Safeguarding adults in Sefton
If an adult or child is in immediate danger, or you think a crime is being committed, please call 999 immediately
Safeguarding concerns
Sefton Council adopts a zero tolerance approach to the abuse and neglect of adults, and is committed to working with all relevant partners to prevent abuse and ensure that robust arrangements are in place to respond when concerns arise.
Central to this is a commitment to working with adults and their representatives to achieve the outcomes they want and to promote independence, choice, control, recovery, and wellbeing.
Safeguarding adults means protecting an adult's right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. It is about people and organisations working together to prevent or stop abuse and neglect.
Every adult has the right to be treated with dignity, have their choices respected and live a life free from fear.
Who may be at risk?
An adult at risk is someone aged 18 years or over who:
What do we mean by abuse?
Abuse is mistreatment that violates a person's human and civil rights. Abuse can take many forms and all are distressing.
Abuse can be:
Where might abuse happen?
Abuse can happen anywhere, in a person's own home, in a day service, care home or hospital or in the community.
Who abuses?
Anyone can carry out abuse or neglect - a paid care worker or other professional, a volunteer, a neighbour, friend or even a family member.
What should you do if you, or someone you know, is at risk of abuse or neglect?
If you suspect that somebody is being abused, please do not ignore it. You may be the only person who can stop it. Remember, if you think something is wrong, it probably is.
Information and practical advice will be provided to the person who is at risk of abuse, so that they can make an informed choice about any help they might need, or any action they may wish to take. If they are not able to make an informed choice, we will ensure that we speak to someone who can act on their behalf.
The Merseyside Safeguarding Adults Board is a multi-agency, statutory partnership whose main objective is to ensure that local safeguarding arrangements and partners act to help and protect adults at risk of abuse and neglect across Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral.
Learn more here
Central to this is a commitment to working with adults and their representatives to achieve the outcomes they want and to promote independence, choice, control, recovery, and wellbeing.
Safeguarding adults means protecting an adult's right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. It is about people and organisations working together to prevent or stop abuse and neglect.
Every adult has the right to be treated with dignity, have their choices respected and live a life free from fear.
Who may be at risk?
An adult at risk is someone aged 18 years or over who:
- has, or appears to have, needs for care and support - possibly because of a physical or learning disability, a mental health problem, frailty, dependence on drugs or alcohol, or a chronic illness.
- is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect.
- is, or appears, unable to protect themselves from abuse and neglect because of their needs for care and support.
What do we mean by abuse?
Abuse is mistreatment that violates a person's human and civil rights. Abuse can take many forms and all are distressing.
Abuse can be:
- Physical abuse For example being hit, slapped, shaken, misuse of medication or inappropriate restraint.
- Sexual abuse For example, sexual harassment, witnessing sexual acts, indecent exposure, sexual assault, sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting.
- Psychological abuse For example, emotional abuse, threats of harm, humiliation, controlling behaviour, bullying, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, unreasonable withdrawal of support services.
- Financial abuse For example, theft, misuse of money, property, possessions or benefits.
- Organisational abuse For example, neglect and poor practice within a care service such as a hospital or a care home, or a service provided in a person's home.
- Discriminatory abuse For example, harassment or ill treatment because of race, gender, gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.
- Neglect and acts of omission For example, ignoring medical, emotional or physical care needs, failure to provide or the withholding of support, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating.
- Domestic abuse For example, psychological, physical, sexual, financial abuse where abuse is carried out in a person's own home by someone who is an intimate partner or family member. This includes ‘honour' based violence.
- Modern slavery For example, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude.
- Self-neglect For example, an adult neglecting to care for their own personal hygiene, health or surroundings, including behaviour such as hoarding.
Where might abuse happen?
Abuse can happen anywhere, in a person's own home, in a day service, care home or hospital or in the community.
Who abuses?
Anyone can carry out abuse or neglect - a paid care worker or other professional, a volunteer, a neighbour, friend or even a family member.
What should you do if you, or someone you know, is at risk of abuse or neglect?
If you suspect that somebody is being abused, please do not ignore it. You may be the only person who can stop it. Remember, if you think something is wrong, it probably is.
Information and practical advice will be provided to the person who is at risk of abuse, so that they can make an informed choice about any help they might need, or any action they may wish to take. If they are not able to make an informed choice, we will ensure that we speak to someone who can act on their behalf.
The Merseyside Safeguarding Adults Board is a multi-agency, statutory partnership whose main objective is to ensure that local safeguarding arrangements and partners act to help and protect adults at risk of abuse and neglect across Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral.
Reporting a safeguarding concern
Should you wish to continue with the safeguarding online referral to alert us towards incidents of abuse please use the button below to complete the online referral form.
Click here to start the online Safeguarding Referral form