Adult Safeguarding

• An adult at risk is someone who:  

  • Is aged eighteen years or over.
  • Has care and support needs. 
  • Is at risk of or experiencing abuse or neglect.
  • And as a result of their care and support needs is unable to protect themselves against that (risk of) abuse or neglect.

• Care and support is the term used to describe the help some adults need in order that they can live in the best way they can, despite any illness or disability they might have.

  Although by no means an exhaustive list, care and support needs can include help with things like:

  • Getting out of bed      
  • Attending to personal care      
  • Accessing work or education       
  • Cooking or eating meals      
  • Accessing the community or leisure opportunities       

  If someone does not meet the definition of an ‘adult at risk’ but you are still worried about abuse or neglect, the Adult Safeguarding framework might not be the appropriate pathway for this person. If you are unsure, please contact the Adult Safeguarding Hub on 0118 974 6371.

  If you are not concerned about abuse or neglect, but the person you wish to refer may benefit from an assessment of care and support needs, or information, advice or guidance in a more general sense please contact the Health and Social Care Hub on 0300 365 1234.

Abuse or neglect can take many forms. It may be a single act or repeated acts. It can be active or passive. It can fall under one type or can involve multiple types.

• Physical abuse
  • Assault, hitting, slapping, pushing, misuse of medication, unnecessary/unjustified restraint, inappropriate physical sanctions.
• Sexual abuse
  • Rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, inappropriate looking or touching, sexual teasing or innuendo, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts, indecent exposure, sexual assault, sexual acts to which the adult has not consented, was pressure into consenting, or is unable to consent.
• Sexual exploitation
  • Involves exploitative situations, contexts, and relationships where adults at risk (or a third person or persons) receive ‘something’ (e.g., food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, affection, gifts, money) as a result of them performing and/or another or others performing on them, sexual activities. It affects men as well as women. People who are sexually exploited do not always perceive they are being exploited. In all cases, those exploiting the adult have power over them by virtue of age, gender, intellect, physical strength, and/or economic or other resources. There is a distinct inequality in the relationship.
• Neglect and acts of omission    
  • Ignoring medical, emotional, or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services, withholding the necessities of life such as medication, adequate nutrition, and heating. Neglect also includes a failure to intervene in situations that are dangerous to the person concerned or to others, particularly when the person lacks the mental capacity to assess risk for themselves.    
• Organisational abuse
  • 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 ongoing ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes, and practices within an organisation.   
• Financial or material abuse
  • 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 and the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions, or benefit. An adult at risk may be persuaded to part with large sums of money/life savings. Such concern should always be reported to the Police and if relevant, local Trading Standards for further investigation. Where the abuse is perpetrated by someone with authority to manage the adult at risks finances, the Office of the Public Guardian should be informed (in relation to Deputies/Attorneys) or the DWP (for Appointees).    
• Mate crime
  • A ‘mate crime’ as defined by the Safety Net Project is ‘when vulnerable people are befriended by members of the community who go on to exploit and take advantage of them. It may not be an illegal act but still has a negative effect on the individual’. Mate Crime is carried out by someone the adult knows and often happens in private. In recent years there have been a number of Safeguarding Adults Reviews relating to people with a learning disability who were murdered or seriously harmed by people who purported to be their friend.
• Psychological abuse    
  • Emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, isolation.    
• Discriminatory abuse
  • Discrimination on the grounds of race, faith or religion, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, and political views, along with racist, sexist, homophobic or ageist comments or jokes, or comments and jokes based on a person’s disability or any other form of harassment, slur, or similar treatment. Excluding a person from activities on the basis they are ‘not liked’ is also discriminatory abuse.
• Hate crime
  • Hate Crimes relate to abuse motivated by the protected characteristics of the victim. The Criminal Justice system defines a Hate Crime as “any incident that is perceived by the victim, or any other person, to be racist, homophobic, transphobic or due to a person’s religion, belief, gender identity or disability”. It should be noted this definition is based on the perception of the victim or anyone else and is not reliant on evidence. In addition, it includes incidents that do not constitute a criminal offence.
• Domestic Abuse
  • Behaviour of a person (“A”) towards another person (“B”) if – A and B are each aged 16 or over and are personally connected to each other and the behaviour is abusive. Behaviour is abusive if it contains any of the following: physical or sexual abuse, violent or threatening behaviour, controlling or coercive behaviour, economic abuse, psychological, emotional, or other abuse.
• Female Genital Mutilation
  • Involves procedures that intentionally alter or injure female genital organs for non-medical reasons. The procedure has no health benefits for girls or women. The Female Genital Mutilation Act (2003) makes it illegal to practice FGM in the UK or to take girls who are British nationals or permanent residents of the UK abroad for FGM whether or not it is lawful in another country.
• Forced Marriage
  • A marriage in which one or both of the parties are married without their consent or against their will. A forced marriage differs from an arranged marriage, in which both parties consent to the assistance of a third party in identifying a spouse.
• Honour Based Abuse
  • Honour Based Abuse is a crime or incident, which has or may have been, committed to protect or defend the Honour of the family and/or community.
• Modern Day Slavery and Human Trafficking
  • 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 or abuse, servitude, and inhumane treatment.
• Self-neglect and/or hoarding
  • This covers a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding. It should be noted that self-neglect may not prompt a section 42 enquiry. An assessment should be made on a case-by-case basis. A decision on whether a response is required under safeguarding will depend on the adult’s ability to protect themselves by controlling their own behaviour. There may come a point when they are no longer able to do this, without external support.

• If someone is in immediate danger: call 999.
• If it is not an emergency: contact the Adult Safeguarding Hub for advice and to report concerns.
• If you are not sure it is abuse: you can still contact the Hub—staff can help you decide what to do next.
• If you can, write down key details: what happened, dates/times, who was there, and what you saw or heard.

• Speak up. If something feels wrong, tell someone you trust or a professional.
• Stay connected. Keep in touch with friends, family, neighbours or support services so you are not isolated.
• Know your rights. You have the right to be treated with dignity and to say “no”. Trust your instincts.
• Protect your money and information. Don’t share PINs or passwords; be wary of unexpected callers, messages or visitors.
• Ask for information in the right format. Request easy read, large print, different languages or an interpreter if needed.
• Be scam aware. Take your time, check ID at the door, and verify unexpected calls with an official number.
• Keep important information safe. Store documents (benefit letters, bank cards, tenancy papers) somewhere secure and accessible to you.

Help is available. By staying informed and speaking up, you can help protect yourself and others. Call 999 if you think a crime has been committed or someone is in immediate danger. The police will respond and ensure the person is safe.

• You can report concerns in the following ways: Online: use the Report abuse of an adult online form on this website.
• By phone: call the Wokingham Adult Safeguarding Hub on 0118 974 6371 (office hours). Out of hours, call the Emergency Duty Team on 01344 351999.
• Who the person at risk is (name, contact details and where they are).

• What the concerns are (what you have seen or heard, and why you’re worried).
• Who might be involved in causing harm (if known).
• Your details (how we can contact you). You can report anonymously, but contact details can help if we need to follow up.