Safeguarding children and adults

Safeguarding children and adults

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults is a primary concern, and statutory duty of the council.

We all have a duty to protect children and adults from abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

We are committed to carrying out our responsibilities to safeguard our residents by putting in a place a package of measures and inventions that support the most vulnerable.

Leaflets are available in various languages, as well as British Sign Language (BSL) friendly, detailing how we can protect ourselves from abuse.

What does Safeguarding mean?

Safeguarding means protecting a person’s health, wellbeing and human rights, it applies to children as well as adults, and involves enabling people to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. We strive to protect the welfare of both children and adults at risk.

Safeguarding Policy

We have our own Safeguarding Policy which sets our approach in protecting vulnerable people from harm.

Our role as a borough council is to share information with relevant partner agencies, and make referrals to the safeguarding authority, Kent County Council (KCC).

We also have a duty to work in partnership with other key agencies such as Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board (KMSAB) and Kent Safeguarding Children Multi-Agency Partnership (KSCMP).  By working closely and collaboratively with these agencies and professionals, we can promote the welfare and safety of children and adults at risk in the county.

Reporting a concern

If you are concerned that a child or adult is at immediate risk of harm, always call 999.

Kent County Council lead on safeguarding concerns for children and adults. See KCC website for details on how to report safeguarding concerns.

Key contact details:

If you are a child, you can visit Childline or NSPCC for general advice on abuse and what to do if you or someone you know needs help. You can also call, email, or use the live chat option.

Advocacy services

The Advocacy People are an independent charity providing free and confidential services in Kent, they help to understand individual situations and provide tailored support and advice.  This includes advocacy for people with mental health or who lack capacity, advocacy for children and young people, and care, support, and safeguarding advocacy.

Please see Flowchart for Statutory Advocacy

Support for Carers

We recognise the importance of carers and the challenge that carers face on a daily basis, whether that be giving unpaid care to someone who is over the age of 18, caring for your own child with additional needs/disabilities, or caring for a vulnerable family member.  Support is available through Gravesham Borough Council’s partnership with Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board (KMSAB) Information and Support for Carers and also at Kent Support for Carers.

Self-Neglect

Self-neglect involves a persistent conscious failure of an adult to take care of themselves and is therefore unable to meet basic physical and/or psychological needs.  It can include a wide range of behaviour including hoarding, animal collecting, non-compliance, risky behaviour, failure to eat, drink, maintain home environment, personal hygiene, financial viability, social contact, comply with treatment, and protect oneself from abuse.

  • Self-neglect may happen because the person is unable to manage to care for themselves or for their home, because they are unwilling to do so, or sometimes both.
  • Self-neglect differs from other forms of abuse because it does not involve a perpetrator.
  • Self-neglect can be life threatening and can pose a risk to others if fire and housing regulations are not being followed for example.

Hoarding

Hoarding is the excessive collection and retention of any material to the point that living space is sufficiently cluttered to preclude activities for what they are designed for.

Hoarding disorder is a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them, often creating such cramped living conditions that homes may be filled to capacity. Some people also collect animals/pets in unsanitary conditions.

Hoarding Support Groups are free to attend and provide a necessary resource for hoarders as well as their families and those affected by hoarding. The support groups are self-help groups and have been very effective for those who are challenged by their clutter.

Support available:

Care Needs Assessments

If you think someone requires any care and/or support needs they are entitled to a free care needs assessment. People can either complete a needs assessment themselves or ask for a referral from a professional.

If your concerns are about an adult at risk of self-neglect or hoarding, or you are concerned they cannot look after themselves adequately and they require support, please complete a professional referral for a Care Needs Assessment with Kent County Council.

Mental Wellbeing

Mental Health

There are different types of mental illness, some are more common, such as depression and anxiety disorders, and some are less common, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. ,Mental illness, as with any health difficulty, can cause disability, which is sometimes severe. This is not always well understood by people who have never experienced a mental illness.

Our mental health is how we’re feeling inside, or how we are emotionally.  Our mental health may change because of situations we’re in, things we’re doing and things beyond our control, including other people, our physical health, our finances and even the weather and world events.  All of us are affected by what happens to us, past and present.  Things that happened even many years ago can affect our mental health today. 

It is vital to not only protect and promote the mental well-being of all, but also to address the needs of people with mental health conditions. Mental Health problems are difficult experiences that make it harder for us to get on with our lives. They include the painful feelings and thoughts that we all have at times – including periods of sadness, hopelessness and fear.

Mental Capacity

Our mental capacity means our ability to understand information and make decisions about our life. It can also mean the ability to communicate decisions about our life.

Mental capacity is the ability to understand and retain the information relevant to a specific decision, to use the relevant information as part of the process of making that specific decision, to weigh up potential consequences and to communicate the decision, at the time the decision needs to be made.  When in communication with someone you must establish, to the best of your ability, whether the person understands what you are telling them and the risks that may apply to them.

Suicide

Suicide is a major public health issue, each year people of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds die as a result of taking their own life. Many more experience suicidal thoughts at one time or another. Suicide is preventable. Most suicidal people do not want to die; they simply do not want to live with the pain they are experiencing any longer. We can learn to spot the warning signs so we can help identify and support someone experiencing suicidal thoughts and sign post them to agencies and services who can help them.

Suicidal Ideation

Suicidal ideation is when you think about killing yourself. The thoughts might or might not include a plan to die by suicide. You may have heard suicidal ideation referred to as ‘suicidal thoughts’, not everyone with suicidal ideation acts on it. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 and it provides free and confidential support.

Support Available

Anyone experiencing an urgent mental health crisis can call 111 and select the option for mental health, when prompted, to speak to a specially trained mental health practitioner.  If you think there is a risk to your life, or the life of someone else, please do not call 111. Dial 999 instead.

KCC Mental Health support– Release the pressure – call 08001070160. Help with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, money worries, relationship troubles, stress, suicidal thoughts.

Shout offer 24/7 Mental Health Support - Text the word SHOUT to 85258

Crisis Text Line provides free and confidential 24/7 support – Text HOME to 741741

Mind Mid-Kent also offer free Adult Suicide Prevention Training please visit www.maidstonemind.org/free-digital-suicide-prevention-training/

Samaritans – Call 116 123

Mind – Call 0300 123 3393

Mental Health Matter – Call 0800 107 0160

Kent and Medway NHS Partnership Trust - KMPT NHS Support

Mental Capacity Resources - MENCAP advice and support

Further Safeguarding Support Available

Prevent - prevent.referrals@kent.police.uk / www.kent.police.uk / www.kent.gov.uk/prevent / 0800 789 321

Imago: 0300 111 1110 / http://www.imago.community/Children-and-Young-People/Kent-Young-Carers

Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111 / https://crimestoppers-uk.org/

Modern Slavery: 0800 0121 700 / https://www.modernslaveryhelpline.org

National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1 888 373 7888

Female Genital Mutilation: 0800 028 3550 / help@nspcc.org.uk

UK Visas and Immigration: 01303 247 088 / Kent&Sussex@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247 / https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/

Domestic Abuse (support services in Kent): http://www.domesticabuseservices.org.uk/

Karma Nirvana (Forced Marriage and Honour-based abuse): 0800 599 9247

Forced Marriage Unit: 0207 008 0151

NSPCC: 0808 800 5000 / http://www.nspcc.org.uk

Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre: 0870 000 33 44 / https://www.ceop.police.uk/

Shelter: 0808 800 4444 / http://www.shelter.org.uk/

Porchlight: 0800 567 76 99 / http://www.porchlight.org.uk/

Citizen’s Advice Bureau: 01474 878 639 / http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board: https://www.kmsab.org.uk/

Kent Safeguarding Children’s Multi-Agency Partnership: https://www.kscmp.org.uk/procedures