The Home Office acting in conjunction with the Department of Health produced "No Secrets". This offered "Guidance on developing and implementing multi-agency policies and procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse". This course uses the suggestions made in "No Secrets" as a foundation for building a more detailed study of this area of Social Care.

It incorporates new Common Law practices and reflects the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act, 1999; "Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings." and "Making Decisions". It also recognises an important developing role of "Age Concern" as a support body for vulnerable older people.