Adult Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility. Everyone has the right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect.

I’m a member of the public
worried about a vulnerable adult

I’m a professional wanting to report an adult safeguarding concern

What is adult safeguarding?

Safeguarding adults is the process of protecting a person’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect and is primarily for those with care and support needs.

These duties are set out in the Care Act 2014 and under pinned by the 6 key principles of empowerment, prevention, proportionality, protection, partnership, and accountability.

These principles guide professionals and organisations in creating person-centred approaches that respect individual choices while ensuring safety and wellbeing.

Under Section 42 of the Care Act 2014, a local authority must carry out (or arrange for someone else to carry out) a safeguarding enquiry when all the following apply:

  1. The adult has care and support needs, whether or not these are being met by the local authority.
  2. The adult is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect.
  3. Because of their care and support needs, the adult cannot protect themselves from the abuse, neglect, or risk of harm.

What is abuse and neglect?

Abuse and neglect can occur anywhere: in your own home or a public place, it could happen while in hospital, attending a day centre, or in a care home.

The types of abuse or neglect that may fall under adult safeguarding includes:

Including assault, hitting, slapping, pushing, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate physical sanctions.

Signs of physical abuse include:

  • No explanation for injuries or inconsistency with the account of what happened
  • Injuries are inconsistent with the person’s lifestyle
  • Bruising, cuts, welts, burns and/or marks on the body, or loss of hair in clumps
  • Frequent injuries
  • Unexplained falls
  • Subdued or changed behaviour in the presence of a particular person
  • Signs of malnutrition
  • Failure to seek medical treatment of frequent changes of GP

Including rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, inappropriate looking or touching, sexual teasing or innuendo, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts, indecent exposure and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting.

Signs of sexual abuse include:

  • Bruising, particularly to the thighs, buttocks and upper arms and marks on the neck
  • Torn, stained or bloody underclothing
  • Bleeding, pain or itching in the genital area
  • Unusual difficulty in walking or sitting
  • Foreign bodies in genital or rectal openings
  • Infections, unexplained genital discharge, or sexually transmitted diseases
  • Pregnancy in a woman who is unable to consent to sexual intercourse
  • The uncharacteristic use of explicit sexual language or significant changes in sexual behaviour or attitude
  • Incontinence not related to any medical diagnosis
  • Self-harming
  • Poor concentration, withdrawal, sleep disturbance
  • Excessive fear/apprehension of, or withdrawal from, relationships
  • Fear of receiving help with personal care
  • Reluctance to be alone with a particular person

Including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive.

Signs of psychological abuse include:

  • An air of silence when a particular person is present
  • Withdrawal or change in the psychological state of the person
  • Insomnia
  • Low self-esteem
  • Uncooperative and aggressive behaviour
  • A change of appetite, weight loss/gain
  • Signs of distress: tearfulness, anger
  • Apparent false claims, by someone involved with the person, to attract unnecessary treatment

Including theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.

Signs of financial abuse include:

  • Missing personal possessions
  • Unexplained lack of money or inability to maintain lifestyle
  • Unexplained withdrawal of funds from accounts
  • Power of attorney or lasting power of attorney (LPA) being obtained after the person has ceased to have mental capacity
  • Failure to register an LPA after the person has ceased to have mental capacity to manage their finances, so that it appears that they are continuing to do so
  • The person allocated to manage financial affairs is evasive or uncooperative
  • The family or others show unusual interest in the assets of the person
  • Signs of financial hardship in cases where the person’s financial affairs are being managed by a court appointed deputy, attorney or LPA
  • Recent changes in deeds or title to property
  • Rent arrears and eviction notices
  • A lack of clear financial accounts held by a care home or service
  • Failure to provide receipts for shopping or other financial transactions carried out on behalf of the person
  • Disparity between the person’s living conditions and their financial resources, e.g. insufficient food in the house
  • Unnecessary property repairs

Including ignoring medical, emotional or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating.

Signs of neglect and acts of omission include:

  • Poor environment – dirty or unhygienic
  • Poor physical condition and/or personal hygiene
  • Pressure sores or ulcers
  • Malnutrition or unexplained weight loss
  • Untreated injuries and medical problems
  • Inconsistent or reluctant contact with medical and social care organisations
  • Accumulation of untaken medication
  • Uncharacteristic failure to engage in social interaction
  • Inappropriate or inadequate clothing

Including neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in one’s own home. This may range from one off incidents to on-going ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation.

Signs of organisational abuse include:

  • Lack of flexibility and choice for people using the service
  • Inadequate staffing levels
  • People being hungry or dehydrated
  • Poor standards of care
  • Lack of personal clothing and possessions and communal use of personal items
  • Lack of adequate procedures
  • Poor record-keeping and missing documents
  • Absence of visitors
  • Few social, recreational and educational activities 9
  • Public discussion of personal matters
  • Unnecessary exposure during bathing or using the toilet
  • Absence of individual care plans
  • Lack of management overview and support

Including forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment; because of race, gender and gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.

Signs of discriminatory abuse include:

  • The person appears withdrawn and isolated
  • Expressions of anger, frustration, fear or anxiety 8
  • The support on offer does not take account of the person’s individual needs in terms of a protected characteristic

Including psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse; so called ‘honour’ based violence.

Signs of domestic abuse include:

  • Low self-esteem
  • Feeling that the abuse is their fault, when it is not
  • Physical evidence of violence such as bruising, cuts, broken bones
  • Verbal abuse and humiliation in front of others
  • Fear of outside intervention
  • Damage to home or property
  • Isolation – not seeing friends and family
  • Limited access to money

Domestic violence and abuse includes any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. It also includes so called ‘honour’ -based violence, female genital mutilation and forced marriage.

Coercive or controlling behaviour is a core part of domestic violence. Coercive behaviour can include:

  • Acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation
  • Harming, punishing, or frightening the person
  • Isolating the person from sources of support
  • Exploitation of resources or money
  • Preventing the person from escaping abuse
  • Regulating everyday behaviour

This encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. Traffickers and slave masters use whatever means they have at their disposal to coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment.

Signs of modern slavery include:

  • Signs of physical or emotional abuse
  • Appearing to be malnourished, unkempt or withdrawn
  • Isolation from the community, seeming under the control or influence of others
  • Living in dirty, cramped or overcrowded accommodation and or living and working at the same address
  • Lack of personal effects or identification documents
  • Always wearing the same clothes
  • Avoidance of eye contact, appearing frightened or hesitant to talk to strangers
  • Fear of law enforcers

This covers a wide range of behaviour; neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding.

Signs of self-neglect include:

  • Very poor personal hygiene
  • Unkempt appearance
  • Lack of essential food, clothing or shelter
  • Malnutrition and/or dehydration
  • Living in squalid or unsanitary conditions
  • Neglecting household maintenance
  • Hoarding
  • Collecting a large number of animals in inappropriate conditions
  • Non-compliance with health or care services
  • Inability or unwillingness to take medication or treat illness or injury

How do I know if the adult I am concerned about has care and support needs?

An adult with care and support needs may include someone who:

  • has a physical, learning or sensory disability
  • has mental health needs, such as dementia or a personality disorder
  • misuses drugs or alcohol in a way that affects their daily life
  • has a long-term or short-term health condition

People in these situations may be more at risk, as abuse can take many different forms.

What information do I need to provide?

If possible, try to speak to the person you are worried about before contacting us to include them in the decision to seek help and to help us understand what they want to happen. 

It’s not necessary to have all the following information to report a concern, but where possible you should tell us:

  • the adult’s name, age and address
  • why you’re worried about the person, for example they’re being abused or not looked after properly or they’re unable to look after themselves
  • whether the person is aware you are raising this concern
  • any immediate dangers or risks to the individual

What happens after I report an adult safeguarding concern?

When you report a safeguarding concern in North East Lincolnshire, it is taken seriously and looked at quickly.

If someone is in immediate danger the emergency services must be contacted in the first instance to ensure a timely response. If it is not an emergency, the Safeguarding Adults Team will review the information, carry out a risk assessment, and make contact within 2 working days. Where possible, they will speak with the person involved to understand what has happened and their wishes regarding any actions to address the concern. They may also work with other services, such as the police, NHS, or housing, to make sure the right support is in place.

If there is any risk of harm, a plan will be put in place to help keep the person safe. You will be told what has happened with your concern where appropriate. Your information will be treated carefully and kept as private as possible, only shared with the right people when it is necessary to keep someone safe.

How to tell us if you are worried about yourself or another adult in North East Lincolnshire?

If  you think that you or someone you know is experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect you can contact the Focus Single Point of Access on 01472 256256 (Option 2).

If you or someone else is in immediate danger call 999 and ask for the Police

It is important to remember that adult safeguarding is not an emergency service and some situations may require contacting the police as well as the North East Lincolnshire Adult Safeguarding Team.

Have you heard of Humberside Police’s Pegasus Scheme?

The pegasus scheme supports those who experience difficulties communicating with emergency services to pre-register details, which avoids you having to repeat your details each time you call. After registering your details, you will be issued with a card and a personal identification number (PIN). When contacting emergency services, if you say ‘Pegasus’ and tell them your PIN, they will be able to access your details.