Safeguarding Adults Week

We're supporting National Safeguarding Adults Week – an annual campaign which focuses on what we can all do to protect others from neglect, harm and abuse.

This year the campaign runs from Monday 15th to Friday 19th November. Over the week we'll be explaining what safeguarding is, the different ways that we support customers and signs that you can look for to help protect your family, friends, neighbours and even yourself.

We’ll also be sharing some safeguarding success stories to show the positive impact it has had on the lives of some of our customers. 

What is safeguarding?

Safeguarding is about protecting people. The term ‘safeguarding’ refers to the measures which can be put in place to protect the health, wellbeing and human rights of individuals.

Measures may include making sure individuals have access to the support services they need (such as health providers, social services or relevant charities) or working with them to form action plans to help reduce the risk of harm and increase their wellbeing.   

How do you support customers?

As a social landlord it's our responsibility to do everything we can to make sure that our customers are as safe as possible whilst living in their homes.

Our Tenancy Services team works closely with customers to help keep them safe and support them to maintain their tenancies. Our Tenancy Service Officers are trained to look out for signs and raise safeguarding cases when needed.

Some of examples of safeguarding concerns include:

• Cuckooing - Vulnerable customers being targeted by fraudsters to use their home for criminal activity (See Tenancy Fraud)
• Hoarding - Customers living with Hoarding Disorder who collect/store unmanageable amounts of clutter.
• Financial abuse - Where someone the customer knows steals from them or misuses their money or possessions.
• Domestic Abuse - When a customer experiences an incident/incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behaviour.
• Grooming - Where someone manipulates a customer until they’re isolated, dependent, and more vulnerable to exploitation.

What if I have a safeguarding concern?

If you're concerned about one of our customers or would like advice about your personal circumstances, our specialist Tenancy Services team can help. Give us a call on 0345 60 20 540 and we'll arrange for a member of the team to get in contact with you.

Click here for a list of support services if you have a concern that is related to someone who isn't one of our customers.

If you or anyone else is in immediate danger you should call 999 and ask for the police. If you're unable to speak for any reason follow the steps below. Click here to find out how to find out more.