Safeguarding adults from abuse - Proctecting adults at risk

Living a life that is free from harm and abuse is a fundamental right of every person. All of us need to act as good neighbours and citizens in looking out for one another; however abuse does happen.

In Richmond we take the abuse of adults very seriously and are committed to protecting vulnerable people and preventing abuse wherever possible.

Who is an adult at risk?

  • People over 18
  • People who may be in need of care because of frailty, learning or physical disability, sensory impairment, mental health problem or drug or alcohol abuse. and:
  • Are unable to take care of themselves or are unable to protect themselves against significant harm or serious exploitation.

However, just because a person is old or frail or has a disability, does not mean they are inevitably ‘at risk’.

What do we mean by abuse?

Abuse is a breach of an individual’s human right. This may be a single act or happen repeatedly over a period of time. This may be because of:

  • Neglect
  • Persuading someone to agree to something against his/her will
  • Taking advantage of someone who is unable to give consent

It is vital to recognise abuse as early as possible and to take action.

Abuse can be:

Physical - Including hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, restraint or inappropriate sanctions.

Sexual - Including rape and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the vulnerable adult has not consented, could not consent or was pressured into consenting.

Psychological - Including and not limited to; emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, controlling, intimidation and harassment.

Financial or material - Including and limited to theft, fraud, exploitation and the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.

Neglect or acts of omission - Including ignoring medical or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health care, social care, education services or misuse of medication, adequate nutrition or heating.

Discriminatory - Including racist, sexist behaviour and harassment based on a person's ethnicity, race, culture, sexual orientation, age or disability, and other forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment.

Institutional abuse - This can sometimes happen in residential homes, nursing homes or hospitals when people are mistreated because of poor or inadequate care, neglect and poor practice that affects the whole of that service.

This list is not exhaustive; there are many other types of abuse

Further information is available about domestic violence. .

What should you do if you are concerned about abuse?

Contact Adult and Community Services

If you are concerned that any vulnerable adult is experiencing abuse or neglect, whether it be you, a member of your family or someone living near you, use the contact details below. For more information and advice on services in the community or to make a referral, contact us on:

Our office hours are 9am to 5.15pm, Monday to Thursday and 9am to 5.00pm on Friday.

Emergency enquiries

For emergency queries outside of office hours you can call our Adults Emergency Duty Team

  • Telephone: 020 8744 2442
  • Minicom: 0845 600 7752
  • Type Talk: 1800 1 020 8744 9414

The service is available from 5pm to 8am on Monday to Friday and 24 hours on weekends and Bank Holidays.

Or you can contact your nearest Council office, or if criminal abuse is involved, contact the Police on 101 or in an emgergency 999.

Further information:

What will happen if you report abuse?

Your contact with us will be treated as an ‘alert’. Our response will depend on the wishes and needs of the person being abused and the seriousness of the situation. If they are in physical danger, our primary concern will be to ensure their safety.

In response to your alert, trained staff will carry out a careful and sensitive enquiry. We will provide information and advice to ensure informed choice about how best to protect and care for the abused person. There may be a need for an investigation and/or action to ensure protection from abuse.

Additional information

Richmond’s Safeguarding Adults at Risk Partnership Board oversees the Governance of Safeguarding Adults. The organisations represented include:

Documents

Telephone 020 8487 5093 if you would like this information in Braille, large print, audio tape or in another language.