safeguarding regulations

Health and social care settings are now much more aware of what is seen as abuse and how to recognise when abuse has occurred. Due to this there has been safeguarding regulations put in place for vulnerable groups of people. Safeguarding is protecting people from any harm. Each care setting has procedures that should enable them to identify and risks to vulnerable people more clearly.

Some people are more at risk than others an example of people who would be more at risk are vulnerable adults. An older person is an example of a vulnerable adult. They are vulnerable if they are ill, frail or in a confused state of mind. Abuse to older people can happen in their own home, nursing homes or even hospitals. Another example of a vulnerable adult is someone with learning disabilities. Vulnerable adults become almost dependent on their careers, so their carers may feel that they have the power to abuse them and they could be very intimidating to a vulnerable adult. Safeguarding helps protect these people; it is there to ensure that the risk of abuse is at its minimum.

Another group of people who are more at risk of abuse are children and young people. Children are at risk because they are unsure of what is right and what is wrong, so they may not recognise abuse if it was happening, they are often unable to speak out and get help. They are not old enough to understand morals, norms and values. Young people can often be easily intimidated or pressured into things because they don’t want to get in trouble or for other reasons. If a young person reported abuse they may be not be believed as much as an older person would. There are regular inspections and checks carried out on any staff who works with children and young adults, this reduces any risks of abuse.

Due to the Independent Safeguarding Authority’s Scheme all staff working with vulnerable people have to have an enhanced disclosure Criminal Records Bureau check, this is to ensure that the staff do not have a