Safeguarding adults from abuse

The experience of abuse and neglect has a significant impact on a person's health and well being.

Report a safeguarding concern

Our Safeguarding Practice and Improvement Team work with other organisations and agencies to make sure that adults at risk are safe. It is important that everyone knows what to do if abuse is reported or suspected and that we work together to prevent it.

We will make enquiries, or ask others to make enquiries, when notified of an adult at risk. An 'adult at risk' being a person 18 years of age or older who:

• has needs for care and support (whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs) and;
• is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect; and
• as a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of abuse or neglect.

(Section 14.2, Care and Support Statutory Guidance, DOH, 2014).

In order to safeguard adults in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead we:

• listen to what adults at risk are telling us
• encourage them to make their own decisions and agree desired outcomes
• make sure our roles and responsibilities are clearly laid out
• build on the existing multi-agency frameworks for safeguarding
• link safeguarding with the other care services we provide
• ensure there is access to mainstream community safety measures for adults.

You can view the Multi-Agency Procedures for Safeguarding across Berkshire.

You can view our Easy Read Safeguarding Leaflet explaining our process.

The six principles of safeguarding

• Empowerment: A presumption of person-led decisions and infirmed consent.
• Prevention: It is better take action before harm occurs.
• Proportionality: A proportionate and least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented.
• Protection: Support and protection in those in greatest need.
• Partnership: Local solutions achieved via services working with their partners.
• Accountability: Accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding.

Who to contact if you suspect abuse

If the adult in question is in immediate danger or in need of medical attention, or there has been a crime committed e.g. rape or an assault, or there is a need to protect forensic evidence. Contact the Emergency Services immediately, dial 999.

To make a safeguarding referral about an adult at risk in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, or for advice about an adult who may be being abused, report to Adult Social Care Services at the earliest opportunity using our online Safeguarding Report Form.

If the adult is not in immediate danger, but the abuse is of a criminal nature, call the Thames Valley Police Non-Emergency number on 101.

If children are involved and/or also at risk, contact the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub on 01628 683150.

If the allegation or suspicion involves either a care home, domiciliary care (home care) agency or NHS hospital trust, contact the Care Quality Commission on 03000 616161.

Victims First has been launched to support victims of crime across the Thames Valley. Victims First can provide free support to any victim of any crime in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire regardless of whether or not the crime has been reported to the police.

Please see the Victims First website which provides more information about the service.

There are ten categories of abuse

Often a person may be subject to more than one type of abuse. Different types of abuse may exhibit different symptoms; indicators may not always be obvious.

• Physical abuse
• Domestic violence or abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Psychological or emotional abuse
• Financial or material abuse
• Modern slavery
• Discriminatory abuse
• Organisational or institutional abuse
• Neglect or acts of omission
• Self-neglect

Safeguarding Adults Board

The Safeguarding Adults Board is led by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council. The Board brings organisations together to prevent abuse and protect adults at risk.