Newcastle City Council

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In Newcastle we work together with other agencies to protect vulnerable adults from abuse and neglect. This is called safeguarding adults.

Report abuse

Adult Social Care Direct (8 am - 6 pm) - 0191 278 8377

Outside of these hours call - 0191 232 8520

In an emergency always dial 999

Disability, illness or frailty means that many adults over the age of 18 have to rely on other people to help them in their day-to-day living. Sadly, it is because they have to depend on others that they may become vulnerable and at risk of abuse, very often from the people they know such as a relative, friend, neighbour or paid worker.

Abuse can happen anywhere. It can take place in a person's own home, in a residential or nursing home, a hospital, day centre or in the street.

Abuse is never ok. If you or someone you know is being abused, it is important to tell someone. Please do this by talking to Adult Social Care using the contact details listed below:

Adult Social Care will guide you through the process.

Preventing adult abuse is everyone's responsibility and anybody can raise an alert.

• If you are concerned that a child is being abused you should contact the Children's Social Care Initial Response Service by telephoning 0191 277 2500 or by clicking here.
• If you are concerned about abuse of an adult that is happening somewhere else in the North East, please contact the relevant area's safeguarding adults team.
• If you work or volunteer with vulnerable adults, or you want to find out more about safeguarding adults in Newcastle, click here.

What will happen next?

Your contact with us will be treated as an 'alert'. Our response will depend on the wishes and circumstances of the person who is being abused and the seriousness of the situation. If they are in any danger, our primary concern will be to ensure their safety.

In response to your alert, our trained staff will carry out a careful and sensitive enquiry. We will work together with all of the relevant organisations and provide information and advice to ensure informed choice about how best to protect and care for the abused person. There may be a need for further action or investigation in order to protect the vulnerable adult from abuse.

Abuse

Abuse can take many forms. Abuse is not acceptable.

Abuse is when someone does or says something that upsets or frightens a person.  There are different ways people can abuse:

• Physical abuse - hurting someone.  This could be hitting, kicking, burning, holding down or pushing around.
• Sexual abuse - touching or doing things to someone which they don't like.  They could make the person touch them or kiss them when they do not want to.
• Psychological abuse - saying things to upset a person.  They could say a person is stupid, threaten a person, make a person sad or hurt a person's feelings.
• Financial abuse - taking money or private things without asking.  They might spend a persons money in a way that they do not want.
• Neglect - looking after somone badly.  They might not help a person to get food, keep warm and safe or take them to the doctors for help.
• Discriminatory abuse - treating someone badly because of their disability, religion or the colour of their skin.
• Institutional abuse - a service not putting a person first.  This could be a day centre, a hospital or a home.  For example a person might not be treated with dignity and respect.

Newcastle Safeguarding Adults Board

In Newcastle we have a Safeguarding Adults Board made up of representatives from the Council, NHS, Police, Probation and the community and voluntary sector. The Board makes sures that all organisations work closely together, using the same policies and procedures, to protect and prevent abuse of vulnerable adults. You can find out more about the work of the Board here.

Page last updated: 23 January, 2013