Safeguarding
Working together to help vulnerable children and adults
What is safeguarding?
At Homes in Sedgemoor we believe that safeguarding adults and children at risk is everyone’s responsibility and we are committed to working with other agencies to support individuals. We take safeguarding seriously and have a policy and procedure which helps us to identify and act where we think a vulnerable person might be at risk.
Safeguarding relates to protecting children and adults who may be vulnerable from all types of abuse and exploitation. There is no comprehensive categorisation of abuse and exploitation but the commonly recognised forms of abuse are Physical, Sexual, Financial, Psychological, Discriminatory, Neglect or acts of omission, Organisational, Self-Neglect, Domestic Abuse and Modern Slavery.
Who could be at risk?
Children and young people
Children and young people are defined in law, as up to and including the age of 17. Once an individual passes their 18th birthday, they are legally an adult. An extension of this age exists for service provision for children who are disabled and for those in local authority care settings
Adults
In the context of the legislation, specific adult safeguarding duties apply to any adult who has care and support needs and is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect and is unable to protect themselves because of their care and support needs.
An adult with care and support needs may be:
- An older person
- A person with a physical disability, a learning difficulty or a sensory impairment
- Someone with mental health needs, including dementia or a personality disorder
- A person with a long-term health condition
- Someone who misuses substances or alcohol to the extent that it affects their ability to manage day-to-day living.
The legislation also includes people who are victims of sexual exploitation, domestic abuse and modern slavery. People with care and support needs are not inherently vulnerable, but they may come to be at risk of abuse or neglect at any point due to:
- Physical or mental ill-health
- Becoming disabled
- Getting older
- Not having support networks
- Inappropriate accommodation
- Financial circumstances
- Being socially isolated
How can I report safeguarding concerns?
If you believe someone is at immediate danger, you should call 999.
If there is no immediate danger, you can report any concerns to Somerset Council by calling 0300 123 2224 or visiting the website.
More information about how we can help can be found in our Safeguarding and Whistleblowing policies.
Raising a safeguarding concern about a customer
Safeguarding concerns should be raised with Somerset Council.
However, you can also raise any safeguarding concerns you may have regarding a Homes in Sedgemoor customer directly to us by contacting our Customer Services Team, via a method that suits you.