Safeguarding Adults in Bath &
North East Somerset
Awareness Session
“Everyone has the right to live their life free from violence,
fear and abuse”
Aims and objectives
By the end of this session you should be able to:
 Recognise an adult who may be vulnerable to
being abused (an ‘adult at risk’)
 Recognise evidence and indicators of abuse
 Recognise factors which may increase the risk
of abuse
 Know how to report concerns about abuse
using appropriate systems
 Work in a manner that minimises the risk of
adults at risk being abused
Key Points
 Every individual has the right to a life free from abuse
 ‘Zero tolerance’ of abuse
 Safeguarding Adults is everyone’s responsibility
 Good multi-agency working is essential (B&NES Local
Safeguarding Adults Board oversees this)
 However… all adults have the right to independence
that involves a degree of risk (personal choice)
 … so Safeguarding Adults is different from
Safeguarding Children
Who is an “adult at risk” (sometimes
known
as
a
“vulnerable
adult”)?
“Somebody over the age of 18 who is receiving care
services - or might be entitled to care services
AND who is / may be unable to protect him or herself
against significant harm or exploitation.”
Discussion: Who do you work with who might fit this
description?
Who could be an “adult at risk”?
Could be:
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A person with a disability / physical impairment
A person with a learning difficulty
A person with mental health needs
A person with sensory impairments
A person who have suffered a head injury
A person who misuses substances and alcohol
What types of abuse are there?
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Physical
Sexual
Psychological
Financial/material
Neglect
Discriminatory
Institutional
Adults at risk may be abused in a number of ways within
the same relationship, setting or incident
People who may abuse
 Paid staff
 Family members
 Volunteers
 Neighbours, friends or others in the adult at risk’s
network
 Strangers
 Abuse may also occur between adults at risk
themselves
What are the signs of possible
abuse?
These could include:
 A direct or indirect disclosure
 Changes in behaviour
 Withdrawal
 Fear of going home
 Unexplained bruises
 Money or possessions going missing
 Inappropriate comments
 Behaviour of other people – staff member / family / carer etc
(NB This is not a comprehensive list)
What should you do? (1)
 Listen to any disclosure carefully
 Stay calm / try not to show any shock / reassure the
person
 Record carefully what has happened or been said
 Do not mistake secrecy for confidentiality
 Make sure the person is safe and the risk of any
further abuse prevented. Call 999 for emergency help
if necessary
 Call the police if there is evidence that a crime has
been committed
 Don’t ‘prompt’ or seek more information than
absolutely necessary
What should you do? (2)
 Keep any evidence safe - ensure that it is not ‘contaminated’
(eg clothing should not be washed, fingerprints retained etc)
 Tell the adult at risk what will happen next
 Consider - are there any other people (including children) at
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risk?
Inform your manager straight away
Contact the Community Health & Social Care Access Team
(01225 396000) or the Emergency Duty Team if out of hours
(01454 615615) immediately
(Where appropriate) complete an adverse incident form
Seek out support you need for yourself
Safeguarding Adult Investigations
 Normally led by social worker or police
 You may need to provide information at a
‘strategy meeting’ or ‘planning meeting’
 Always be objective – be clear what is fact and
what is your opinion
 Good record keeping important
Local statistics (B&NES)
 2010 – 2011: 300+ Safeguarding Adults concerns
recorded
 Main reasons for referral:
- Emotional / psychological abuse
- Financial abuse
- Physical abuse
- Neglect
 Largest group of perpetrators – paid professional care
staff followed by family members
Mental Capacity Act 2005
The MCA exists to protect the rights of people who may
not be able to make their own decisions, due to a brain
injury / stroke / learning disability etc
5 key principles:
- A presumption of mental capacity
- The right for individuals to be supported to make their
own decisions
- The individual retains the right to make “eccentric or
unwise” choices
- All decisions should be made in the person’s best interest
- Using the least restrictive intervention
MCA 2005 continued
 “Every effort should be made to find ways of
communicating with someone before deciding that they
lack capacity to make a decision.”
 “If someone has been assessed as lacking capacity, any
action taken, or decision made, on their behalf must be
made in his/her best interests.”
 An Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) can
be appointed to help make important decisions
Remember:
 It is not your responsibility to decide whether an
adult at risk is being abused
 It is your responsibility to report abuse of an adult at
risk if you have any concerns
 Safeguarding adults from abuse is everyone’s
business
 Please do not ignore your concerns and let the abuse
of an adult at risk continue
 Don’t forget to apply the MCA principles
Contact details
Immediate Risk: 999
Social Care Access Team (office hours)
Tel. 01225 396000
Emergency Duty Team (out of hours)
Tel. 01454 615615
For further advice:
Contact the Safeguarding Lead for your agency
Tel: