Safeguarding Adults Online Training

The Care Act statutory guidance defines safeguarding adults as "Protecting an adult's right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. It is about people and organisations working together to prevent and stop both the risks and experience of abuse or neglect".

An adult at risk is anyone who is aged 18 years or over. Learn more about working with vulnerable adults with our Safeguarding Adults Awareness training course. If you work with children, please see our Safeguarding Children Awareness course.

1. Empowerment - People are supported and confident in making their own decisions and giving informed consent.
2. Prevention - It is better to take action before harm occurs, preventing neglect, harm or abuse.
3. Proportionality - The least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented.
4. Protection - Provide support and representation for those in greatest need.
5. Partnerships - Create solutions by forming partnerships with local communities to help assist in preventing and detecting abuse.
6. Accountability - Accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding practice.

These six safeguarding principles apply to all health and care settings and were first introduced by the Department of Health in 2011 but are now embedded in the Care Act 2014.

For a detailed explanation of the 6 principles of safeguarding adults and to become certified in safeguarding adults, enrol on our working with vulnerable adults training today!

The 5 R's in safeguarding will help staff to recall the steps they should take if they ever have a safeguarding concern. They are:

- Recognise - Know the signs and indicators of abuse and neglect.

- Respond - Respond appropriately when you have a concern about abuse or neglect. Your safeguarding policy will detail the steps you should take to respond safely and effectively to any potential safeguarding issue.

- Report - Report your safeguarding concern to your designated safeguarding lead. You can often find who this person is in your safeguarding policy.

- Record - Ensure you record everything you have seen or heard in relation to the issue.

- Refer - Refer your concerns to the correct authority. It's normally your designated safeguarding lead that will report this, so it's best to make sure you pass on everything you have.

Anyone who works in health and social care has a responsibility for safeguarding adults in need. They have a duty of care to their patients/service users, so everyone needs to be alert to the possibility of abuse. Especially as it can happen to anyone in any setting.

Employees have the responsibility to follow the 6 safeguarding principles enshrined within the Care Act 2014 and to follow the 5 R's in safeguarding when they have a safeguarding concern.

Everyone who works with vulnerable adults, whether you are an employee, self-employed or a volunteer, needs safeguarding of vulnerable adults training. Safeguarding training is one of the most important training your staff will receive as it teaches you to recognise the signs and indicators of abuse and neglect, the different forms of abuse and safeguarding legislation.

Start learning these and more with our Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults training course.

A safeguarding policy is a statement that shows what an organisation will do to keep their patients/service users safe from abuse and neglect. The policy should set out the procedures and steps to follow when reporting concerns of abuse, the organisation's commitment to protecting vulnerable adults and safeguarding legislation.

All businesses need a safeguarding policy and it should be reviewed annually and made available to the public.

Yes, safeguarding of adults training is mandatory. In fact, it is a legal requirement for anyone who works with vulnerable adults and if they fail to prove that they have completed a safeguarding training course, they could face prosecution.

Organisations also need to follow safeguarding legislation such as the Care Act 2014 and The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 to ensure their employees are deemed suitable to work and are following the correct procedures when it comes to vulnerable adults.

It is advised that staff working with vulnerable adults update their safeguarding training every 2 years.