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Staying safe and avoiding harm

Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and be free from abuse. If you think someone is at risk of abuse, you should call us immediately.

If you report abuse and there is a major risk of harm we will aim to visit within 24 hours. For other reports of abuse, we will normally visit within five working days. If you are in immediate danger, you should call 999.

Contact details

If you are worried about a vulnerable adult, you can contact us in one of these ways:

  • Telephone: 0116 454 1004 (Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm, Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm)
  • Emergency number: 0116 255 1606 
  • Office address: Customer Services, 91 Granby Street, LE1 6FB

What is abuse?

Abuse can take many forms:

  • physical abuse such as hitting, shaking, hair-pulling
  • sexual abuse such as rape or sexual assault
  • psychological or emotional abuse such as threats of harm, harassment, verbal abuse
  • financial or material abuse such as theft, fraud or exploitation
  • neglect such as ignoring medical or physical care needs
  • discriminatory abuse – harassment or slurs based on a person’s race, sexuality or disability
  • institutional abuse – abuse in residential homes, nursing homes or hospitals.

What is safeguarding?

We often refer to ‘safeguarding’ work. This means:

  • helping vulnerable adults to keep themselves safe, to prevent harm from happening in the first place
  • responding to concerns about suspected harm and putting in place plans to help protect those adults who cannot protect themselves.

How do we carry out our safeguarding work?

We work with our partners to keep vulnerable adults safe and respond to concerns.

Partners include:

  • health professionals
  • people working in the community
  • voluntary or community groups
  • the police.

We provide training to ensure workers and volunteers can identify signs of abuse. Our training also helps workers learn how to minimise the risk of abuse.

We respond to concerns or reports of abuse raised by professionals or members of the public.

We work with care providers such as residential homes and nursing homes. We encourage them to share examples of good practice and we inspect them to make sure that they meet agreed standards.

We also work with Leicester Safeguarding Adults Board. This independent board includes different agencies that work together to keep people safe. The board also conducts serious case reviews when things go wrong.

Elsewhere on the web

  • NHS Choices has advice on doorstep safety, support for vulnerable adults, bullying at work and advice for people who are considering self-harm or suicide .
  • Age UK and First Stop Care Advice provide information on staying safe at home.

Below are useful guides and factsheets on staying safe and avoiding harm: