Abuse and neglect of adults with care and support needs

Safeguarding means protecting the health and wellbeing of adults at risk and enabling them to live safely, free from abuse and neglect. It is about people and organisations working together to prevent and reduce both the risks and experience of abuse or neglect.

An adult is anyone over the age of 18. Abuse of adults who need care and support is where someone hurts, harms or causes them distress. Abuse is unacceptable; everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect and to live free of abuse or mistreatment, whether they live on their own, live with others, live in a care/nursing care home, attend a day centre or are in hospital.

What is an adult at risk?

Adults at risk could include:

• Those with learning/physical disabilities, mental health needs including dementia, long-term illness/condition and those lacking the mental capacity to make decisions
• Older people who are frail due to ill health or disability

The adults may be perceived as an easy target and may be less likely to identify abuse themselves or to report it. People with communication difficulties can be particularly at risk because they may not be able to alert others. Sometimes people may not even be aware that they are being abused and abusers may try to prevent access to the person they abuse.

See our introductory guide aimed at volunteers and members of our communities.

What to do if you want to share a concern

If you see/are told something or it doesn’t seem right, report it to Adult Social Care on:

024 7683 3003 or email ascdirect@coventry.gov.uk
Out of office hours: Emergency Duty Team on 024 7683 2222
In an emergency always call the emergency services on 999

Find out more about the work of Adult Social Care in Coventry.