Adult Social Care Glossary, v 0.6

Ensuring that people live free from harm, abuse and neglect and, in doing so, protecting their health, wellbeing and human rights. Children, and adults in vulnerable situations, need to be safeguarded. For children, safeguarding work focuses more on care and development; for adults on independence and choice.

The collective responsibility and process to protect the health, wellbeing and human rights of people at risk, enabling them to live safely, free from harm, abuse and neglect. See also the Think Local, Act Personal's Care and Support Jargon Buster definition for safeguarding.

Protecting vulnerable people from neglect or physical, financial, psychological, verbal or other forms of abuse.

The process of ensuring that adults at risk are not being abused, neglected or exploited, and ensuring that people who are deemed 'unsuitable' do not work with them. If you believe that you or someone you know is being abused, you should let the adult social care department at your local council know. They should carry out an investigation and put a protection plan in place if abuse is happening. Councils have a duty to work with other organisations to protect adults from abuse and neglect. They do this through local safeguarding boards.