Safeguarding adults at risk of
abuse
If you are in an emergency situation please ring
999
All organisations in Tower Hamlets are
committed to preventing the abuse of adults and responding promptly
when abuse is suspected.
Who
is an adult at risk of abuse?
Any person who is 18 years or older that may
be at risk of abuse or neglect and who has any kind of disability,
frailty or illness will be seen as a vulnerable adult. This can be
someone with:
- mental health problem
- learning disability
- physical disability
- sensory impairment
- general health problem
- frailty, for example an older person
- any adult who receives care from any other
person or persons for example carers, family, friends, social
workers, district nurses, staff at day centres, residential,
nursing or other supporting living care staff can be potentially
seen as at risk of abuse or neglect
What is abuse?
People can be abused in different ways, for
example:
Physical
Such as hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking,
pinching, misusing medication and restraining someone.
Sexual
Such as rape or any sexual behaviour,
assault, or act to which the vulnerable adult has not consented,
couldn’t consent to or was pressured into consenting to.
Psychological or emotional
Such as threats to harm or abandon someone or
depriving, blaming, humiliating, manipulating, harassing someone or
preventing someone from being in contact with other people.
Financial
Such as stealing from someone, exploiting and
putting pressure on someone to change their will, sell their
property or doing something with their finances they might not want
to.
Neglect
When someone’s medical or physical care needs
are being ignored and when a vulnerable adult is prevented from
accessing medical, social care or educational services. It is also
when necessary things like food, drinks and heating are being
withheld from them.
Discriminatory
This happens when someone suffers in any way
because of their disability, sexuality, race or religion. This also
includes forms of slurs and harassment being used towards the
vulnerable adult.
Institutional
When someone is being mistreated or not
properly cared of in a residential or nursing home, or in any
kind of care setting for example hostels or supportive living
places as well as in hospitals. Remember, abuse often
happens in people's own homes.
Abduction
This is a crime and the Police should be
informed. Victims of abduction may be forced to work in the sex
industry or marry against their will.
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Who is likely to abuse someone who is vulnerable?
The person being abused or neglected very
often knows the abuser. Anyone can potentially be an abuser, for
example:
- carers or volunteers
- health workers, social workers or any other
professional person
- relatives, friends or neighbours
- another resident or service user
- a visitor or someone providing any kind of
service
- someone who deliberately exploit vulnerable
and/or older people
What should you do if you are worried?
If you live in Tower Hamlets and want to
report possible abuse taking place, please call:
The First Response team
Tower Hamlets out of hours team
Tel: 020 7364 4079 (after 5pm and
weekends)
Police
If you think a crime is also committed:
Police control room: 020 7515 1212
In an emergency dial 999.
Action on Elder Abuse
Action on Elder Abuse is a
national charity working to prevent the abuse of older people and
will also give you advice and support on any issues relating to the
abuse of Older People.
UK Helpline on 080 8808 8141
or 020 8765 7000
Voice
Voice is a National Charity
supporting people with learning disabilities and other vulnerable
people who have experienced crime or abuse. They also support
families, carers and professional workers.
Voice Helpline on 0845 122 8695
Please note: The Action on Elder Abuse or Voice UK will treat
your call in the strictest confidence.
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What will happen if you report the
abuse to Adults Health and Wellbeing?
If abuse is reported to Adults Health and
Wellbeing, a member of the Adult Care Team will contact you as
quickly as possible and emergency services such as the ambulance or
999 may be called by either you or us when someone is in immediate
danger.
The police will be called if a crime, such as an assault, racial
harassment, rape or theft happened. We will work with the police to
support you or the person you have reported to us.
Tower Hamlets promise we will always work with the person being
abused or neglected to help them to make decisions. We will provide
help and support in taking action to try to end the abuse as well
as empower or enable the abused person to ensure that the abuse
does not happen again.
If the person you are concerned about is a child, then please
contact:
Children Advice and Assessment Team
Tel: 020 7364 5006
Police
For non-emergency police matters, please call
Public Protection on 020 7275 4764
Email: towerhamletssafeguarding@met.police.uk
In cases of emergency then please dial 999
Pan London: Protecting adults at risk London multi-agency
policy and procedure
The Council has adopted the Protecting adults at risk: London
multi-agency policy and procedures to safeguard adults from abuse,
frequently known as “Pan London”, and this a key component of
how the Directorate works to keep people in vulnerable situations
safe from abuse, harm or neglect, and provides policy and procedure
guidance for the teams with safeguarding
responsibilities.
Last updated: October 2011