What is Safeguarding
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.
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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
Aims and Principals of Safeguarding
Aims of Adult Safeguarding:
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- prevent harm and reduce the risk of abuse or neglect to adults with care and support needs
- stop abuse or neglect wherever possible
- safeguard adults in a way that supports them in making choices and having control about how they want to live
- promote an approach that concentrates on improving life for the adults concerned
- raise public awareness so that communities as a whole, alongside professionals, play their part in preventing, identifying and responding to abuse and neglect
- provide information and support in accessible ways to help people understand the different types of abuse, how to stay safe and what to do to raise a concern about the safety or well-being of an adult
- address what has caused the abuse or neglect
Principles and the approach for South Yorkshire
The South Yorkshire Safeguarding Adults Principles document contains the key overarching principles to which the four local authority areas will work. It is further underpinned by Local Guidance and Procedures for operational teams.
This high level adult safeguarding document outlines the principles, themes and approach to be taken when working with adults (age 18 and over) who may be or are at risk from abuse and neglect. It focuses on people whose situation meets The Care Act safeguarding enquiry duties (section 42).
South Yorkshire Safeguarding Adults Principles
Types of Abuse and Neglect
Abuse and Neglect
The Care Act 2014 identifies a number of different types and patterns of abuse and neglect and the circumstances in which they may take place.
It is important to note that professionals should not limit their view on what constitutes abuse or neglect, as they can take many forms and the circumstances and wishes of the individual must always be considered. Incidents of abuse may be one-off or multiple, and affect one person or more.
Types of abuse highlighted in The Care Act include:
- Physical Abuse
- Domestic violence or abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Psychological abuse
- Financial or material abuse
- Modern slavery
- Discriminatory abuse
- Organisational or institutional abuse
- Neglect and acts of omission
- Self-neglect
For a fuller account of the types and indicators of abuse and neglect refer to your local safeguarding procedures and /or follow the link below:
Types and indicators of abuse: Safeguarding adults - SCIE