For many people, being arrested or interviewed by the police can be an intimidating and confusing experience. But for someone with a learning disability, autism, ADHD, dementia, an acquired brain injury, significant mental ill health, cognitive impairment or communication difficulties, the experience can be particularly overwhelming.
This is where the Appropriate Adult Service plays a vital role.
Angelika Pastuszko, Appropriate Adult Service Manager at Adferiad, oversees the delivery of the service across South Wales Police, Dyfed-Powys Police and Gwent Police areas. Her team of around 100 sessional Appropriate Adults provides an essential safeguard for vulnerable people who encounter the criminal justice system.
We spoke to Angelika about the service, and she discussed some very important points:
What is an Appropriate Adult?
An Appropriate Adult is an independent safeguard for children and vulnerable adults who are detained or voluntarily interviewed by the police. The role is recognised under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) and exists to help ensure that people who may struggle to understand what is happening are treated fairly and can participate effectively in the process.
Importantly, Appropriate Adults are not only there for people with a learning disability. Vulnerability can take many forms and is not always immediately visible. Someone may have autism, ADHD, dementia, mental ill health or another condition that affects their ability to understand, communicate or cope with the pressures of police custody. Sometimes, vulnerability only becomes apparent once an officer begins speaking with someone.
An Appropriate Adult can therefore be needed when someone is arrested and taken into police custody, but they may also be involved during voluntary interviews or other investigative procedures.
More than simply sitting in on an interview
There is a common misconception that an Appropriate Adult simply sits alongside someone during a police interview. Their role begins much earlier and continues throughout the person's time in custody.
They explain their role, help the individual understand why they are there, and make sure they understand their rights and entitlements. During an interview, they monitor communication and welfare, asking for questions or information to be explained differently if someone appears confused or does not understand. They can also raise concerns if they believe the person is distressed or procedures are not being followed appropriately.
It is also important to understand that an Appropriate Adult is not a solicitor. While a solicitor provides legal advice and protects a person's legal interests, an Appropriate Adult focuses on communication, understanding and welfare. The two roles are different but work alongside one another to help ensure that vulnerable people receive both appropriate support and legal representation.
Why does the service matter?
The difference an Appropriate Adult can make can be enormous.
For someone who is anxious or overwhelmed, simply having somebody there whose role is to make sure they understand what is happening can provide reassurance. Appropriate Adults can help prevent misunderstandings, reduce incorrect assumptions about someone's behaviour and enable people to engage more confidently with the process. Sometimes, small adjustments in communication can make a significant difference.
Perhaps most importantly, the service challenges the misconception that needing an Appropriate Adult means someone lacks capacity or intelligence. Vulnerability can be invisible or situational. A person may manage everyday conversations perfectly well but struggle with complex legal language, stress or communication in a police environment.
As Angelika explains, “Vulnerability should never become a barrier to justice.”
Everyone deserves to understand what is happening to them, have their voice heard and be treated fairly, regardless of disability, mental health condition or communication needs.
The Appropriate Adult Service may work quietly behind the scenes, but its impact is anything but small. By supporting understanding, dignity and fairness, Appropriate Adults help ensure that vulnerability does not prevent someone from accessing justice on an equal footing.
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