Protecting adults: Information for providers and professionals

One of the most important ways that agencies and services can safeguard vulnerable adults is by following the "Protecting adults at risk: London multi-agency policies and procedures to safeguard adults from abuse". This policy can be found on the Social Care Institute of Excellence's website.

The key expectations are all agencies will:

• follow a robust recruitment procedure including relevant Criminal Record Bureau and Independent Safeguarding Authority (Vetting and Barring Scheme) checks. The Criminal Records Bureau's website offers more information.
• take appropriate disciplinary action and report staff who are found to have abused adults at risk. Agencies should also make appropriate reports to the Independent Safeguarding Authority and contact details can be found on their website. 
• have an accessible whistle-blowing and complaints procedure that empowers adults at risk, their carers and frontline staff to report abuse
• provide clear policies and procedures where appropriate, for example on risk-taking, sexuality and maintaining dignity, so that staff and volunteers know what is expected of them
• ensure that there are sufficient resources for staff and volunteers to provide care and support to the standard needed
• report incidents as detailed within the procedure or by regulatory or commissioning bodies.

Agencies have a right to:

• be notified of any risk posed to staff, volunteers, other vulnerable adults and visitors by a vulnerable adult or somebody connected with them
• be kept fully informed of progress on any investigation unless this would potentially damage the integrity of evidence.