www.wiltshire.gov.uk
Protecting (Safeguarding) Vulnerable Adults from Abuse
Fact Sheet No: FS7
Name of Service: Protecting (Safeguarding) Vulnerable Adults from Abuse
Abbreviation: VAR
Service Type: Information & Advice
Summary of Service
Wiltshire County Council is committed to working with other agencies in Wiltshire to prevent the abuse of vulnerable adults and to investigate any concerns that a vulnerable person is being abused.
Who is a “vulnerable adult”?
A vulnerable adult is someone who is over 18 and may be:
- in need of community care services because of a disability, age or illness, and
- is unable to take care of him or herself, or
- is unable to stop someone else from harming or exploiting them.
A vulnerable adult may be someone with a learning disability, mental health needs, a physical or sensory impairment or may be elderly and frail.
Details of Service
What is abuse?
Abuse is something that is done to another person and that harms them in some way. It may be a single act or continue over a period of time and can be either deliberate or accidental.
Abuse can take several forms and may include one or more of the following:
- Physical abuse: Causing someone physical harm, for example by hitting, pushing or kicking them, misusing medication, causing someone to be burnt or scalded, controlling what someone eats, restraining someone inappropriately or depriving them of liberty .
- Sexual abuse: Sexual acts to which a person has not or cannot give their consent or which they have been pressurised into. For example rape, inappropriate touching or use of sexualised language.
- Psychological abuse: Causing someone mental and emotional distress by using threats, humiliation, control, intimidation, harassment, verbal abuse or depriving them of contact with other people.
- Financial abuse: Taking money, goods or property without permission. This can include theft, fraud, exploitation or putting pressure on someone to make a will, transfer the ownership of property or carry out other financial transactions.
- Neglect: Failure to provide access to services to meet a person’s health, social care or educational needs or withholding the necessities of life such as medication, food and heating.
- Discriminatory abuse: Treating someone in a less favourable way and causing them harm, because of their age, gender, sexuality, disability, ethnic origin or religion.
Institutional abuse: Services that fail to recognise the rights of service users and offer a poor quality of care or which condone ways of working which cause harm to vulnerable people.
Who abuses vulnerable adults?
Anyone can abuse a vulnerable person. This includes:
- partners
- relatives
- friends and neighbours
- other users of a service
- someone paid to provide a health or social care service
- volunteers
- strangers
Most abusers are people already known to the vulnerable adult but some people will deliberately exploit or harm individuals who they see as easy targets.
Where can the abuse take place?
Abuse can take place anywhere. This includes:
- A person’s own home or a friend or relative’s home
- A hospital
- A care home or day service
- A public place
What are we are doing about the abuse of vulnerable adults in Wiltshire?
- The Wiltshire Local Safeguarding Adults’ Board
Wiltshire County Council, the Wiltshire Police, Health Services, the Probation Service, and the Commission for Social Care Inspection have formed a Local Safeguarding Adults’ Board.
The purpose of the Local Safeguarding Adults’ Board is to enable organisations to work together to try to prevent vulnerable people being abused and to ensure that any concerns about someone being abused are investigated thoroughly.
“The Annual Report of the Wiltshire Vulnerable Adult’s Alliance (pdf 132Kb)
” describes some of the work undertaken by the Local Safeguarding Adults’ Board.
- The “Policy and Procedure for Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults in Swindon and Wiltshire” (2006) (pdf 1141Kb)
The “Policy and Procedure for Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults in Swindon and Wiltshire” sets out how organisations in Wiltshire will work together to investigate any allegations or suspicions that a vulnerable person is being abused.
This Procedure was developed in conjunction with the Swindon Vulnerable Adults’ Alliance.
The Safeguarding Adults’ Procedure applies to all residents of Swindon and Wiltshire. This includes people who are funding their own care or who are funded by local authorities or health authorities outside Swindon and Wiltshire.
Private and voluntary sector organisations that provide services to vulnerable people in Wiltshire have agreed to use the Safeguarding Adults’ Procedure if they are concerned that a vulnerable person is being abused.
- “No Secrets in Swindon and Wiltshire” (pdf 467Kb)
A booklet called “No Secrets in Swindon and Wiltshire” explains more about abuse and what staff working in health and social care services should do if they have concerns about someone being abused.
- Copies of the “Safeguarding Adults’ Procedure” and the “No Secrets Swindon and Wiltshire” booklet are available:
- On the Wiltshire County Council website www.wiltshire.gov.uk ,or
- By emailing socialcarehelpdesk@wiltshire.gov.uk, or
- By phoning 01225 713001
What to do if you think that a vulnerable adult is being abused in Wiltshire
If you have any concerns about a vulnerable person being abused you should contact the Social Care Help Desk or one of the Wiltshire Police Vulnerable Adults’ Units.
Social Care Help Desk
Tel: 01225 713001
Fax: 01225 713355
Email: socialcarehelpdesk@wiltshire.gov.uk
Weekdays: Monday – Thursday - 08:30 – 17:20
Friday - 08:30 – 16:20
If you need urgent help outside of these hours, you can telephone the Emergency Duty Service on
0845 607 0888
Wiltshire Police Vulnerable Adults’ Units
Weekdays: 9am – 4.30pm
Kennet and Salisbury:
Tel: 01722 435225
Fax: 01722 435214
Email: a.vpu@wiltshire.pnn.police.uk
North and West Wilts:
Tel: 01249 449760
Fax: 01249 449774
Email: c.vpu@wiltshire.pnn.police.uk
Police out of Hours:
Weekends and weekdays: 4.30pm -9am
Tel: 0845 408 7000
In an emergency dial 999 (Please note that your call will be recorded)
What to do if you think that a vulnerable adult is being abused in Swindon
Information on what to do if you are concerned about a vulnerable person living in Swindon is available on the Swindon Borough Council Website: www.swindon.gov.uk and in the “No Secrets in Swindon and Wiltshire” booklet.
or contact:
Wiltshire Police Vulnerable Adults’ Unit Swindon
Weekdays: 9am – 4.30pm
Tel: 01793 507828
Police Out of Hours and Emergency contact as above.
What will happen if you report the abuse of a vulnerable adult?
- Your concern will always be taken seriously.
- Once you have made a referral to the Social Care Help Desk or the Police, staff from the Department of Community Services, the Police and other appropriate organisations will meet together.
They will decide how the allegation or suspicion should be investigated using the “Policy and Procedure for Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults in Swindon and Wiltshire” (2006).
For more information on protecting vulnerable people in Wiltshire
- Ring the Social Care Help Desk
- Download a copy of “No Secrets in Swindon and Wiltshire” from the Wiltshire County Council website: www.wiltshire.gov.uk
or request a copy by
- Emailing socialcarehelpdesk@wiltshire.gov.uk , or
- Telephoning 01225 713587
- Visit the Wiltshire County Council website: www.wiltshire.gov.uk/factsheets
If you have concerns about the safety and well-being of a child
- If you are concerned about the safety and well-being of a child view Child Protection Procedures
- For general information on safeguarding children view the Every Child Matters website
National organisations that offer information and advice on protecting vulnerable people
- The Department of Health: For information on the Protection of Vulnerable Adults List (PoVA) and to download the “No Secrets” (2000) Guidance
- The Commission for Social Care Inspection : For information on standards in care homes and domiciliary care agencies : www.csci.org.uk
Local Office:
Tel: 01249 454550 (as from 8.10.07 – 0117 930 7110)
Fax: 01249 454582
Email: enquiries.chippenham@csci.gsi.gov.uk
- The Healthcare Commission :For information on standards in the NHS and private healthcare services: www.healthcarecommission.org.uk
Local office:
Tel: 0207 448 8158
- The Association of Directors of Adult Services (ADASS): To download “Safeguarding Adults - A National Framework of Standards for good practice and outcomes in adult protection work” (2005): www.adss.org.uk/publications/guidance
- Action on Elder Abuse : Information and advice on the abuse of older people
Helpline: 0808 808 8141 : www.elderabuse.org.uk
- VOICE UK : Supporting people with learning disabilities who have been abused
Helpline: 0845122 8695; www.voiceuk.org.uk
- WITNESS : formerly the Prevention of Professional Abuse Network - POPAN
Helpline: 08454 500 300 : www.popan.org.uk
- Public Concern at Work : Information and advice if you are concerned about danger or malpractice in your work place
Tel: 0208 7404 6609: www.pcaw.co.uk
Other useful links
- Domestic Violence: For information about Domestic Violence : www.wiltshire.gov.uk/factsheets NEEDS LINK TO Domestic Violence Fact sheet
- Whistleblowing: For information on Whistleblowing: (reporting something that you are concerned about in your workplace.
How and when can you contact us?
Please contact the Social Care Help Desk:
By Telephone:
01225 713001
By Fax:
01225 713355
By Email:
socialcarehelpdesk@wiltshire.gov.uk
Weekdays:
Monday – Thursday - 08:30 – 17:20
Friday - 08:30 – 16:20
If you need urgent help outside of these hours, you can call the Emergency Duty Service on 0845 60 70 888
For more information you can either:
- Contact the Social Care Help Desk 01225 713001, or
- Visit the Wiltshire County Council website www.wiltshire.gov.uk/factsheets
This Fact Sheet can be produced, on request, in other formats and languages. Please contact the Social Care Help Desk on 01225 713001.
