feedback from adults and families. The plan will form the core business of the Fife Adult Support and Protection Committee and working groups.

The ASPC Service User Engagement Strategy 19-21 and Easy Read version has two main aims:

  1. To get organisations to ask service users what they think of the adult support and protection process. They should record what people think and use it to make things better.
  2. For adults at risk of harm to work with the Committee on their improvement plan to make services better.  Fife Adult Support and Protection Committee (ASPC) want to make sure adults at risk of harm have a positive experience throughout the support and protection services they receive.

Who is on the Committee?

Membership

Core membership is determined by the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007. Section 38 of the Act allows discretion to appoint other representatives who can bring particular expertise to the Committee. In Fife membership therefore includes:

  • Independent Convenor/Chair
  • Health and Social Care including social work services
  • NHS Fife
  • Police Scotland
  • Housing
  • Trading Standards
  • Education & Children’s services
  • Communities and Neighbourhoods
  • GP representative
  • Service User representative
  • Private sector care provider representation
  • Not for profit care provider representation
  • Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Other affiliated members include:

  • Care Inspectorate
  • Mental Welfare Commission
  • Public Guardian
  • Healthcare Improvement Scotland
  • Fife Alcohol and Drug Partnership
  • Fife Suicide Prevention Partnership
  • Fife Violence Against Women Partnership

The Adult Support and Protection Coordinator and support team are not members of the Committee but are in attendance to provide support and assistance. The Coordinator has a key role in retaining an overview of all work being undertaken, working closely with the Chair.

What do Committee members do?

The Easy Read guide Being a member of the ASPC explains this.

Significant Case Reviews

Fife Adult Support & Protection Committee (ASPC) is committed to corporate learning through a variety of means.

A key aspect of corporate learning is the undertaking of Significant Case Reviews (SCR).  An SCR is an inter-agency process for establishing the facts of a situation where a service user has died or has been significantly harmed, within an adult protection context, in order to learn lessons. SCRs are seen in the context of a culture of continuous improvement and focus on learning and reflection around day-to-day practices, and the systems within which practice operates.   Please note that SCRs are only available on this page for one year after publication. If you would like to receive copies of archived published SCR summary reports please send your request to aspc.admin@fife.gov.uk

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Related Publications

Last updated: 07 Nov 2023