Being a carer led Winifred to become an Appropriate Adult

Being a carer for the past 18 years has given Winifred Dunnet extensive experience of supporting vulnerable people. 

Those are the same skills she has been utilising as a volunteer with the Orkney Appropriate Adult Service for in the “teens of years”. 

Winifred said: “I work with people with all kinds of challenges, from dementia to autism, to those with mental health problems. It was a friend who suggested that I should consider becoming an Appropriate Adult because of that.” 

Appropriate Adults are called upon, usually by the police, to provide communication support to vulnerable victims, witnesses, suspects and accused people, aged 16 and over. The police will assess and decide if an Appropriate Adult is required to be present during an interview. 

The Appropriate Adult service in the county has been moved from being voluntary to statutory and brought under the umbrella of Orkney Health and Care (OHAC) following a Scottish Government move to standardise the service. 

Winifred is moving over to the “new” service and while it’s not always the easiest of roles, it’s definitely very rewarding. 

“When the police call, I do always check who the person is and what the situation around their interview is. Being from Orkney I may know the person involved and, it has happened on one occasion that I was unable to be the Appropriate Adult. You must be impartial – it is not for us to judge anyone’s situation or take anyone’s side. We are there to make sure they understand what is happening. 

“The service is beneficial to both the person with vulnerabilities but also the criminal justice system – no one wants a case to be thrown out of court because an Appropriate Adult should have been in place and wasn’t at the time of interview of an accused. We can also mean the difference between a victim being able to give clear evidence also.” 

Winifred simply wants to help ensure a fair system for all no matter their capabilities and would encourage others to consider finding out more. 

“As long as you do not mind being called out at any time, if you work or have worked with people, have compassion and empathy then you should look into the Appropriate Adult Service. A thick skin and broad shoulders do come in handy too! 

People are paid for their time and any expenses incurred now the service is statutory which we hope will encourage more people to join the team. 

If you would like to find out more about becoming an Appropriate Adult please get in touch withCallan Curtis, Public Protection Lead Officer with Orkney Health and Care on (01856) 873535 extension 2604 or email: callan.curtis@orkney.gov.uk. 

To read more about the service head here: https://www.orkney.gov.uk/News?postid=9032