We have an Adult Safeguarding Policy in place to ensure that all our service users are protected from abuse and to make sure that those who have been abused receive support and protection from further abuse. Our policy has been developed with reference to government policy and best practice.

All our staff and volunteers receive training to make sure they know the steps to be taken when abuse is disclosed, identified, suspected or alleged. 

Our Adult Safeguarding Champion is Rosie McNaughton, Director of Employability and Community Inclusion, and each service area has dedicated adult safeguarding leads.  If you use Cedar services and have any concerns you should speak to your key worker or the manager for the service.

General information is also available on the Northern Ireland Adult Safeguarding Partnership (NIASP) website and contact details for the Adult Gateway teams (who can accept referrals from anyone if there is a concern) are on each of the Health & Social Care Trust websites (links below).

What is abuse?

It includes: 

• Physical abuse, where the abuser hits, pushes, kicks, treats the person roughly or worse.  
• Psychological / emotional abuse or bullying involving threats, name-calling, insults, humiliation and meanness.  
• Sexual abuse, for instance being touched or hit in private places, or even being sexually assaulted. Sexual abuse can be verbal too, through comments and jokes that make the older person feel threatened or embarrassed.
• Financial abuse or theft. This can be as straightforward as someone stealing money or valuables,  or keeping some or all the money that should be used to pay bills
• Neglect - this includes not giving enough or the right kind of food for a vulnerable adult, or not taking good enough care of them. Leaving someone unwashed or in dirty or wet clothes, not getting them to a doctor when they need one or not making sure they have the right medicines all count as neglect.  
• Institutional – the mistreatment or neglect of an adult by a regime or individuals in settings which adults who may be at risk live in or use. This can occur in any organisation, within or outside Health and Social Care (HSC) provision.

If you are concerned with regards to the wellbeing of an older person or simply would like more information please see the links below.

Useful links:

Belfast Health & Social Care Trust: Adult Protection Gateway Team | Belfast Health & Social Care Trust (hscni.net)

Northern HSCT: Safeguarding adults at risk of harm or in need of protection - Northern Health and Social Care Trust (hscni.net)

South Eastern HSCT: Safeguarding Adults | South Eastern HSC Trust (hscni.net)

Southern HSCT: Adult Safeguarding | Southern Health & Social Care Trust (hscni.net)

Western HSCT: Adult Safeguarding | Western Health & Social Care Trust (hscni.net)

Adult Safeguarding: Prevention and Protection in Partnership (2015)

NI Direct Adult Safeguarding Information (includes telephone numbers)