Worried about someone

Protecting adults from abuse

If you are worried about an adult who is being harmed or an adult who cannot protect themselves from harm, the following information may help you to decide if you need to contact us.

 

What to do

If you think that you or someone you know is being abused, contact our Adults Social Care on 01429 803100 or contact one of the following:

Our aim is to safeguard adults against abuse and to raise awareness through the community to prevent further abuse.

 

What is abuse?

Abuse is a violation of an individuals human and civil rights by any other person or persons.  Abuse is something that can be done by anyone and take place at any time.  It is something that is done to a person or it can be as a result of something not being done.  Abuse can take place in someone's house or in an institution such as a hospital, day centre or residential care home.

 

There are many different types of abuse.  This could include:

  • Including neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in someone's own home.

Physical

  • For example, hitting, burning, holding down or pushing around.

Sexual

  • For example, touching in a way they do not like, forcing someone to have sex, forcing someone to look at sexual pictures or videos, or making someone do something sexual to someone that feels uncomfortable or wrong.

Financial or material abuse

  • Including theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relation to an adult's financial affairs or arrangements,including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.

Neglect and acts of omission

  • Including ignoring medical, emotional or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health,  care and support or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating.

Self-neglect

  • This covers a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one's personal hygiene, health or surroundings  and includes behaviour such as hoarding.

Psychological

  • For example, treating someone badly or unfairly because of their age, disability, sexuality, gender, religion or the colour of their skin.      

Discriminatory

  • For example, treating someone badly or unfairly because of their age, disability, sexuality, gender, religion or the colour of their skin.

Domestic Violence

  • Including psychological, physical, sexual financial, emotional abuse; so called 'honour' based violence.      

Modern Slavery

  • This includes slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude.

Organisational

 

More Information 

For full details of our safeguarding procedures please download the Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Policy.

For more information about abuse and what you can do about it, visit the Action on Elder Abuse website.

 

Resources

National Guidance
The Government’s website is a useful central point, which signposts people to a wide range of resources linked to subjects such as the Prevent Strategy, Office of the Public Guardian, Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme etc. https://www.gov.uk/search?q=adult+safeguarding

Local Government Association (LGA) – Making Safeguarding Personal Toolkit
A range of helpful tools and case examples is provided in toolkit handbooks to guide you through best practice approaches and effective application of safeguarding. https://www.local.gov.uk/msp-toolkit

Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)
SCIE provide a range of resources including newsletters, training courses (some free) and other related materials, conferences and networking events, videos,
reports and a Prevention Catalogue, which provides examples of what agencies have done to prevent adult abuse. https://www.scie.org.uk/

Research in Practice for Adults (RiPfA)
RiPfA provide a similar set of resources to SCIE, but are more academically based, as well as a very wide range of guidance documents (some free). This
includes some excellent resources linked to the subject of Coercive Control. https://www.ripfa.org.uk/resources/publications/practice-tools-and-guides/coercive-control-learning-resources-open-access-

NHS Safeguarding Guide ‘App’
This guide is available as an ‘App’ which will be useful for all professionals as it provides a summary of all the relevant information in relation to adult and child safeguarding.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.antbits.nhsSafeguardingGuide

 

Contact your local adult social care team:
Hartlepool 01429 803 100
Stockton-on-Tees 01642 527 764
Middlesbrough 01642 065 070
Redcar & Cleveland 01642 065 070
Evenings & Weekends 01642 524 552