safe guarding

What is safeguarding?

Safeguarding means protecting your right to live in safety, free from abuse or neglect Local authorities have duties under the law towards people who are experiencing abuse or neglect (or are at risk of either).

Who do the safeguarding duties apply to?

Local authorities have safeguarding duties towards you if you are an adult and:

you have needs for care and support (even if the local authority is not meeting your needs)

you are experiencing, or are at risk of, abuse or neglect

as a result of your needs, you are unable to protect yourself against abuse or neglect, or the risk of it.

In these pages we refer to someone to whom the local authority owes safeguarding duties as 'a person at risk'.

Note: Local authorities do also have safeguarding duties towards children, but the information in these pages only covers adults.

What do abuse and neglect mean?

Abuse can mean:

• physical abuse
• domestic abuse (including psychological and emotional abuse)
• psychological abuse (including humiliating you, isolating you, bullying you – either in person or online)
• financial abuse (having your money or possessions stolen or misused or coercing you into a financial arrangement)
• sexual abuse
• discriminatory abuse.
• Neglect can mean:
• ignoring medical, physical or emotional care needs
• failing to provide you with access to health, care and support or educational services
• withholding necessities of life, such as food, medication and heating
• self-neglect (this can cover a wide range of behaviour such as neglecting your personal hygiene, health or surroundings, and…