How we deal with safeguarding concerns

Maintenance to online forms

Our online forms will be undergoing maintenance, with some unavailable for up to 8 hours from 12am (midnight) until 8am on Tuesday, 1 April. We appreciate your patience.

What is adult safeguarding

Safeguarding means protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of adults at risk, enabling them to live safely, free from abuse and neglect. Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

Safeguarding is people and organisations working together to prevent and reduce the risks and experience of abuse or neglect. We also make sure the adult's wellbeing is supported and their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs are respected when agreeing on any action.

When you report a concern about an adult at risk, we will listen to you. We're here to provide help and support.

How the safeguarding process works

After you make a report

We'll pass your report to a social worker. What happens next will depend on:

the views and wishes of the person the concern is about
the nature and seriousness of the abuse or neglect
any possible risk to others

Sometimes the social worker will involve other professionals to investigate.

We'll treat your information confidentially. However, there may be occasions when we need to share some information, if it's in the best interest of the adult at risk.

The law and safeguarding

The Council, the police and the NHS work in partnership to safeguard adults who need support. By law the council must:

make enquiries or request others to do so if the adult has care and support needs, is at risk of harm and is unable to protect themselves
arrange for an advocate to support any adult who needs extra help during a safeguarding enquiry or review
work with any other agencies involved to protect an adult with care and support needs who is experiencing or is at risk of abuse or neglect
have a Safeguarding Adults Board with members from the Council, the police and the NHS who will work together to help keep people safe

Involving friends and family

If the adult at risk wants their family or friends to be involved in the safeguarding process, we will involve them. This will help them feel supported when dealing with difficult or distressing issues.

If the adult at risk gives their consent, we can share the concerns for their welfare or safety with relatives and friends. They can also be involved in meetings about how concerns are being addressed and support plans for the future.

If the adult at risk decides they don’t want relatives or friends to be informed or involved, professionals will need to respect this decision.

Information will only be shared in accordance with the Data Protection Act.

Making decisions for someone

There are times when an adult at risk needs help to make decisions, or lacks the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves.

Sometimes, other people are allowed to make the decision in the person’s best interests. This can happen if the guidance provided by the Mental Capacity Act 2005 is followed.

The decision might be made by:

a family member
a carer
professionals

The Mental Capacity Act is intended to:

help and support people who lack capacity
balance a person’s right to make decisions for themselves with their right to be protected from harm

Read the Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice on justice.gov.uk

Supporting the at-risk adult

Relatives or friends may have a range of roles depending on the circumstances and wishes of the adult at risk. These may include:

supporting the adult at risk to tell professionals what their views and wishes are and to help make sure these are heard
supporting the adult at risk through the process, including at meetings
sharing information about the risks your relative or friend is experiencing and what their support needs are
contributing to the adult at risk's protection plan, which is a record of the agreed action to keep the person safe
supporting an assessment of the adult at risk's needs, this might include your own needs if you're a carer