Report neglect or abuse of an adult (safeguarding concern)

If you believe a crime has taken place please report this to the Metropolitan Police by calling 101 or if someone is in danger of being hurt right now, call the Metropolitan Police on 999.

Abuse is a violation of a person’s human and civil rights by any other person. It is where someone does something to another person that puts the adult at risk of harm or it has a negative impact on their quality of life. 
Abuse may be deliberate, a result of ignorance or lack of training and can happen once or repeatedly. Abuse or neglect can take place anywhere. It could take place at home, in hospital, in a nursing or residential care home or anywhere else in the community.

Types of abuse and neglect

The abuse or neglect could come from anyone including family members, friends or professionals.

It could include:

• Physical abuse
• Domestic or sexual abuse
• Neglect
• Someone not looking after themselves (self neglect)
• Psychological or emotional abuse (bullying someone or making them feel scared)  
• Forcing someone to work (modern slavery)
• Financial abuse
• Discriminatory abuse
• Organisational abuse

Adults at risk (of neglect or abuse)

An adult at risk is someone who may be in need of help because they have care and support needs. They may be unable to stop someone else from harming or exploiting them.
Some adults may be at more risk of harm, abuse or neglect and more vulnerable than others.

Some factors may increase someone's risks of abuse and neglect:

• Having a disability, health problems
• Mental health needs
• Substance misuse problems
• Lacking mental capacity
• Having a cognitive impairment
• Having communication difficulties
• Experiencing unstable family life and living conditions
• Living in supported accommodation or care home  
• Experiencing isolation and social exclusion
• Relying on others for help, being targeted due to ‘visible vulnerability’

Signs of abuse and neglect

An Adult at Risk may respond in a variety of ways to abuse, some of which may seem out of character or unusual.

Signs of physical abuse may include:

• Reports of being hit, or mistreated
• Signs of past or current injuries
• A sudden change in behaviour
• The caregiver's refusal to allow visitors to see an adult at risk alone
• Unexplained weight loss
• No explanation for injuries or inconsistency with the account of what happened

Signs of domestic abuse may include:

• Injuries to the body
• Being isolated from friends or family
• Low self-esteem and self-blaming for their abuse)
• Humiliation in front of others
• Person is not able to go out alone
• Limited access to money
• Damage to the home or other property

Signs of sexual abuse may include below. These can be very difficult to identify due to the personal nature of this type of abuse:

• Injury and/or bruising to the intimate areas of the body.
• Pain or discomfort when walking or sitting
• Damaged or stained clothing
• Self-harming, poor concentration, withdrawal, sleep disturbance
• Sexually transmitted infections or incontinence that is unrelated to a medical diagnosis
• Unexplained pregnancy involving a person who is unable to consent
• Not wanting to receive help with personal care
• Reluctance to be alone with a particular person

Signs of neglect may include:

• Poor personal hygiene
• A dirty or unhygienic environment and living conditions
• Dehydration and/or malnutrition
• Unexplained weight loss
• Inadequate clothing
• Avoiding contact or not taking an adult to meet with medical or social care organisations
• Unattended or untreated health problems injuries or medical problems

Signs of self neglect may include:

• Poor personal hygiene and an unkempt appearance.
• Lack of essential food, inappropriate and/or inadequate clothing or shelter.
• Poor living conditions, including living in unsanitary, hazardous or unsafe living conditions.
• Hoarding of possessions and other items
• Malnutrition and/or dehydration.
• Inadequate medical care, not taking prescribed medications properly or treat illnesses or injuries
• Lack of the necessary medical aids
• Homelessness

Signs of psychological or emotional abuse may include:

• Tearfulness and other signs of distress, including anger
• Fearfulness or silence when a particular person is around.
• Depression, low self-esteem, confusion, withdrawal or change in the emotional state of the person.
• Insomnia and/or Loss of sleep
• Unexpected or unexplained change in behaviour, including aggressive shouting
• Changes in appetite, or weight loss or gain

Signs of financial abuse may include:

• Withdrawal of sums of money from bank accounts, and/or via cashpoints
• Unexplained disappearance of funds or valuable possessions
• Lack of money, food, clothing, heating
• Unusual activity in bank accounts
• Unpaid bills
• Entering into debt
• Internet or social media scamming, such as delivery of unexpected parcels
• Reluctance on the part of the person with responsibility for the funds to provide basic food and clothes etc
• Abrupt changes in a will or other financial documents
• Sudden appearance of previously uninvolved relatives claiming rights to a vulnerable adult’s possessions
• Giving another individual their bank card for purchases
• Potential misuse of responsibilities by people with power of attorney for an adult

Signs of discriminatory abuse may include:

• Adult at risk being treated unfairly
• Behavioural changes, including an individual becoming withdrawn, isolated, angry, frustrated, afraid and anxious
• An individual beginning to reject their own cultural background, personal beliefs, sexual preferences or lifestyle choices
• Lack of personal belongings
• Lack of privacy and dignity
• Use of punishments such as withholding food and drink
• A lack of support for an individual’s needs

Signs of modern slavery may include:

• Signs of physical or emotional abuse
• Appearing to be malnourished, unkempt or withdrawn
• Isolation from the community, seeming under the control or influence of others
• Living in dirty, cramped or overcrowded accommodation and or living and working at the same address
• Lack of personal effects or identification documents
• Always wearing the same clothes
• Avoidance of eye contact, appearing frightened or hesitant to talk to strangers
• Fear of law enforcers

Signs of organisational abuse may include:

• An unsafe, unhygienic or overcrowded environment
• A strict or inflexible routine
• Lack of privacy, dignity, and respect for people as individuals
• Withdrawing people from community or family contacts
• No choice offered with food, drink, dress or activities
• No respect or provisions for religion, belief, or cultural backgrounds
• Treating adults like children, including arbitrary decision-making
• Failure to provide necessary care
• Misuse of medication, poor care practices and poor record-keeping

If you are worried about yourself or that someone else maybe experiencing abuse or neglect, you can find more information and report neglect or abuse of an adult (safeguarding concern) here.