Safeguarding Adults Board Campaign 'Safeguarding is everyone’s business'
Somerset Council and the Somerset Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB) have launched a new campaign asking Somerset residents to look out for members of their community who might be experiencing abuse.
The campaign, called ‘Safeguarding is everyone’s business’, asks that people do their part in supporting their communities by recognising the signs of self-neglect when they see them because self-neglect can be an indicator that someone is being abused. Acting early when you suspect that someone is neglecting themselves could save a person’s life.
If someone is struggling, getting them help early on can prevent things from getting worse, so if people are concerned about a neighbour, friend, or member of their community they can contact Somerset Council to raise a safeguarding concern by calling 0300 123 2224 or email adults@somerset.gov.uk. If someone is in immediate danger, the Police should be called by dialling 999.
Somerset has seen a rise in instances of self-neglect-related safeguarding enquiries over recent years – rising from 3.57% in 2019/20 to 7.69% in 2022/23, which is slightly above the national average. The poster campaign focuses on three signs of self-neglect which can be looked out for. These are hoarding, isolation from friends and loved ones, and losing interest in self-care activities such as maintaining hygiene or paying household bills.
Annual reports
We feel that people should be provided with information to help them understand the different types of abuse, how to stay safe, what to do to raise a concern about their safety or well-being or that of another adult and what will happen next if they raise a concern.
