Advice for adults with care and support needs
This page is for anyone over the age of 18 who cannot always protect themselves from harm and may need care services because of mental illness, physical impairment or learning disability, age, illness, or personal circumstances.
What is safeguarding?
Safeguarding means protecting your right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. There are different ways in which people can be harmed or abused. For example:
Physical abuse – where you are hit, kicked, pushed or suffer any kind of physical harm. It is not OK for anyone to hurt you.
Sexual abuse – where someone touches your body without you saying that it is OK, or where someone makes you take part in, or watch sexual acts that you don’t want to, or make you feel uncomfortable. It is not OK for anyone to touch your body unless you say they can, or to make you look at or do something you don’t want to.
Financial abuse – where someone takes your money, property or other things that belong to you, or makes you sign for things like loans that you don’t want or don’t understand. It is not OK for anyone to take your money, or your property, or to get you to agree to anything about money that you don’t understand.
Emotional abuse – where someone shouts at you, says nasty things about you, threatens you or makes you feel scared. It is not OK for anyone to bully you.
Neglect – where someone who should look after you doesn’t do what they should and leaves you without the care and support you need. The person who should look after you might be a friend or family member or a paid carer. It is not OK for anyone who should look after you to leave you cold, hungry, wet, soiled or without your tablets.
If you are worried about something that is happening to you, or to someone you know, services will work with you to make sure that you, or they, are safe. You will be treated with respect and listened to.
In an emergency call 999 or call Adult Social Care on 01344 351500
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