What is safeguarding? | Protecting adults & Children

Safeguarding is the actions taken to ensure that people can live in a safe environment away from harm or abuse. The sad reality is the abuse of vulnerable groups is far too common in society. Safeguarding procedures are there to prevent this abuse. In some sectors, like education or social care, there is a statutory safeguarding requirement. But safeguarding is something that all businesses have a responsibility to pay attention to.

Are you looking for help with your safeguarding requirements? Visit our Safeguarding Marketplace.

Six Safeguarding Principles

The UK Government created six safeguarding principles especially for the health and social care sector to help better protect adults. Together, the principles are an aid to understanding actions that need to be taken to protect people and are agreed upon within the Care Act 2014.

The six safeguarding principles were originally produced for the safeguarding of adults but can also be applied to the safeguarding of children. Safeguarding both adults and children is about preventing the risk of harm from abuse or exploitation or having the ability to reduce it by raising awareness and supporting people in making informed decisions.

1. Empowerment

Ensuring people are supported and confident in making their own decisions and giving informed consent.

Empowerment gives individuals choice and control over decisions made.

2. Protection 

Providing support and representation for those in greatest need.

Organisations can put measures in place to help stop abuse from occurring and offer help and support to those at risk

3. Prevention

It is crucial to try and take action before harm occurs, preventing neglect, harm or abuse is the primary objective.

Prevention is the act of organisations working to stop abuse before it happens. Raising awareness, training staff and making information easily accessible are all ways that they can demonstrate prevention measures and encourage individuals to ask for help.

4. Proportionality

We must take a proportionate and least intrusive response to the issue presented.

Proportionality ensures that services take each person into account when dealing with abuse. They will respect each individual and assess any risks presented.

5. Partnerships

Forming partnerships with local communities can create solutions as they can assist in preventing and detecting abuse.

Partnerships give organisations the opportunity to work together, as well as with the local community.

6. Accountability

Being accountable and having complete transparency in delivering safeguarding practice.

Safeguarding is everyone’s business and accountability makes sure that everyone plays their part when it comes to safeguarding vulnerable people. Everyone is accountable for their actions as individuals, services and organisations.

Serious case reviews and inquiries have highlighted the need to ensure safeguarding plays an important role within care. We are all aware of the effects that safeguarding failures can have on services through prosecutions and high costs.

It is crucial that the six safeguarding principles are communicated amongst teams to ensure safeguarding is at the forefront of both employees and community’s minds.

 Safeguarding FAQs

  • A safeguarding policy is an organisations document stating the procedures in place on how they intend to protect vulnerable groups. These policies should include information on how to record and report safeguarding concerns.

  • DBS Checks are just one small part of safeguarding. DBS Checks provide information about an individual’s criminal record history. This information helps employers to make safe recruitment decisions and ensures unsuitable individuals don’t gain employment where they pose a threat.

  • Abuse is:

    • Mistreatment and attempt to harm other people

    • It can be physical, psychological, verbal sexual or financial.

    Neglect is :

    • Failure to care or prevent someone from being harmed

    • Educational, medical, physical, or psychological.

  • Safer recruitment is all about ensuring that employees or volunteers working alongside vulnerable groups is suitably checked to prevent harm coming to either children or vulnerable adults. DBS Checks are a central part of Safer recruitment.

  • In some industries, like health and social care, DBS Checks are a regulatory requirement. This means organisations must complete DBS Checks to be fulfilling their statutory safeguarding requirement.

    DBS Checks aren’t mandatory for all businesses but they are a useful tool to help you recruit safely. You can find more information here.

  • Safeguarding and duty of care are related but they are not the same. An organisation’s duty of care is a moral or legal obligation to ensure the safety and wellbeing of others. Safeguarding is the policies and procedures that organisation’s have in place to ensure they are protecting people.