Safeguarding refers to the process of protecting vulnerable members of society from abuse and neglect.This means making sure their well-being, health care, and human rights are all being looked after to a high standard.

Vulnerable members of society are:

• Children: This counts as anyone under the age of 18.
• Vulnerable adults: This is a person that, for any reason, is unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from harm or exploitation. They may have mental health issues, a physical disability or learning difficulties.

Adult Safeguarding

There are six principles when it comes to safeguarding vulnerable adults:

1. Empowerment: People are supported and encouraged to make their own decisions and informed consent.
2. Prevention: It is better to take action before harm occurs.
3. Proportionality: The least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented.
4. Protection: Support and representation for those in greatest need.
5. Partnership: Services offer local solutions through working closely with their communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse.
6. Accountability: Accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding.

Child Safeguarding

Safeguarding children doesn’t just refer to traditional forms of child protection anymore. It now has a more overarching approach to ensure that children can grow up to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully. This involves the additional aims of preventing the harm of children’s health and development so that they can grow up with a consistently high level of care.

The Every Child Matters campaign formalised these changes in 2004, aiming to improve the outcomes for children in five key areas:

1. Being healthy
2. Staying safe
3. Enjoying and achieving
4. Making a positive contribution
5. Achieving economic well-being

Who is Responsible?

Anyone that comes into contact with these vulnerable members of society is responsible for their safeguarding. This can include counsellors, health professionals, and carers, plus many other positions.

A key part to safeguarding work is the process of assessment, and looking out for any warning signs. Questions need to be asked like:

• Is neglect/abuse occurring?
• Why is neglect/abuse occurring?
• What is the situation like for the individual?
• What needs to be done to ensure the long-term safety of the individual?

Anyone that works in an education setting needs to be clued up on safeguarding too, as they are responsible for the children that attend. This covers anyone at all, from the teachers to the dinner staff – everyone is responsible.

Organisations such as county and city councils are responsible on a broader scale too. Concerns can be reported to them as the local authoritative body, and they need to follow up any concerns to keep their local people safe.

People often worry that they’re wasting time if they report something, but any worries at all should be taken seriously. Having eyes and ears everywhere is the key, and councils are the point of contact for people to go to with their concerns.

Charley’s Story

Sadly, the number of safeguarding cases is still all too high. Charley’s story is one example of how children can be taken advantage of, but also highlights that there are people out there to help stop the abuse.

Her abuser came in the form of her step-father, who moved in when she was two years old. He regularly beat her mother, and very soon Charley and her mum were living in fear of him.

Everything got worse when Charley was four and she had to perform a sex act on him, which was the beginning of ongoing sexual abuse. She wasn’t allowed to tell anyone, and if she tried to stand up to him, he would beat her up more.

When Charley reached ten, she tried to kill herself with an overdose of tablets. Thankfully her mum found her in time and she survived. Then when she was fourteen she fell pregnant as a result of the abuse, and her mum and step-dad paid her to have an abortion and stay quiet.

What followed was Charley running away from home and sleeping on the streets, but also the moment that marked the turning point in her life of abuse. She met a lady called Alison, and finally she began talking to someone about what had happened to her. Charley told Childline everything, which led to her step-father being sentenced to twelve years in prison.

Cases of abuse and neglect can happen to anyone, which is why safeguarding is so important for everyone to be aware of.

Safeguarding refers to the process of protecting vulnerable children and adults from neglect and abuse by providing safe and effective care. Anyone under the age of 18 years old classes as a child, and can become a victim of abuse and neglect.

Child Protection is part of safeguarding process in protecting individual children identified as suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. This harm can come in many different forms of abuse, this includes:

• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Psychological abuse
• Neglect

Safeguarding Children

All organisations that come into contact with children should have safeguarding policies and procedures to ensure that every child, regardless of their age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation, has a right to equal protection from harm. This includes voluntary and community organisations, faith groups, private sector providers, as well as schools, hospitals and sports clubs. Setting up and following good safeguarding policies and procedures means children are safe from adults and other children who might pose a risk to them.

Safeguarding, within the context of children, means:

• Protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
• Preventing harm to children’s health or development
• Ensuring children grow up with safe and effective care
• Taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes in life

Safeguarding children doesn’t just refer to traditional forms of child protection now, and has a more overarching approach to ensure that they can grow up to have optimum life chances and enter into adulthood successfully.

The Every Child Matters campaign formalised these changes in 2004, aiming to improve the outcomes for children in five key areas:

1. Being healthy
2. Staying safe
3. Enjoying and achieving
4. Making a positive contribution
5. Achieving economic well-being

Legislation in place

• The Care Act 2014 requires that each local authority must:
– Lead a multi-agency local adult safeguarding system that seeks to prevent abuse and neglect in the first place, and stop it quickly when it does occur
– Make enquiries when they suspect a vulnerable adult may be at risk of abuse or neglect and they need to find out what action may be needed to support and protect them
– Establish safeguarding adults boards. This means the local authorities, the NHS and police work together to develop, share and implement a safeguarding strategy
– Carry out safeguarding adults reviews when someone dies as a result of neglect or abuse and there is a concern that the local authority could have done more to protect them
– Arrange for an independent advocate to represent and support a person who is the subject of a safeguarding enquiry or review

• The Sexual Offenses Act 2003 attempts to make the prosecution of rape easier by clarifying what the term ‘consent’ actually means. The act details that someone consents to a sexual act if, and only if, he or she agrees by choice and has the freedom and capacity to make that choice.

• The Children Act 1989 manages what local authorities, courts, parents, and other agencies in the UK are doing to ensure that children are safeguarded. This means making sure their well-being, health care, and human rights are all being looked after to a high standard. The act centres on the idea that children are best cared for within their own families; however, it deals with cases when parents and families are not the best option too.

• The Working Together to Safeguard Children act is a guide to inter-agency working in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The guidance is for all organisations and agencies who work with, or carry out work related to, children in the UK. The guidance aims to set the goalposts for inter-agency working and for promoting the welfare of children from all backgrounds, in all settings. The post recent version of this was released in 2018.

Safeguarding Adults policies and procedures are intended to protect ‘adults at risk’. An adult at risk is someone aged 18 years or over who is (or may be) in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness, and who is (or may be) unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation, according to the Department of Health.

Adults can be the victims of a number of different types of abuse. These include:

• Physical abuse
• Financial abuse
• Neglect
• Sexual abuse
• Psychological abuse
• Domestic abuse
• Discriminatory abuse

Key principles of adult safeguarding

There are six principles that are focused on when it comes to safeguarding vulnerable adults:

Empowerment: People are supported and encouraged to make their own decisions and informed consent.
Prevention: It is better to take action before harm occurs.
Proportionality: The least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented.
Protection: Support and representation for those in greatest need.
Partnership: Services offer local solutions through working closely with their communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse.
Accountability: Accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding.

Legislation in place

There are many structures in place to protect these vulnerable adults from abuse and neglect.

1. The Care Act 2014 requires that each local authority must:

• Lead a multi-agency local adult safeguarding system that seeks to prevent abuse and neglect in the first place, and stop it quickly when it does occur
• Make enquiries when they suspect a vulnerable adult may be at risk of abuse or neglect and they need to find out what action may be needed to support and protect them
• Establish safeguarding adults boards. This means the local authorities, the NHS and the police, who will work together to develop, share and implement a safeguarding strategy
• Carry out safeguarding adults reviews when someone dies as a result of neglect or abuse and there is a concern that the local authority could have done more to protect them
• Arrange for an independent advocate to represent and support a person who is the subject of a safeguarding enquiry or review

2. The Sexual Offenses Act 2003 attempts to make the prosecution of rape easier by clarifying what the term ‘consent’ actually means. The Act details that someone consents to a sexual act if, and only if, he or she agrees by choice and has the freedom and capacity to make that choice.

3. The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 was passed to help avoid harm, or risk of harm, by preventing people who are deemed unsuitable to work with children and vulnerable adults from gaining access to them through their work in the first place. The Independent Safeguarding Authority was created as a result of this act.

4. The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 promotes that dignity ensures a working environment that encourages people to challenge practices in their own workplace. The law offers some protection from victimisation to people who blow the whistle under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.

Abuse is when someone is being deliberately hurt by someone else. This could be one single act or something that takes place over a prolonged period of time. Safeguarding refers to the process of protecting vulnerable members of society from different types of abuse that can occur. There are a number of different types of abuse, with mental or psychological abuse being one of them.

Nowadays there is more and more focus on looking after our mental health, so psychological abuse is certainly just as important, and just as damaging as anything physical.

How is Mental Abuse Conducted?

There are many types of behaviour that can be classed as mental abuse. This could include:

• Intimidation and threats: This could be things like shouting, acting aggressively or just generally making you feel scared. By repeatedly being treated this way, you are made to feel inferior, and end up losing a lot of self-esteem that means you fail to stand up for yourself.
• Criticism: This could be things like calling you names or making lots of unpleasant and sarcastic comments. Again, this can really lower self-esteem and self-confidence.
• Undermining: This might include things like dismissing your opinion. It can also lead you to doubt your own opinion by acting as if you’re being oversensitive if you do complain, disputing your version of events or by being sporadic with their treatment of you – this all means they manipulate you to avoid being found out.
• Being made to feel guilty: This can range from outright emotional blackmail (threats of suicide or lots of emotional outbursts) to sulking all the time or giving you the silent treatment. These are ways of manipulating you into doing what they want, a technique that could lead to physical abuse too.
• Telling you what you can and can’t do: Mental abuse is generally about control. This can be as explicit as telling you what you can and can’t do, to controlling where you go or who you see.

Vulnerable Members of Society

Anyone can be a victim of abuse, but the most vulnerable members of society that safeguarding focuses on are:

• Children: This counts as anyone under the age of 18. Mental abuse is the second more common reason for children needing protection from abuse in the UK.
• Vulnerable adults: This is a person that, for any reason, is unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from harm or exploitation.

Mental abuse can often be very subtle, and build up over time so that you barely notice it’s happening until it’s too late, which is why it is just as important as any other form of abuse. Moreover, because this form of abuse more than often comes from someone you know, people often feel trapped by the situation so that they feel they can’t get help and support, but they can.

Consequences of Mental Abuse

As the conversation about mental abuse becomes more prominent, more legislation is being put in place so that abusers get the punishment they deserve.

In 2015, mental and emotional abuse finally became illegal. This includes any of the behaviours listed above, and means that abusers can face years behind bars if found guilty. This big step now means that for the first time, psychological abusers can face prison in the same way that they would if they were physically violent, highlighting the severity of mental abuse.

Lee’s Story

Lee was 16 years old when he started going to a church youth club. Very gradually, he was groomed by the leader of the group, Adam. Lee started accepting lifts from Adam, receiving texts and being invited round to hang out. It built up over time until Adam started kissing Lee, and when Lee told Adam he wasn’t gay, mental abuse started.

Adam claimed that Lee had instigated it, then threatened to take him off the preaching rota. As a result, Lee was made to feel he would be excluded from the group if he put a stop to things, and Adam made him feel like he could tell no-one about what had been going on.

Mental and sexual abuse continued, and although Lee knew that what Adam was doing was wrong, the combination of abuse made him felt trapped and depressed.

Lee moved away a year later, allowing him to feel like he could finally open up about what had happened. This caused Adam to be removed from his position in youth work, and Lee received counselling and support.

Lee stressed that “victims of grooming and sexual abuse must talk to someone. However bad it seems or however trapped you feel, someone will be able to help you”.

Abuse is when someone is being deliberately hurt by someone else. This could be one single act or something that takes place over a prolonged period of time. On hearing the term “abuse”, something more physical comes to mind for many people, but financial abuse cannot be forgotten when it comes to the subject of safeguarding.

Financial abuse is the most commonly reported type of abuse that people may experience in later life. It accounts for over a half of elder abuse cases reported.

How is Financial Abuse Conducted?

There are a number of forms of financial abuse, but the basic definition is the illegal or improper exploitation or use of funds of a vulnerable individual.

Anyone can be a victim of abuse, but the vulnerable members of society that safeguarding focuses on are:

• Children: This counts as anyone under the age of 18
• Vulnerable adults: This is a person that, for any reason, is unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from harm or exploitation

The victims of financial abuse often come in the form of vulnerable adults because they tend to be alone, socially isolated, and either physically or emotionally dependent on others. 130,000 people aged 65+ in the UK have suffered financial abuse at some point since turning 65.

The abuse occurs when the individual trusts someone with their finances once they reach a certain age; this could be a family member or an organisation. Financial abuse can take place when a family member or friend takes over financial decisions and controls the older adult’s money. Financial neglect occurs if whoever controls the money, disregards the older adult’s financial obligations or does not fulfil instructions given to them.

As well as this, women can be victims of financial abuse within the household. Women that have been victims of financial abuse say how their abusers would have control over the household finances, prevent them from working and earning money, and even force them to take out overdrafts and loans in their names which they then spent. In cases like this financial abuse falls under the category of domestic abuse.

Examples of Financial Abuse Include:

• Theft – Money, possessions, or property being stolen
• Fraud – Someone posing as you to benefit financially
• Pressure – This could be in connection with wills, property or inheritance, or financial transactions. It is also known as undue influence

Financial abuse can also mean the process of withholding your money or the unauthorised or improper use of someone’s money or property, usually to the disadvantage of the person to whom it belongs.

Financial abuse has the potential to significantly threaten the health and well-being of an individual so needs to be taken very seriously.

In most cases of financial abuse, it is a matter for the police to investigate but it could also require attention from a wider group of organisations such as shops and financial institutions like banks.

Miss Buckley’s Story

Insurers and lawyers have reported a rise in the number of clients with mental health problems who have had their bank accounts emptied by greedy relatives who were appointed as deputies and should have been acting in their best interests.

An 81-year-old woman living in a Kent care home is a recent victim of this trend. Miss Buckley lost an estimated £150,000 after she gave power over her finances to her 59-year-old niece.

The niece sold her aunt’s house for £279,000 in 2011 and spent £72,000 of Miss Buckley’s money on setting up a reptile breeding business. The niece claimed this was a business investment for her aunt but also admitted that she had used at least £7,650 of Miss Buckley’s capital for her own benefit. At one stage, she was taking out cash sums of £300 daily.

The niece said she loved her aunt and visited her once a week, but this statement was contradicted by the nursing home Miss Buckley was staying in. They had records to prove she hadn’t visited her aunt at all until 16 October 2012, and even then that was only because she had to sign a document.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director of Age UK, said how cases like this one are “disturbing” and that “there must be a zero-tolerance approach to any abuse whether through neglect, financial manipulation or physical or mental cruelty”.

Child abuse is when an individual under the age of 18 is being deliberately hurt by someone else – whether that’s an adult or another child. This could be one single act, but for children, more often than not it tends to happen over a period of time. Safeguarding refers to the process of protecting children from abuse and neglect.

Abuse comes in all sorts of forms. It can be:

• Physical
• Sexual
• Mental/Psychological
• Neglect

Over half a million children are abused in the UK each year, which is exactly why this problem needs to be taken seriously – to stop the abuse.

Forms of Child Abuse

There are a number of different types of child abuse:

Domestic abuse: This is any type controlling, bullying, threatening or violent behaviour between people in a relationship. Domestic abuse can cover physical abuse, but also mental and sexual abuse. Where children come into this is by witnessing the abuse take place between the adults in their household; witnessing domestic abuse is child abuse.

Sexual abuse: When a child is forced or persuaded to take part in sexual activities, sexual abuse is taking place. Again, this doesn’t have to be physical. It can be online, and this is often where ‘grooming’ takes place.

Neglect: Neglect is the ongoing failure to meet a child’s basic needs and is the most common form of child abuse. If a child is left hungry or dirty, without adequate shelter, mental or health care, supervision or clothing, they are suffering neglect.

Online abuse: Online abuse is any type of abuse that happens on the web. Platforms where abuse can occur are social networks, playing online games or using mobile phones. Children can be at risk of online abuse from people they know, as well as from strangers.

Physical abuse: Physical abuse is deliberately hurting a child – causing injuries such as bruises, broken bones, burns or cuts. There’s no excuse for physically abusing a child. It causes serious, and often long-lasting, harm – and in severe cases, death.

Mental abuse: Also called emotional or psychological abuse, mental abuse is the ongoing emotional maltreatment of a child. Emotional abuse can involve deliberately trying to scare or humiliate a child or isolating and ignoring them.

Child trafficking: Child trafficking and modern slavery is child abuse. Children are recruited, moved or transported and then exploited, forced to work or sold. Trafficking can then lead into other crimes such as sexual exploitation, forced marriages and benefit fraud.

Grooming: This can be so subtle that the child doesn’t notice it’s happening until it’s too late and they feel trapped by their abuser. Grooming is when someone gains the trust of a child through building up an emotional connection. This then allows them to use the child for sinister purposes such as sexual abuse and exploitation. Children can be groomed online or face-to-face, by a stranger or by someone they know, making it all the more dangerous.

Who is in Charge?

Each UK nation has its own child protection system and laws in place to help protect children from abuse and neglect. These policies and laws are in the education, health and social welfare sectors.

The Department for Education is responsible for child protection in England and sets out policies, legislation and statutory guidance on how the child protection system should work. Earlier this year local safeguarding children’s boards were replaced by safeguarding partners, and they’re the ones responsible for child protection policy, procedure and guidance at a local level.

The local safeguarding arrangements are led by three statutory safeguarding partners:

• The local authority
• The clinical commissioning group
• The police

The Children Act 1989 provides the legislative framework for child protection in England. This focuses on the nature of the child’s welfare and the requirements around duties of care to children.

This is strengthened by the Children Act 2004, which encourages partnerships between agencies and creates more accountability by placing a duty on local authorities to appoint children’s services members who are accountable for the delivery of services and making sure local authorities and their partners are cooperating in safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children and young people.

If found guilty of any form of child abuse, prison is the result – highlighting just how seriously this problem is being taken.

Charley’s Story of Sexual and Physical Abuse

Child abuse is still an ongoing issue in the UK. Charley’s story is one example of how children can be taken advantage of, but also highlights that there are people out there to help stop the abuse.

Her abuser came in the form of her step-father, who moved in when she was two years old. Two years later the abuse on Charley started when she had to perform a sex act on him, something that went on for years to come. She wasn’t allowed to tell anybody, and if she tried to stand up to him, he would physically beat her to scare her into doing as she was told.

When Charley was fourteen she fell pregnant as a result of the abuse; her mum and step-dad paid her to have an abortion and made her stay quiet.

Eventually Charley ran away from home and began sleeping on the streets. Thankfully, this dark time caused her to meet a lady called Alison, a lady she could finally open up to and explain what had happened to her. From talking to Alison, Charley told Childline everything, which got the police involved and resulted in her step-father being sentenced to twelve years in prison.

Abuse is when someone is being deliberately hurt by someone else. This could be one single act or something that takes place over a prolonged period of time. Safeguarding refers to the process of protecting vulnerable members of society from different types of abuse that can occur.

Anyone can be a victim of abuse, but the vulnerable members of society that safeguarding focuses on are:

• Children: This counts as anyone under the age of 18
• Vulnerable adults: This is a person that, for any reason, is unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from harm or abuse

Protecting these groups from abuse means looking out for warning signs, and acting on them as soon as you spot them. Knowing the types of abuse that are out there is therefore incredibly important in order to be able to prevent people from becoming victims.

Different Types of Abuse

Financial or material abuse: This could be theft, fraud, internet scamming, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits. Additionally, if you are persuaded into anything that links to your financial affairs (this could be wills, property, or inheritance) then you are potentially being financially abused.

Physical abuse: Perhaps the most obvious form of abuse that springs to mind. Physical abuse includes assault, hitting, slapping, pushing, restraint, and the misuse of medication.

Neglect and acts of omission: This refers to ignoring someone’s needs – these needs could be medical, emotional or physical care. Failing to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services, and withholding the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating are all forms of abuse.

Sexual abuse: Rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, inappropriate touching, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts, sexual assault, or sexual acts in which the adult has not consented are all examples of sexual abuse.

Psychological abuse: More and more focus is being placed on looking after our mental health nowadays, so psychological abuse is certainly just as important as anything physical. This includes emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks.

Organisational abuse: Neglect or poor care practice can take place within an organisation or specific care setting, such as a hospital or care home. This may range from one-off incidents to on-going ill-treatment.

Discriminatory abuse: Harassment because of race, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion is discriminatory abuse.

Self neglect: Neglecting to care for your personal hygiene, health or surroundings are all examples of self neglect.

Domestic abuse: This includes psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse within the home environment.

Modern slavery: Something that could be closer to home than you think, modern slavery can include human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. The result can be individuals being forced into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment.

Care Home Neglect Example

Abuse in care homes is something that has been prominent in the news over recent years. One case in Devon came to a conclusion after years of suffering. Residents at Vielstone in Devon were routinely punished by being kept in empty rooms without food, heating or a toilet.

Prosecutor Andrew Langdon QC said staff tried to train residents as animals. One resident spent a shocking 195 sessions in the “quiet room”, including 13 instances where he had to stay there overnight, forced to remain silent and alone.

In a period of trials that took place from 2016-2017 at Bristol Crown Court, the manager, alongside twelve other staff members, were convicted of health and safety offences, and false imprisonment.

Sadly, abuse is all too common, so serious consequences are in place to make sure people are punished for their actions. Andrea Sutcliffe, chief inspector of adult social care at the Care Quality Commission, welcomed the sentences. She was “glad that the perpetrators had been recognised for the criminals they are,” and that “these trials are a chilling reminder that we must all remain vigilant to support and protect people in vulnerable circumstances who have every right to live their lives to the full, free from fear and treated with dignity and respect.”

If you think you, or someone you know, are being abused or neglected you should tell someone you trust. This could be anyone from a friend, a teacher, a family member, a social worker, a doctor, or a police officer. Ask them to help you stop it, report it or make a complaint – taking the first step by reporting it can help stop the abuse.

Supporting people when concerns are raised about abuse or neglect can be very difficult and distressing for everyone involved. Deciding what to do can be stressful, particularly if the person you are concerned about is reluctant to accept support. If you are not sure what to do you can always seek advice.

Don’t wait for ‘proof’ of your suspicions. If you are worried about an individual, tell someone – the quicker you report it the better.

Reporting Child Abuse

If you have any concerns or suspicions around the abuse or neglect of a child, contact the NSPCC free helpline service to speak to a counsellor – available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The report can remain anonymous if you want, and all communications will be recorded and kept on record for 15 years.

Their services provide support for anyone worried about a child and advice for parents and carers. As well as this, they offer consultations with professionals who come into contact with abused children, and more information about child protection and the NSPCC. They will listen to your concerns, offer advice and support and can take action on your behalf if a child is in danger.

Additionally, you can report a concern online. NSPCC will read it within 24 hours and decide what action needs to be taken.

Remember, if you think a child is in immediate danger:

• Call the police on 999
• Call the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000

For more information head over to their website: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/

Reporting Adult Abuse

When reporting the suspected abuse or neglect of an adult, the local authorities are the place to go. This authority refers to your local council. They have social workers who are on hand to deal with cases specifically centred on abuse and neglect.

Every council has their own way of dealing with concerns and allegations, as well as their own helplines and websites that you can use to get in touch with the right people. Never wait to be sure though – if you have concerns, report them.

To find your local council’s website and information, go to: https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council