Safeguarding vulnerable adults is absolutely fundamental to everything Earnest Support Care does across Swindon and Wiltshire. We have a zero tolerance approach to abuse and exploitation. Every member of our team is committed to recognising, reporting, and preventing abuse.
This page outlines what safeguarding is, the types of abuse we are trained to recognise, our safeguarding procedures, and how you can report concerns.
Safeguarding is the process of protecting vulnerable people from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and harm. In the care sector, safeguarding is about ensuring that individuals have the right to be protected from risk of harm whilst maintaining their independence and promoting their wellbeing. Safeguarding is not just the responsibility of one person or organisation; it is a shared responsibility involving the individual themselves, their family, care providers, social services, health services, police, and the community. Effective safeguarding is person-centred and outcome-focused. It is about listening to what the person wants and helping them achieve their goals safely.
Safeguarding applies to all people who need care and support. This includes older people, people with disabilities, people with mental health conditions, people with dementia, and anyone in a situation where they may be vulnerable to abuse or exploitation. Vulnerability is not about having a particular diagnosis; it is about circumstances that put someone at risk. This might be isolation, dependency on care workers for intimate care, cognitive decline, having no family or advocate, or poverty.
The Care Act 2014 established six key principles that underpin safeguarding work in England. These principles guide how we protect vulnerable adults:
Putting the person at the centre of safeguarding. Empowerment means listening to what the person wants, respecting their choices, supporting them to make decisions, and promoting their independence. We do not make decisions for people; we support them to make their own choices and to have control over their lives. This is central to person-centred safeguarding.
Acting early to prevent abuse and harm from occurring in the first place. Prevention involves taking steps to reduce vulnerability, building resilience, improving awareness, and addressing risk factors. For domiciliary care, prevention includes staff training on recognising risks, careful matching of care workers to individuals, and putting safeguards in place, for example, procedures for handling service user money.
Intervening in a way that is proportionate to the risk and tailored to the individual. Not all concerns require full investigation; some can be managed through conversation, reassurance, or monitoring. Proportionality means we do not overreact but we do respond appropriately to the level of concern. We consider what the person wants and how our safeguarding actions will affect them.
Acting decisively to protect people from harm. If abuse is suspected, we act to ensure the person is safe. This may include stopping visits from a particular care worker, making a safeguarding referral, supporting the person to report to police, or contacting other agencies. Ultimately, the safety of vulnerable people must be paramount.
Working together with the individual, their family, professionals, and other agencies. Safeguarding is not the role of one organisation. We work with social services, police, health services, advocates, and others to investigate concerns and protect people. Effective safeguarding requires information sharing and multi-agency working.
Being transparent and taking responsibility for safeguarding. We are accountable to the people we support, to regulators such as the CQC, to commissioners, and to the public. We document our safeguarding work, report on concerns, and ensure we meet the legal and ethical duties placed on us.
Our staff receive training on recognising different types of abuse and exploitation. Understanding the signs and forms of abuse allows us to spot concerns and take appropriate action.
Deliberate physical contact or violence that causes harm. Examples include hitting, slapping, pushing, or using restraint inappropriately. Physical abuse may also include inappropriate use of medication, forcibly withholding food or drink, or restricting someone's movement.
Controlling or violent behaviour by a partner, ex-partner, or family member. Domestic abuse is not always physical; it can include threats, emotional control, financial control, isolation, or sexual abuse. Domestic abuse can happen at any age and affects vulnerable people in care. If we suspect domestic abuse, we report to appropriate agencies and support the person to access help.
Non-consensual sexual activity or exposure to sexual content. This can include forced sexual activity, being forced to watch sexual material, or sexual touching without consent. Sexual abuse is deeply harmful and is never acceptable. People with dementia, learning disabilities, or mental health conditions may be particularly vulnerable if they cannot consent or communicate freely.
Emotional harm through threats, humiliation, isolation, or intimidation. Examples include constant criticism, name-calling, being made to feel worthless, being prevented from seeing family, or being threatened with withdrawal of care. Psychological abuse can be subtle but deeply damaging to wellbeing and mental health.
Theft, fraud, coercion, or misuse of someone's money, property, or possessions. Examples include stealing from a service user, pressuring someone to give money or sign documents, misusing power of attorney, or ripping people off with false services. Older people and people with dementia can be particular targets. We have procedures to prevent financial abuse and report any suspected concerns.
Holding someone in servitude or forcing them to work without fair pay, often through debt, deception, or coercion. Modern slavery includes human trafficking. Care workers are trained to recognise signs of slavery and to report concerns to the relevant authorities.
Abuse based on identity, such as racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ageism, ableism, or discrimination based on religion or belief. This can include name-calling, exclusion, being denied services, or harassment. Everyone deserves respect regardless of background or characteristics.
Abuse that happens because of failures in how an organisation runs or treats people. Examples include lack of privacy, poor hygiene, inflexible routines, denial of dignity, or staff not following proper procedures. Organisational abuse can affect multiple people and often reflects poor management and culture rather than individual bad acts.
Failure to provide care, support, or help that someone needs. Neglect can include not helping someone with personal hygiene, not providing meals, not ensuring medication is taken, not maintaining the home, or ignoring someone's emotional needs. Neglect can be unintentional due to poor training or resources, or deliberate.
When a person neglects their own care, health, or safety. This might include not washing, not taking medication, not eating properly, hoarding, or living in poor conditions. Self-neglect often reflects depression, poverty, isolation, or cognitive decline and requires a compassionate, supportive response rather than purely a safeguarding response.
Making Safeguarding Personal" is an approach that puts the person at the centre of safeguarding. Rather than just protecting people from harm, we work with them to achieve the outcomes they want. Making Safeguarding Personal means:
Involving the person in safeguarding decisions that affect them
Respecting their choices, even if we think they are risky
Supporting them to express their views and wishes
Focusing on their wellbeing and independence
For example, if someone wants to remain living at home with risks we cannot fully eliminate, we work with them to manage those risks safely rather than forcing them into residential care. We balance protection with person-centred support and independence.
All staff at Earnest Support Care follow clear safeguarding procedures. If a concern or disclosure of abuse is identified, we respond according to our policy:
If you have concerns about someone receiving care from Earnest Support Care, or you suspect abuse, please report it. You can report to us or to external agencies:
Contact the Registered Manager, Claire Louise Lewis, or the Nurse Incharge, Gideon Ogunwale. Telephone 07799 248331 or email info@earnestsupportcare.co.uk. You can also visit the office in person. We will take your concerns seriously, listen carefully, and take appropriate action. There is no obligation to give your name, though it helps us understand and investigate concerns. Learn More
You can report directly to the local authority safeguarding team. Swindon Borough Council Adult Social Care: Telephone 01793 445000; Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH): mash@swindon.gov.uk. Adult social care will investigate concerns about any care provider or any vulnerable adult. Learn More
If someone is in immediate danger, or if a crime is suspected, contact the police. Emergency: 999. Non-emergency: 101. Police investigate crimes including assault, theft, sexual abuse, and fraud against vulnerable people. Learn More
The Swindon Safeguarding Adults Board oversees safeguarding in the area and can be contacted with concerns about how safeguarding is being handled. They coordinate responses to serious cases and monitor the safeguarding partnership. Learn More
All staff at Earnest Support Care complete safeguarding training at induction and annually. Training covers: what safeguarding is and why it matters; the different types of abuse; signs of abuse; how to listen and respond if someone discloses abuse; reporting procedures; multi-agency working; Mental Capacity Act 2005; confidentiality, whistleblowing; and their legal duties. Staff also receive specialist training relevant to the people we support, for example training on dementia and safeguarding, mental health and safeguarding, learning disability and safeguarding, and abuse in relationships. Regular supervision provides opportunity to discuss safeguarding concerns and reinforce learning. Learn More
Safeguarding at Earnest Support Care is based on legal requirements and professional standards:
Establishes the duty of local authorities to safeguard vulnerable adults, the six safeguarding principles, and the concept of Making Safeguarding Personal.
Requires care providers to have safeguarding policies and procedures and sets out our regulatory duties including the duty of candour.
Protects the rights of people who lack capacity to make decisions. Our staff understand and apply the Mental Capacity Act and the principles of capacity, best interests, and least restrictive option.
Protects fundamental human rights including the right to life, freedom from torture, right to privacy, and right to family life. Care services must respect and protect these rights.
Protects people from discrimination based on protected characteristics and requires us to make reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities.
Requires us to check that people working in care do not have a record of abuse and are safe to work with vulnerable people.
All staff employed by Earnest Support Care undergo an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before they start work. The DBS is a system that checks whether someone has a criminal record or is listed on the barring lists.
Barring lists are maintained for people who have been convicted of serious crimes against children or vulnerable adults or who have been referred by care regulators. No one who is barred can legally work in care. DBS checks provide an important safeguard for the people we support.
We encourage our staff to raise concerns about care quality or safeguarding without fear of retaliation. Whistleblowing is when a staff member reports unsafe practice, abuse, poor care, or other wrongdoing. We have a whistleblowing policy that protects staff who raise concerns in good faith.
Staff can speak to their manager, the Registered Manager, the Nurse Incharge, or external bodies such as the CQC or the police. We will not penalise staff for raising safeguarding concerns.
Stroke survivors often have specific personal care needs related to physical weakness, cognitive difficulties, communication problems, or emotional changes. Our care workers understand stroke recovery and are trained to support individuals during rehabilitation, using techniques that encourage maximum independence whilst ensuring safety.
Safeguarding is a partnership between organisations. We work with: Swindon Safeguarding Adults Board; Swindon Borough Council Adult Social Care; Great Western Hospitals NHS Trust; Avon and Wiltshire Partnership NHS Trust; police; advocates; and other care providers. When a safeguarding concern is identified, we involve the appropriate agencies and work together to investigate, protect the person, and prevent future harm.
If you have safeguarding concerns, please contact:
Swindon Borough Council Adult Social Care
01793 445000Police (Emergency)
999Police (Non-Emergency)
101Care Quality Commission
03000 616161 or www.cqc.org.ukSwindon Domestic Abuse Support
0800 183 1995National Adult Safeguarding Enquiry Line
0300 500 8000
