What is Safeguarding?

The word ‘Safeguarding’ may be understood differently by different people. Familiar definitions of safeguarding might include:

• “Measures designed to protect the health, wellbeing and human rights of individuals” What is Safeguarding? - Ann Craft Trust
• “A general response to keep someone safe and to ensure their needs are met”
• “A concern for a person’s wellbeing or welfare”

These recognisable ways of thinking about safeguarding are important and are likely to involve some kind of action or intervention either from the local authority or other agencies.

However, they are different in several important ways to a formal safeguarding response under the law, as described in s42 of the Care Act.

Safeguarding is defined in the Care and Support Statutory Guidance as:

“Protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. It is about people and organisations working together to prevent and stop both the risks and experience of abuse or neglect, while at the same time making sure that the adult’s wellbeing is promoted including, where appropriate, having regard to their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs in deciding on any action. This must recognise that adults sometimes have complex interpersonal relationships and may be ambivalent, unclear or unrealistic about their personal circumstances.”

The guidance categorises the following types of abuse:

physical; sexual; psychological or emotional; modern slavery; self-neglect; discriminatory, neglect or acts of omission; domestic; financial or material; and  organisational.