Concerned about an adult
Every person has the right to live in safety - free from abuse and neglect.
Some adults with care and support needs are not always able to protect themselves or speak up if something isn't right.
If you are worried about an adult (who has care and support from Adult Social Care) that you think is being abused or neglected, please contact the Adult Social Care Team.
If you have any concerns about somebody but are unsure what they are experiencing counts as abuse, please read on or contact the Adult Social Care Team on 020 7332 1224 or email Adult Social Care so we can discuss it with you.
Abuse is any action by one or more people that causes harm to another. It can be physical, sexual, money-related, material, psychological or discriminatory harm.
Abuse can also be about a lack of care and attention. This form of abuse is called neglect.
Whatever form it takes, abuse can be just as damaging to a person as physical abuse.
The types of abuse explained:
Physical
Hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, restraining, inappropriate punishments or rough handling. Female Genital Mutilation is also considered a form of physical abuse.
Sexual
Rape and sexual assault or sexual acts that the adult at risk has not consented to, could not consent to or was pressured into consenting to.
Psychological
Emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, denial of human contact, embarrassment, blaming, controlling, intimidation, threatening into making decisions, harassment, verbal abuse, isolation or withdrawal from services and support networks.
Money-related or material
Theft, fraud, benefiting from someone else's work or efforts, pressure in connection to wills, property, inheritance or money-related transactions, the misuse of property, possessions or benefits.
Neglect or acts of omission
Ignoring medical or physical care needs, failure to provide access to the right health care, social care, education services or misuse of medication, the right nutrition or heating.
Discrimination
Hateful behaviour and harassment based on a person's ethnicity, race, culture, sexual orientation, age or disability, and other forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment.
Domestic
Any incident or pattern of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between people aged 16 and over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. Read more about Domestic Abuse.
Modern Slavery
Slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. Vicitms are tricked, forced or threatened into situations of servitude against their will.
Organisational Abuse
The abuse or neglect of a person by a care home or other care setting such as a hospital or professional care provided in their home.
Self-neglect
This refers to neglect that a person has for their own care, health and hygiene. It can also refer to neglect to their surroundings such as hoarding.
Although there may not always be visible signs that a vulnerable adult is being abused, a display of the following may be a sign of abuse:
- Multiple bruising or finger marks
- Injuries the person cannot give a good reason for
- A drop in health for no apparent reason
- Loss of weight
- Not the right clothing or not enough clothing
- Withdrawal or mood changes
- A carer who is unwilling to allow access to the person
- A person who is unwilling to be alone with a particular carer
- Unexplained shortage of money
If you have noticed any of these signs, it doesn't mean that an adult is definitely at risk. However, please let us know about anything you've noticed that you're worried or unsure about. We can give you free advice and support and help you keep the person safe.
Anybody could be abusing an at-risk adult, though it is most commonly carried out by those known to the victim, including, but not limited to:
- relatives
- paid care workers
- volunteers
- other service users
- neighbours
- friends and other people they know
- people working in institutions may also be abusing or neglecting people
This can sometimes happen in residential homes, nursing homes or hospitals and is when people are mistreated because of poor or not enough care, neglect, and poor practice that affects the whole of that service.
Any of these forms of abuse can either be done on purpose, the result of neglect or due to a lack of training, knowledge or understanding.
If you are an adult and you are being abused or neglected, or if you are worried about an adult you think may be at risk, please contact the Adult Social Care Team.
- You can call us on 020 7332 1224 (between 9am and 5pm on Monday to Friday).
- Or you can call us on 020 8356 8855 (for all other times, including weekends and Bank Holidays).
- You can also email the Adult Duty Team
Or you can send us a letter to:
Adult Social Care Team, Department of Community and Children's Services, Guildhall North Wing, PO Box 270, London EC2P 2EJ
If you are worried about a child who is being abused or neglected, please visit our children and families section.
If the person, whether adult, child or young person, is at immediate risk, call 999.
The CHSAB ensures that local safeguarding arrangements are in place and organisations safeguard adults at risk of abuse in City and Hackney.
Find out what they do, who sits on the board and some other useful information on the Hackney website.