Lewisham & Greenwich Appropriate Adult Service for Vulnerable Adults (AASVA)

Community Services Directorate

Lewisham & Greenwich Appropriate Adult Service for Vulnerable Adults The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) outlines the statutory requirement of the police to ensure an appropriate adult is present whenever a vulnerable adult is detained by the police. The role of an Appropriate Adult is: • To support, advise and assist the detained person, when they are being asked to provide information or participate in any procedure • To observe whether the police are acting properly and fairly, and to inform a senior officer if they consider that they are not • To assist with the detained person to communication with the police, whilst respecting their right to say nothing unless they want to • To help the detained person understands their rights and ensure those rights are protected and upheld

The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 s.38(4)(a) places a statutory requirement on local authorities to provide an appropriate adult service to all young people who are arrested, held and questioned at police stations within their borough. There is no statutory requirement for adults, however related legislation includes: • UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People • Human Rights Act 1998 • Equality Act 2010 • Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Code of Practice