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What is harm?

Adult Support and Protection

 There are many ways that an adult may be harmed. These could be:

 

 

  • Physical ways, by being injured or neglected

 

  • Psychological ways, by being made afraid or distressed

 

  • Their property or money may be taken without their agreement, knowledge or understanding

 

  • They may hurt themselves by what they do or by

          not taking care of themselves

 

 

Adult Support & Protection text

 

How do we know that an adult may be at risk of harm?

 

An adult who is being harmed may tell someone about it, but sometimes they just keep quiet. They may be afraid to tell anyone or they may be worried about what would happen if they told someone.

This means that sometimes it is up to other people to realise that an adult may be at risk. You may become concerned about someone because you notice that something is wrong.

 

You may

 

  • notice a change in their behaviour

  • see that an adult has an injury that they cannot explain

  • find the adult distressed but unable to explain why

  • discover that the adult has no money cannot pay their usual bills

  • find that the adult is no longer clean and tidy

 

These are just some of the signs that an adult may be at risk of harm: there could be many others, too.

The most important thing is that if you believe that an adult may be at risk of harm you tell someone about it.

 

Who may be causing harm?

 

Anyone may harm an adult who finds it hard to protect themselves:

 

  • a family member such as a partner, a parent, a son or daughter or a grandchild

  • a neighbour

  • a care worker

  • a stranger

 

Where may an adult be harmed?

 

Harm can take place anywhere that the adult spends time, whether at home, in someone else’s home, a care setting such as a day centre or residential home or anywhere else that someone may make them feel unsafe.

 

What to do if you are worried about someone who may be at risk of harm:

 

It is everyone’s business to help protect adults who may be at risk. If you know someone who you believe is being harmed please tell us so that we can help them to protect themselves.

 

If you believe that someone is in urgent need of help to keep them safe please contact the police on 999.

 

Otherwise contact the social work team for the area where that person lives:

                                                Clydebank: 0141 562 8800

                                                Dumbarton: 01389 737020

                                                Vale of Leven: 01389 608080

 

Or the Out of Hours Social Work Service: 0800 811505

 

Strathclyde Police: 0141 532 3000

 

The Care Commission  (for concerns about a registered care service) 0845 6030890 or 0141 843 4230

 

Or a GP or other health staff