Just what is it safeguarding in the health and social care? It’s a core principle of this sector, but what exactly does it mean and why is it so important?

As the health and social care sector includes many businesses and organisations that are responsible for looking after children, young people and vulnerable adults, safeguarding is essential in order to keep everyone safe from harm. But what does that actually look like?

In this article, we’re going to take a look at what safeguarding involves, why it’s important, what the law says about it and what safeguarding might look like in the health and social care sector.

Take a safeguarding training course with Virtual College today, to cement your knowledge.

What is Safeguarding?

Safeguarding is a concept that was introduced several decades ago in the United Kingdom and refers to the collection of measures that ensure groups such as children, young people, and vulnerable adults are protected from abuse, harm and neglect in society. These measures are wide ranging and ensure that everything from sexual abuse to malnutrition does not occur.

A note on adults and children: It’s very important to be aware that safeguarding processes are different when it comes to children and vulnerable adults. Different groups have different needs, and of course are able to make their own, differing, judgements. However, the broad concept of safeguarding and what it should achieve applies equally to both.

Why is Safeguarding Important?

Safeguarding is particularly important because the groups in question - children, young people and vulnerable adults - are those most at risk from abuse, neglect and harm. This is primarily because they have a lessened ability to keep themselves safe, which means that it is the responsibility of others to ensure that happens. As a result, anyone who works with or is otherwise responsible for these groups is likely to need to understand what safeguarding is, and how they can play a part in it.

Safeguarding and the Law

In health and social care, safeguarding is a legal obligation for all organisations, whether public or private. There are a number of pieces of legislation that will guide this, in addition to various standards, processes and precedents that are set by local authorities. When it comes to Health and Social Care, there are four major laws that workers will need to be aware of, and they are the following:

The Children Act 1989 - This is a core piece of legislation, and a hugely important one. It enshrines many of the most important safeguarding concepts when it comes to children, and aims to make sure that the welfare of all children is a priority. Social work pertaining to children will be informed by this law, which describes a number of orders which allow for children being cared for, protected, supervised and more.

The Children and Social Work Act 2017 - This Act builds on many of the principles of the Children Act, increasing provision for care leavers, giving clinical commissioning groups more responsibility, protecting whistleblowers, and generally ensuring that child safeguarding practices work and are being followed.

The Care Act 2014 - This is the main piece of legislation when it comes to safeguarding adults that are deemed vulnerable. It sets out a full framework for how everyone involved in safeguarding can protect adults from abuse, harm and neglect.

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 - This Act deals with the vetting process for those that will be working with vulnerable people. Safe recruitment is one of the important safeguarding principles.

In addition to these laws, data protection legislation is also important to safeguarding, as this is naturally a sensitive topic that must be treated with all of the security that important data warrants. As a result, the Data Protection Act may also be pertinent. It’s also worth noting that there is additional legislation for safeguarding outside health and social care, such as in educational settings.

What are the key principles of safeguarding?

Within the Care Act 2014, there are six principles of safeguarding when it comes to safeguarding adults – empowerment, prevention, proportionality, protection, partnership and accountability. Let’s look at each one in more detail:

Empowerment - Empowerment in social care means that even vulnerable people should have the power to make their own decisions, supported by others where necessary. They should have a say in how they are cared for.

Example: A care home resident with mild dementia might be encouraged to choose their own daily activities and meal preferences, with staff giving gentle guidance only when needed.

Prevention - It’s always more effective for vulnerable people that any abuse, harm, or neglect is prevented before it actually happens.

Example: Schools doing comprehensive staff training and background checks to prevent unsuitable individuals from working with children.

Proportionality - Safeguarding should try not to be overly intrusive in the lives of vulnerable people. It’s important that the safeguarding response is proportional to risk, not heavy-handed.

Example: When concerns are raised about an elderly person's home cleanliness, social services might arrange cleaning support rather than immediately removing them from their home.

Protection - Anyone in need should be given protection, in whatever way they need it. This could be protection from abuse or neglect in whatever form it takes.

Example: If a hospital patient says their injuries were caused by domestic violence, staff would immediately take steps to keep them safe and prevent further harm.

Partnership - Communities as a whole (including businesses, local authorities and anyone related to health and social care) have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse.

Example: A GP, social worker, and local police work together when they're worried about a vulnerable adult, sharing the right information to make sure the person gets the help they need.

Accountability - Everyone involved in safeguarding must be clear about what they're supposed to do and take responsibility for their actions. Records and decisions should be accurate and easy to understand.

Example: Being trained to know what to do when you spot the signs of abuse like contacting the dedicated safeguarding lead at your workplace.

These six principles work together to help staff make the right decisions in any safeguarding situation, making sure vulnerable people stay safe while respecting their choices and dignity.

Recognising the Signs of Abuse and Neglect in Health and Social Care

One of the most crucial parts of safeguarding in care is being able to recognise when abuse or neglect might be occurring. Understanding what to look for enables health and social care professionals to intervene early and protect vulnerable individuals from further harm.

However, abuse and neglect can be difficult to spot. Especially in cases where people don’t necessarily realise they are being abused, particularly in vulnerable adults and children.

Types of Abuse to Watch Out For

In order to be effective at safeguarding, health and social care workers should be aware of the most common signs of abuse:

Physical abuse: This means hurting someone physically like hitting, slapping, pushing or restraining them inappropriately. Watch out for unexplained injuries, frequent accidents without proper explanations, or quiet and subdued behaviour around certain people.

Emotional & psychological abuse: This includes threats, put-downs, bullying, isolation, or controlling behaviour. Signs include sudden drops in confidence, withdrawing from others, or becoming scared around certain people.

Financial abuse: This involves stealing money or belongings, fraud, or forcing someone to make financial decisions. Look out for trouble paying bills despite them having a stable income, missing belongings, or unexplained money problems.

Sexual abuse: This involves any unwanted sexual activity or inappropriate touching. Warning signs include unusual behaviour changes, physical discomfort, or fear during personal care.

Neglect - Neglect happens when someone doesn't get the basic care they need. This could be food, shelter, or even medical help. The signs to look for are things like poor personal hygiene, not eating enough or poor living conditions.

Learn more about the ten types of abuse in our guide to this vital topic for safeguarding trainees.

Your Role in Recognising Abuse as a Care Professional 

If you work in a care setting, you’re duty-bound to play a role in safeguarding. This means you need to keep alert to signs of abuse or neglect in the people who you care for. If you do notice anything that seems wrong, it’s your duty to report it. Remember, acting fast can save lives when it comes to intervening.

Get Equipped With Safeguarding Training

If you work in the health and social care sector in any capacity, you’re highly likely to need mandatory safeguarding training. It’s crucial for helping you learn how to recognise abuse or neglect and how to escalate your concerns in the right way. This should help you feel confident to take action and help the people you work with.

Virtual College specialises in safeguarding training, with engaging online courses that cover essential topics.

Take an online safeguarding course today.