Reporting abuse
If you, or somebody you know, is being mistreated or abused, then please call 0845 053 0028 or use the
Please note that care professionals should use the Safeguarding adults alert form for professionals.
FAQs
Who is a vulnerable adult?
A vulnerable adult is a person aged 18 years or over who may be unable to take care of themselves, or protect themselves from harm or from being exploited. This may be because they have a mental health problem, a disability, a sensory impairment, are old and frail, or have some form of illness.
What is adult abuse?
Abuse is mistreatment by any other person or persons that violates a person's human and civil rights. The abuse can vary from treating someone with disrespect in a way which significantly affects the person's quality of life, to causing actual physical suffering.
Abuse can happen anywhere - in a residential or nursing home, a hospital, in the workplace, at a day centre or educational establishment, in supported housing or in the street.
What forms of abuse are there?
There are different forms of abuse, including: Physical abuse, Sexual abuse, Psychological or emotional abuse, Financial or material abuse, Neglect, Discriminatory abuse and Institutional abuse
Any of these forms of abuse can be either deliberate or be the result of ignorance, or lack of training, knowledge or understanding. Often if a person is being abused in one way they are also being abused in other ways.
Please see our identifying abuse section for more details.
Who might be causing the abuse?
The person who is responsible for the abuse is very often well known to the person abused and could be:
- A paid carer or volunteer
- A health worker, social care or other worker
- A relative, friend or neighbour
- Another resident or service user
- An occasional visitor or someone who is providing a service
- People who deliberately exploit vulnerable people
What if the abuse is also a crime?
If the abuse is also a crime such as assault, racial harassment, rape or theft it should also be reported to the police. We will work with the police to investigate any allegations of abuse.
If people are worried about contacting the police they can contact us first and we can talk things over.
If immediate action is needed the emergency services should be contacted by dialling 999.