Who is an adult at risk?
In an emergency, please call 999
A vulnerable adult at risk is anyone aged 18 and over who:
- Has social care needs
- Is experiencing, or at risk of abuse or neglect
- Is unable to protect themselves against significant harm or exploitation.
What is abuse?
Abuse can be a single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action, which causes harm or distress. It happens in many forms such as:
- Psychological abuse
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Discriminatory abuse
- Domestic abuse
- Financial or material abuse
- Modern slavery
- Organisational abuse
- Neglect acts of omission
- Self –neglect
- Forced marriage
- Female genital mutilation
- Hate crime
- Human trafficking
Who could be an abuser?
- Spouses / partners
- Other family members
- Neighbours
- Friends
- Acquaintances
- Local residents
- People who deliberately exploit adults they perceive as vulnerable to abuse
- Paid staff or professionals
- Volunteers and strangers.
Where can abuse happen?
- In your own home
- At relatives or friends homes
- In residential or nursing homes
- In a day centre, social club, adult education centre
- In hospital or GP surgery
- Any public places.
What to do if you witness a person being abused
Take the following steps if you witness an abuse or to report an abuse:
- Make sure that the person is safe
- Listen calmly to the person
- Talk reassuringly to the person and guarantee confidentiality
- Explain that you must inform your line manager
- Tell them that with their consent they can get help and support
- Make an accurate report using the person's own words
- Describe the circumstances in which it occurred
- Keep person informed of all follow-on proceedings.
How to raise a concern about an adult.
In an emergency please call 999