Find out more about the Safeguarding Adults Board and how we can help and protect you

REPORTING A CONCERN

REPORT ABUSE

Quick links

Who might abuse?

Sadly it can be anyone including relatives and friends. Research by Hourglass suggests that as many as one in eleven older people in the UK are mistreated or neglected by those they trust the most. Two thirds of these are abused by members of their own family. Care staff, too, can be abusers. There are a few examples where the abusers have deliberately chosen to work in environments where there will be vulnerable people, such as those with learning disabilities.

Where might it happen?

Abuse can happen anywhere - in a person’s home, in the street, in a residential or nursing home, at a day centre or resource centre, in a hospital or indeed any place where adults at risk might be.

If someone tells you they are being abused:
Do...

Stay calm and listen to them.
Take what you are being told seriously.
Offer support to help them access support to stop the abuse happening.
Be aware that medical or other evidence might be needed so keep the evidence safe.
Write down what the person tells you in their own words.
Contact Adult Social Care or the Police at once.

Do Not...

Ask the person for more details (these can be taken later).
Assume that someone else is aware of the situation and will take action.
Contact the person alleged to have caused harm.
Promise to keep it a secret.
Be afraid to contact Adult Social Care or the Police to discuss it.

Reporting Abuse

If you believe that someone is being abused contact Adult Social Care or the Police. Adult Social Care and the Police will then coordinate investigations into alleged abuse.

Contact as soon as possible:

In Bournemouth and Christchurch contact Care Direct: tel 01202 454979, email: caredirect@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
In Poole contact Helpdesk: tel 01202 633902, email: sshelpdesk@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
Or Dorset Police: tel 101
In an emergency please call 999

Out of Hours Service

Tel. 0300 1239895 Evenings and weekends, including Bank Holidays

What happens if I contact Adult Social Care or the Police because I think an adult or myself is at risk or being harmed?

If you contact Adult Social Care, you will be asked for relevant information about the person you are concerned for. You will be asked what you heard or saw. Information will then be shared on a “need to know” basis, but you will be kept informed about who has to be told - for example, the Police if a crime may have been committed.

Together all the relevant agencies will work with the person who may be being abused, to establish what has happened, and what action the person would like to be taken next. Work will also be done with the alleged abuser, and different options will be explored which will prevent, reduce or stop further abuse from happening.

If you report abuse to us we:

take your concerns seriously
deal with the matter sensitively
make sure the person is safe
investigate the situation fully

Break the silence.
Contact Adult Social Care or the Police; you will be listened to and given advice about what to do.

I am worried that a vulnerable adult is being harmed where I work and no one is doing anything about it. What can I do? Will I lose my job if I tell anyone?

If you see harm or abuse happening when you are an employee or a visitor, you must report it; failure to do say may mean the harm could continue.

The well-being of the adult comes first, and every employee has a common law ‘duty of care’ which means they have a responsibility to:

Draw attention to any matter they consider to be damaging to the interests of an adult, carer or colleague.
Report any identified omissions.
Put forward proposals that may improve a service.
Prevent malpractice

If you are worried action may be taken against you by your employer, you are protected so long as you are making the disclosure in good faith, reasonably believe that the information is substantially true, not acting for personal gain and you are acting reasonably taking into account the circumstances.

Prejudice Incidents and Hate Crime

Prejudice, Incidents & Hate Crime - this link will explain what these are and how to report them.
Disability Harassment Reporting Campaign - many disabled people suffer from harassment, anti-social behaviour or crimes which they don’t report. Local Councils, Dorset Police, other organisations and voluntary groups want to change this. To encourage people to report incidents, we think it would be useful for people to understand what will happen if you call the police and there is support for disabled people to help them through the process.

Whistleblowing

If you see harm or abuse happening when you are an employee or a visitor, you must report it. If you don’t, no one else may and the harm may continue.

The well-being of the service user comes first, and every employee has a common law ‘duty of care’ which means they have a responsibility to:

Draw attention to any matter they consider to be damaging to the interests of a service user, carer or colleague.
Report any identified omissions.
Put forward proposals that may improve a service.
Prevent malpractice

Anonymous letters will always be:

Treated seriously
Treated with a fair and equitable manner
Kept informed of action taken and its outcome

For more information: www.direct.gov.uk/Whistleblowing

Protecting people from rogue doorstep traders

Vulnerable people may feel pressured into buying goods or services from traders who call at their home
Friends Against Scams is a National Trading Standards Scams Team initiative, which aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims of scams by empowering people to take a stand against scams.

For more information see:
www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk

REPORT ABUSE

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