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Many factors have been identified as being responsible for increasing the vulnerability of people with learning difficulties to sexual abuse. However, there has not been a great deal of debate about the term ‘vulnerability’. Here, an argument is developed that puts forward the case for a social model approach to understanding vulnerability, which avoids a focus on victim characteristics.

This article reports the findings of a national survey of the consultation of people with learning difficulties by social services departments in the development of adult protection procedures and guidelines. The survey also considered the consultation of other service users, carers and family, and staff. Despite the rhetoric of user involvement in adult protection literature, low levels of consultation for people with learning difficulties were found.

This article explores the law relating to the sexual abuse of people with learning difficulties and proposes a number of key changes that need to take place in order to offer people with learning difficulties greater protection from abuse.

The purpose of this paper is to compare recent developments in adult protection legislation, policy and practice in Scotland in 2015 with the first attempts at protection of adults at risk of harm, in 1857-1862, with a particular focus on people with learning disabilities.

The paper uses comparative historical research, drawing on primary archive material from 1857 to 1862 in the form of Annual Reports of the General Board of Commissioners in Lunacy for Scotland and associated papers.

Growing public awareness of the extent of neglect and abuse, and the need for overarching legislation were common factors in the development of both the “The Lunacy Act” of 1857 and the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act of 2007. Both pieces of legislation also had the common aim of “asylum”, and shared some other objectives.

Total prevention of abuse of vulnerable adults is an aspiration in law and in policy. There is an evidence base of effectiveness, however, in protecting adults at risk of harm from abuse. Some ecological factors recur as challenges to effective safeguarding activity. These include problems of definition, uncovering abuse, enforcing legislation, evaluating impact and protection of people who are not a risk of harm to others.

This paper compares common themes and common challenges in two separate time periods to investigate what can be learned about the development of legislation and practice in adult protection.

This case study is based on an MBA team's experience in analyzing a scrap metal recycling business and developing recommendations to improve the performance of the business. The company, Steel City Salvage, has three locations which are managed as separate business entities. The case focuses on the business repercussions of the poor integration across the three locations, and the team's choice of options to improve the integration. These options include changes in organizational structure, processes or culture/leadership style. The case allows students to see how their own experience and education may bias their selection of a preferred option.