Safeguarding Information for Carers
Dealing with abuse as an unpaid carer
Dealing with abuse or neglect as a carer | Carers First
Abuse can happen anywhere, to anybody and by anyone. But it is more likely to happen somewhere it can be kept hidden, against people who may have needs for care and support or caring for someone who has needs, dependent or isolated and by someone they trust. It could be a one-off incident, or it could happen regularly over a long period. Abuse can sometimes be unintentional, but in many cases the abuser means to cause harm.
You may be concerned that the person you care for is being abused or neglected by others. Or you could be the one who is facing abusive behaviour, perhaps from the person you care for.
If you are concerned about someone else or are experiencing abuse yourself, then it is very important that you speak out. Abuse in any form is unacceptable. Everyone should have the basic right to live safely and without fear of harm.
Is this happening to you?
The first thing you need to do is tell someone. This might feel difficult – you may be frightened that it will make the abuse worse. You may worry about what will happen to you or the person you care for if you raise your concerns. You may feel embarrassed or ashamed about what has happened. You may think that the person you care for is not to blame for their actions because their condition means they are in pain, scared, resentful or unaware. You may think that you will not be taken seriously or believed. But you do need to take action.
Abuse is never acceptable, regardless of what the other person may be dealing with. You deserve to live a life that is safe and free from the fear of being harmed. Your concerns will be taken seriously, and action will be taken to protect you and stop the abuse.
If the abuse is happening due to a person’s medical diagnosis, there may be support or medication that can help. The best way to stop it from happening is to talk to someone who can help.
Ways in which you can safely seek help and report abuse:
- Contact emergency services. If you are in immediate danger or are having a medical emergency dial 999.
- Talk to someone you trust – try to find someone who will understand your situation and have the ability to act quickly.
- Talk to your GP. Tell them clearly what is happening and ask for their help to make it stop. They are trained in how to deal with situations like yours and will always take your concerns seriously.
- Report any crimes to the police. Call 101 if you think a crime has been committed.
- Get in touch with Adult Social Care at Southend City Council: You can report abuse of both adults and children directly to Southend City Council (details below).
- Ask for ANI at the pharmacy. If you ask for “ANI” (pronounced Annie) at the pharmacy, the pharmacist will recognise that as a code word meaning Assistance Needed Immediately. They will then escort you to a private room where they will be able to assist you and offer advice.
What if the person is experiencing a mental health crisis?
Call 111 (option 2) Support is available 24/7. If they have a diagnosis of dementia, contact the Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline free on 0800 888 6678. Open Monday to Friday 9am-9pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm.
Reporting abuse of an adult or carer to Southend City Council
If you suspect an adult is being abused or you are experiencing this yourself, but the situation does not require you to call 999 or report a crime on 101, you can raise a concern electronically.
Please click on this link to register and use the Safeguarding Portal.
Please note that portal referrals are not monitored outside of business hours. You are also able to raise a concern anonymously, electronically or by phone. If you need urgent support outside of business hours, please contact our Out of Hours Service on 03456061212 or via email [email protected]. They will assist you if your concern cannot wait until the next working day.
If you do not have access to the internet, or you are unable to raise your concerns using our online portal, you can ring Adult Social Care via our Contact Centre on 01702 215008.
Your information is stored securely in accordance with Southend-on-Sea City Council’s Adult Social Care Privacy Notice: Privacy notices – Southend-on-Sea City Council
What happens once you have raised your concern?
Southend City Council will take the following steps upon receipt of your referral:
- if we feel that the person is in immediate danger, or that a crime is taking place, we will contact the police immediately
- we will review your concern, and it will be passed to the most appropriate team
- we will work with you to understand what you want, and if required, put actions in place to protect you from harm
Every safeguarding situation is different, and where we can, we will fully respect the wishes of the person making the referral. If the person at risk is not you and does not want information to be shared, we are unable to contact you with an update.
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