Types of Abuse
it is important to know the 10 categories of abuse (.pdf Size: 90Kb) which are listed in the 2014 Care Act, and to consider how these might manifest:
Physical;
Sexual (for support following sexual abuse please reach out to The Glade (Sexual Assault Referral Centre);
Psychological or Emotional;
Financial or Material - this might include forms of fraud, home takeover (previously known as cuckooing) and ‘mate crime’ (please take a look at the Tricky Friends video below for more information);
Discriminatory;
Organisational or institutional;
Modern slavery; and
Self-neglect (.pdf Size: 82Kb) (this can include things like hoarding behaviour). Please watch our short animation below which talk about self neglect. This animation is intended to raise the public awareness of self-neglect and what can be done to help those experiencing self-neglect.
Further information on types of abuse, spotting the signs and key messages can be found on the SCIE website.
Friendships can be tricky, the short 3 minute animation below helps explain what good friendships should look and feel like, and importantly, what they shouldn't! It's important that everyone is protected from the risk of harm and exploitation, especially those less able to identify risks without support.
It is important to consider who those at risk are, in your community. They may be a person who:
is elderly and frail due to ill health, physical disability or cognitive impairment. Visit the Telford and Wrekin's webpage for information on financial assistance for the elderly;
has a learning disability;
has a physical disability and/or sensory impairment;
has mental health needs;
has a long term illness/condition;
missuses substances or alcohol;
is a carer such as family members and friends; and
is unable to demonstrate the capacity to make a decision and is in need of care and support.
Adults can be more at risk of abuse when they live:
alone;
have care and support needs;
depend on others for example to manage their money; and
find it difficult to communicate.
You can spend some time reading over case studies of adult safeguarding experiences. This can help to inform your understanding of how these abuses can occur in your community, and the impacts they can have on people. If you see the table below, you can find a list of who to contact in what instance, if you think a safeguarding issue is arising.
Information can be found here relating to Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP) (.pdf Size: 175Kb) : along with a chance to view our MSP presentation to professionals (.pptx Size: 16995Kb)
Organisations offering advice and support, if you think someone in your community or workplace may have safeguarding concerns:
Age UK work with and for older people to improve the quality of later life by:
Providing older people with information and advice to enable them to make choices;
Providing services to help older people remain independent; and
Campaigning both with and for older people, both locally and nationally.
POhWER offer the following services in Telford and Wrekin:
Independent Mental Capacity Act Advocacy (IMCA), including Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), is a statutory advocacy service to support people who lack capacity and need to make important decisions but have no representatives as defined under the Mental Capacity Act 2005;
Direct Payment Support and Advice Service where Direct Payments Advisors support individuals to consider receiving their personal budget as a Direct Payment so that they can fund their own care. Advisors will support will all aspects of setting up a Direct Payment account and employing Personal (care) Assistants (PA) where needed; and
POhWER has a website dedicated to supporting employers to find a PA, and PA's to find work.
THE GLADE SEXUAL ASSAULT REFERRAL CENTRE (SARC)
The Glade SARC Telford provides an initial response for victims of sexual assault living in West Mercia. Their services are available to men, women and children.
A SARC is a 'one stop' centre where a victim can feel safe and supported and where their immediate medical needs are met.
The role of Carers Centre is to support and enable carers to improve their quality of life and to be more confident and able in their caring role.
Carers Centre has support workers who understand the problems and who are there to listen and offer specialist, individual and group support to carers that care for Adults with Physical Disability or Illness, Older People, Adults with a Learning Disability and Adults with a Mental Health problem.
West Mercia Women's Aid runs a 24-hour helpline, 3 refuges and a well-developed and expanding outreach service which includes the provision of community support to families, group programmes and links to education and employment opportunities, as well as Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) services.
Friends Against Scams is a National Trading Standards Scams Team initiative which aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims of scams by empowering people to take a stand against scams.
The Safe Place Scheme is a nationwide initiative established by Mencap. The scheme is designed to support the needs of Adults with Learning Disabilities, but is appropriate for anyone who feels vulnerable. Locations advertise they are a Safe Place by displaying a sticker. This tells people who may become vulnerable whilst out and about, that they can receive support and assurance at that location. They will be safe. Visit the Shropshire disability website to view list of places involved locally and visit Google Maps to see where they are mapped.
The central community directory for any needs you may have, from COVID-19 support, to family support, to advice on how to find an assistant.
Support for those who live with complex disabilities, and those in their circle. Sense is also looking at the experience of loneliness for people with disabilities, which is especially important to consider in our socially-distant times.
The ‘Stand By Me’ project looks at ways in which we across the community can stand up against hate, harassment, and discrimination.