Keeping people safe (safeguarding adults)
Barnet Council is committed to working in partnership with other organisations to support adults at risk to maintain their independence and to be able to live a life that is free from abuse and neglect.
Where abuse is suspected or reported, the Pan-London Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures will be used to make sure that a consistent and comprehensive response is provided.
What is abuse?
Abuse is any form of mistreatment or lack of care from another person or persons that leads to injury or harm. Abuse can happen to anyone regardless of their age, gender, race or ability. It may be planned or unplanned and it may be the result of deliberate intent, negligence or ignorance.
Abuse can take many forms and all of them are distressing:
Abuse can take place in a person's own home, a residential or nursing home, supported housing, day centres, clinics or hospitals and the abuser can be a friend, neighbour, relative, a paid or unpaid carer, professional worker or anyone from your community.
Abuse can happen once, twice or many times, no matter how many times it happens, it is wrong and you should not have to suffer.
The pages in this section give more information about these forms of abuse. Information about other crime such as domestic violence, anti social behaviour including hate crime can also be found on this website.
How can you help?
Unfortunately those being abused are often the least likely to bring the situation to anyone's attention. If you see, or know of, a worrying situation please do not ignore it.
Get in touch with us and we will do something about it. This may mean acting directly on your information and/or contacting other services to put an end to an abusive or neglectful situation. Any information you provide to us will be treated in the strictest confidence. Find out more about what happens after you report abuse.
We will also provide information and offer practical advice to the person suffering abuse, so that they can make an informed choice about any help they might need, or any action they may wish to take. If they are unable to make an informed choice, care will be taken to support and protect them.
