Users and carers' information
Users and carers are people who already receive care and support services from Durham County Council and the NHS, or help those people that do.
Users
Who do we mean?
Users are people already receiving care and support services from Durham County Council and the NHS.
It is important that you can recognise and report abuse with confidence for yourself or another person.You may be living in your own home or in a care home.You need to talk to someone you can trust and ask them for help. You can also report abuse yourself by calling Social Care Direct on 0845 850 5010.
The victim
If you do experience abuse - this includes Domestic Abuse - our main concern is for your safety and welfare. With your consent, we will:
- keep you safe
- offer help
- increase your support
- offer you long term protection if needed
Perpetrators
Perpetrators come from all walks of life – professionals, care staff, volunteers, friends, neighbours, family and tradespeople. We can protect you by:
- Using the criminal justice system.
- Using disciplinary action or dismissal.
- Barring from workforce via Independent Safeguarding Authority.
- Providing the perpetrator with extra help.
- Providing the perpetrator with extra training.
- Providing the perpetrator with extra supervision.
For the service
When there are incidents of abuse we will take action to:
- improve practice
- increase training
- enforce standards
- close poor services
Carers
Who do we mean?
Carers are ordinary members of the public such as wives, husbands, partners, children or friends who devote a lot of their time and energy providing practical and emotional support to users.
We know that these roles can be very rewarding and but also very demanding. These unpaid carers are looking after people with complex needs due to physical or mental health problems, frailty, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
We know that these situations can sometimes create unbearable stresses and strains for the carer and sometimes result in safeguarding referrals. It is important that carers understand what is abuse and recognise types of abuse.
While the main aim of safeguarding is to ensure that the user is kept safe and secure, our involvement is not intended to be punitive. We will always try and offer support and practical assistance for the carer wherever possible and reasonable.
The Association of Adult Directors of Social Services has produced this helpful guidance on Carers and Safeguarding.
Summary ADASS Guidance on Safeguarding.pdf (4 pages, 99.8kb)
Leaflets and documents
Our policies, procedures and documentation page has our range of leaflets and posters related to safeguarding adults, as well as relevant publications. You may also be interested in the role of the Independent Safeguarding Authority.
Easy read leaflets for members of the public and people receiving support and services
This leaflet contains advice staying safe.
Staying safe.pdf (21 pages, 2.04mb)
This leaflet contains advice on abuse and how to stop it.
Stop abuse now.pdf (17 pages, 1.93mb)
This leaflet explains what happens when abuse is reported.
What happens when abuse is reported.pdf (20 pages, 1.96mb).
Posters which illustrate experiences from people who have been affected by abuse
POSTERS.pdf (6 pages, 1.17mb)