The Adult Support And Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 part 1: guidance for adult protection committees

Main provisions of the Act

4. Part 1 of the Act introduces new measures to identify and protect adults at risk of harm which include:

• placing a duty on Councils to make inquiries and investigations to establish whether or not action is required to stop or prevent harm occurring;
• a requirement for specified public bodies to co-operate with local councils and each other in investigating suspected or actual harm;
• the introduction of a range of protection orders, namely assessment orders, removal orders and banning orders; and
• a legislative framework for the establishment of local multi-agency Adult Protection Committees (APCs) across Scotland.

5. The principles of the Act are set down in sections 1 and 2 of the Act, and require that any interventions under the Act must provide benefit to the adult which could not reasonably be provided without intervention and must be the least restrictive option available which benefit the adult.