Carer Safeguarding & Reporting Procedure

1. Purpose

Live In Care Partners is committed to promoting the safety, dignity and wellbeing of adults.

This procedure explains what carers should do if they see, hear or suspect that a client or another adult may be experiencing abuse, neglect, exploitation or harm.

Every safeguarding concern should be taken seriously.

2. What Is Safeguarding?

Safeguarding means protecting an adult's right to live safely, free from abuse and neglect, while respecting their wishes, independence and choices.

Abuse may include:

• Physical abuse
• Emotional or psychological abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Financial or material abuse
• Domestic abuse
• Neglect or acts of omission
• Discriminatory abuse
• Organisational or institutional abuse
• Self-neglect
• Modern slavery

A concern does not need to be proven before it is reported.

3. Recognising a Concern

A safeguarding concern may arise from:

• Something a client tells you
• Something you see or hear
• A change in a client's behaviour or circumstances
• An unexplained injury
• Signs of neglect or poor treatment
• Concerns about a person's finances or belongings
• Something reported to you by another person

Do not ignore a concern simply because you are unsure whether abuse has occurred.

4. If Someone Is in Immediate Danger

Take reasonable steps to keep yourself and others safe, but do not put yourself at risk.

5. What to Do When a Concern Is Raised

If someone tells you about abuse or you become concerned:

• Listen — stay calm, listen carefully and take the person seriously
• Reassure — be supportive, and do not blame or judge the person
• Do not promise secrecy — explain that you may need to share the information to help keep them safe
• Do not investigate — do not question people unnecessarily or confront the person alleged to have caused harm
• Record — write down what you saw, heard or were told, using the person's own words where appropriate, and record the date, time and relevant facts
• Report — report the concern without unnecessary delay through the appropriate safeguarding route

6. Reporting a Safeguarding Concern

Safeguarding concerns should be reported without unnecessary delay to the Local Authority Safeguarding Adults' team for the area where the client lives or, where appropriate, another relevant safeguarding authority.

Where the concern relates to a client, an introduced carer or the Live In Care Partners introduction service, the carer should also inform Live In Care Partners.

A carer does not need to wait for permission from Live In Care Partners before reporting an urgent safeguarding concern.

If a criminal offence is suspected, the police should also be contacted.

• Emergency: 999
• Police non-emergency: 101

If you are unsure how to proceed, seek advice rather than ignoring the concern.

7. Concerns About a Family Member or Other Person

A concern may involve a family member, a friend, another carer, a visitor, a professional or any other person.

The concern should still be reported where there is a risk of abuse, neglect or harm.

8. Concerns About Another Carer

If a carer has concerns about another carer introduced through Live In Care Partners, the concern should be reported promptly.

Live In Care Partners will consider information received about the suitability or conduct of an introduced carer within the limits of our role as an introductory agency.

Where appropriate, this may affect whether further introductions are made to that carer.

Serious safeguarding concerns may also be referred to the appropriate authority.

9. Concerns About the Client

Carers should also raise concerns where they believe a client may be:

• At risk of harm from another person
• Neglecting their own essential needs
• Being financially exploited
• Unable to protect themselves from abuse or neglect

The client's wishes and independence should be respected wherever possible, while recognising that safeguarding responsibilities may require information to be shared.

10. Recording a Concern

Records should be:

• Factual and objective
• Dated and timed
• Clear about what was seen, heard or reported
• Written as soon as reasonably possible
• Kept securely and confidentially

Avoid assumptions, opinions or accusations.

Where possible, record the person's own words rather than interpreting what they meant.

11. Confidentiality

Safeguarding information must be treated confidentially.

Information should only be shared with people or organisations that have a legitimate reason to receive it.

Confidentiality does not prevent information being shared where this is necessary to protect someone from harm.

Carers must not discuss safeguarding concerns with friends, other clients or on social media.

12. Supporting the Client

Where appropriate, carers should:

• Listen to the client's wishes
• Treat the client with dignity and respect
• Support their independence
• Give the client an opportunity to express their views
• Avoid making promises they cannot keep
• Help the client access appropriate support

13. Raising a Concern About Live In Care Partners

If a carer has a safeguarding concern about Live In Care Partners, they should raise it directly with us or with the appropriate safeguarding authority.

Genuine safeguarding concerns will be taken seriously.

A carer should not be treated unfairly simply for raising a genuine safeguarding concern.

14. Emergency and Useful Contacts

• Emergency Services: 999
• Police Non-Emergency: 101
• Local Authority Safeguarding Adults Team — contact details for your local authority can be found via GOV.UK

To report a concern involving Live In Care Partners or an introduced carer, please get in touch via our Contact page or by phone.