Safeguarding individuals at risk
We aim to always protect resident's right to live in safety and free from harm or abuse. If you think somebody is in danger, please report it to us and the relevant authorities.
We believe that safeguarding is everyone’s business – that’s why all our people must complete safeguarding children and adults at risk training.
Our safeguarding policies cover children and adults at risk.
Definition of a child
A child is anyone who has not yet reached the age of 18.
The most recognised types of child abuse are:
- physical
- emotional
- sexual
- neglect and acts of omission
However, the NSPCC goes further and more specifically when describing the different types of child abuse. They include:
- witnessing domestic violence
- child sexual exploitation involving money
- bullying and online cyber bullying
- grooming by sexual perpetrators or radical extremists
- female genital mutilation
- child trafficking
County lines
We've also added ‘county lines’ to our list of types of child abuse.
According to the Serious Violence Strategy 2018, county lines is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more areas within the UK, using dedicated mobile phones or other forms of “deal lines”.
They are likely to exploit children and vulnerable adults to move and store the drugs and money and they will often use coercion, intimidation, violence – including sexual violence, and weapons.
Definition of an adult at risk
An adult is anyone aged 18 or over and the Care Act 2014 stipulates that safeguarding duties apply to an adult who:
- has care and support needs – whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs
- is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect
- as a result of those care and support needs are unable to protect themselves from either the risk of or the experience of abuse or neglect
Types of abuse include:
- physical abuse
- emotional
- sexual abuse
- neglect and acts of omission
- self-neglect
- financial or material abuse
- organisational abuse
- discriminatory abuse
- modern slavery
- domestic abuse
Cuckooing
We've also added ‘cuckooing’ to our list of types of abuse due to the increased number of cases seen over recent years.
Cuckooing is a practice where people take over a person’s home and use the property to facilitate exploitation. It takes its name from cuckoos that take over the nests of other birds.
Different types of cuckooing include:
- using the property to deal, store or take drugs
- using the property for sex work
- taking over the property to live in it
- living at the property and abusing or exploiting the tenant
How to report cuckooing
If you think an adult at risk has had their home taken over by a group or individual, please email our Safeguarding team.
How to help if you think a child or adult at risk is being abused
If you think somebody is in imminent danger, call 999. If they're not in immediate danger, please contact the local authority's Safeguarding Children and Adults At Risk teams.
If the person at risk of abuse (not in imminent danger) is an L&Q resident, please email our Safeguarding team.
Our Alert and Response service
If you're worried about a vulnerable family member or friend who lives alone, our Alert and Response service can help through round-the-clock monitoring equipment, like pendant alarms, to provide support and reassurance for you or your loved one. To find out more, visit our Alert and Response page