What is Safeguarding

18/03/2021

The Care Act 2014 defines adult safeguarding as protecting an adult’s

right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect.

It is about people and organisations working together to prevent and stop both the risks and experience of abuse and or neglect.

Safeguarding balances the right to be safe with the right to make informed choices, while at the same time making sure that the adult’s wellbeing is promoted including, taking into consideration their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs in deciding on any action. Health and social care organisations have particular responsibilities, but every worker has a part to play.

We need to ensure that adults at risk due to health needs, social care needs or disabilities are able to live in their community free of abuse or neglect.

The Care Act safeguarding enquiry duties (section 42) which apply to an adult who:

• has needs for care and support (whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs) and;
• is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse and neglect and;
• as a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of abuse or neglect.

This is a shared responsibility – everyone in our community has a responsibility to report suspected abuse of an adult.

The Care Act Statutory guidance goes into considerable further detail and can be found by clicking on the following the link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-statutory-guidance/care-and-support-statutory-guidance