The Care Act: safeguarding adults

The Care Act 2014 sets out a clear legal framework for how local authorities and other parts of the system should protect adults at risk of abuse or neglect.

Telford & Wrekin Safeguarding Partnership  

Leads a multi-agency local adult safeguarding system that seeks to prevent abuse and neglect and stop it quickly when it happens. Visit the Telford & Wrekin Safeguarding Partnership website to view policies, procedures and key documents about safeguarding adults.

What is adult safeguarding?

Adult safeguarding is the term used to describe the function of protecting adults (18 or over who appear to have health and social care needs) from abuse or neglect. This is shared across a range of public services, but the key responsibility of the local authority.

An adult at risk may be a person who:

  • is elderly and frail due to ill health, physical disability or cognitive impairment
  • has a learning disability
  • has a physical disability and/or sensory impairment
  • has mental health needs
  • has a long term illness/condition
  • missuses substances or alcohol
  • is a carer such as family members and friends
  • is unable to demonstrate the capacity to make a decision and is in need of care and support.

Adults can be more at risk of abuse when they live:

  • alone
  • have care and support needs
  • depend on others for example to manage their money
  • find it difficult to communicate.

Where does the abuse occur?

Abuse can occur in a variety of different settings some examples of these are:

  • in a care home
  • in a public place
  • in a day centre
  • in an adults home
  • in a hospital.

Who is an Abuser?

Anyone can be an abuser:

  • friend
  • family
  • volunteer
  • neighbour
  • care worker

in fact anyone that has access to the adult.

What is adult abuse?

The Care Act 2014 guidance (page 233) describes different types of abuse which can affect people, especially when they are unable to protect themselves or tell their own story.

There are ten main categories of abuse, which are:

  • physical
  • sexual
  • psychological or emotional
  • financial or material
  • discriminatory
  • neglect and acts of omission
  • organisational or institutional
  • domestic violence
  • modern slavery and
  • self-neglect.

If you are worried about a vulnerable person who lives in the Telford and Wrekin area being abused or neglected by other people, please say something.

Safeguarding Adults factsheet

Download the Safeguarding Adults factsheet (.pdf Size: 358Kb)

Last updated : 1 May 2025

If you are worried about a vulnerable person who lives in the Telford and Wrekin area being abused or neglected by other people, please say something.

If you suspect that a vulnerable person is being abused or neglected, please report this via:

Please note if it is a serious matter or an emergency, always ring 999.

  • Family Connect (Option 3)
    Telephone: 01952 385385 (when prompted please select option 3)
    Monday to Friday from 9am - 5pm
     
  • Emergency Duty team
    Telephone: 01952 676500
    Monday to Sunday after 5pm
     
  • West Mercia Police
    Telephone: 0300 333 3000 or 101.

Sometimes people are afraid to speak up and report abuse. This maybe because they will get someone into trouble, might have got it wrong or cause more distress. All safeguarding concerns are responded to sensitively and focus on safeguarding and getting it right for the person concerned.

If you report abuse to us we will:

  • find out more about what is going on with the person at risk and what they want
  • work together with the person themselves and with other professional colleagues in the police and health service to try to reduce the level of risk
  • make every effort using all available legal means to find ways of reducing risk and increasing people’s safety
  • learn from everything that happens to make our work and our processes more effective in the future.

Making safeguarding personal:

  • this means putting the person at the centre of everything we do during the safeguarding process from the initial contact to the very end.

Last updated : 23 September 2024