Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults
Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults – It is staggering to think that in the year ending March 2019, (Dot Gov website) there were over 104,000 adult safeguarding referrals just in England alone. If you are working for a company, being trained and ensuring you know who the safeguarding lead is when it comes to disclosures and dealing with adult abuse referrals is paramount when it comes to safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
Your reactions count
How you react, what you say, and how you handle the situation regarding disclosures is hugely important.
There is a chance that the abused person may not understand that they are being, or have been abused and might not realise the significance or severity of what they are telling you. It may be the case that the disclosure has happened many months or even years after the abuse had taken place, one reason for the delay in disclosure may be that the person who abused them, they were afraid of and has now moved away, or they might fear that the person in question might be abusing someone else (they might even know this other person) and they now feel safe to tell you.
What to do
Speaking out is never easy. So, if someone does confide in you, it’s important that you listen carefully to what you’re being told (it is an incredible privilege and great sense of trust this person is giving you). Be aware of your own body language and the tone of your voice; stay calm and try not to let the disbelief or shock you may feel show.
It’s important that you let the person know you’re sorry this has happened to them, and that what has happened isn’t their fault. Remember to tell them they have done the right thing telling you and that you will keep them informed and involved every step of the way forward from this point. Letting the person know that you are taking them seriously is so important, and assuring them that steps will be taken to prevent them from any further harm. You may also consider asking the person what action they’d like you to take.
If you believe the person is in immediate danger, or are at risk of being harmed or there is reason to believe that harm is due, then you have an obligation to contact the emergency services and report this.
What not to do
Don’t press the person for more information, remember, it’s not your job to investigate the situation. If the matter is referred to the adult social care team, they will decide who, how and what to investigate.
Never promise to keep secrets as you cannot keep the information they have shared with you confidential, you must report it. Likewise, don’t make promises you can’t keep, such as “I will never let this happen to you again”.
Don’t be judgemental or jump to any conclusions, just focus on the person and listen.
Taking action
After speaking with the adult, you need to pass on your concern immediately to the person that has safeguarding responsibility within your organisation or company, if you are working in your own practice then you will need to report this to the relative authorities.
You will need to make a record of the disclosure. This will need to be a written record and contain accurate details of the disclosure, try not to paraphrase and use the actual words that were spoken, this is very important. Always stick to the facts and be as specific as you can. Sign and date the report when you have completed it.
Safeguarding training
If you are working for a therapy organisation, ask for the appropriate training, know who your safeguarding lead is within the company, when it comes to safeguarding vulnerable adults this is key, if you work for yourself then always report the allegations to the appropriate authorities, this is essential when dealing with adults at risk.