The aim of the scheme is to assist people with learning disabilities and/or mental health problems who come into contact with the police because they are suspected of committing offences. Individuals with mental health problems or learning disabilities may be especially vulnerable to the distress and pressures caused by the experience of arrest and police detention. Under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) and its associated Codes of Practice, vulnerable suspects are entitled to special protection in addition to the rights of any arrested person. This protection includes the attendance of an Appropriate Adult who could be a relative, friend, guardian, mental health professional, or any responsible adult who must be independent of the police.

DAAS is a service which recruits, trains and deploys volunteer appropriate adults as defined in PACE for people who are detained by the police who are perceived to be vulnerable, i.e. have a mental health problem or a learning disability. The service operates in Derby City and the whole of Derbyshire.

The project grew out of the recommendations of a report "Out of Depth and Out of Sight" undertaken by researchers from the University of Loughborough in association with MENCAP. This identified a lack of knowledge of the requirement for appropriate adults even among those with special responsibility for vulnerable adults, and concluded that the development of appropriate adult schemes was urgent.

Funding

When the Derby Appropriate Adult Scheme began in 1997, initial set-up costs were provided by Derby City Council, Single Regeneration Budget, Derby Pride, and Derbyshire Constabulary. Since June 1999, the Scheme has been funded by the Social Services Departments of both Derbyshire and Derby City. As DAAS is among the first schemes of its type, it is hoped that it may establish procedures that will be transferable to other schemes that may develop.

Management

The DAAS is guided by the Derbyshire Advocacy Board. Representatives include those from the Derbyshire Constabulary, Social Services, Health and voluntary agencies. The Team Managers are managed and employed by the Derbyshire Advocacy Service which is the umbrella organisation for the DAAS. The Team Managers are responsible for the development of the project, including liaison with the police, recruitment, training, supervision and support of the volunteers who undertake the AA role.

Client Group

The DAAS will act, if requested by the police, on behalf of any vulnerable adult in police custody who has been arrested for an offence, who by the nature of the offence, their behaviour or known history, are deemed to be "mentally disordered or mentally vulnerable" as defined in PACE 1984, Codes of Practice. (Code C. para 1.4) DAAS will also act on behalf of a vulnerable adult who has agreed to give a voluntary interview under PACE.

Service aims

• To offer clear and accurate information
• To give advice and assistance to users
• To provide a service that meets the needs of users to ensure that they are empowered and enabled to access other services.

Volunteers will respect individuals rights of choice as far as is possible and practical and in their own best interests.

The DAAS aims to provide trained volunteers to act as "appropriate adults" in compliance with the categories highlighted by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984, Codes of Practices, Code C para 1.7 as follows:

• "(ii) someone experienced in dealing with mentally disordered or mentally  vulnerable people but who is not a police officer or employed by the police.
• (iii) failing either of the above, some other responsible adult aged 18 or over  is 
• not a police officer or employed by the police."

The appropriate adult (AA) will be present at the PACE interview and witness all other procedures in accordance with the Codes of Practice.