Professional Adult Safeguarding Referral

Does your referral relate to a needs assessment?

If the request relates to a Care Act 2014 needs assessment, this should not be submitted as a safeguarding referral. 

Instead, make sure to contact Tameside's Early Support and Advice Hub (ESAH) via 0161 342 5656 to request a Care Act assessment or via the portal to raise a Care Act (2014) Assessment.

Is your referral a safeguarding concern?

Under the Care Act 2014, Safeguarding concerns must be raised (as safeguarding duties apply) where there is reasonable cause to suspect that an adult in the Tameside area (whether or not an ordinary resident): 

1. Has needs for care and support (whether or not the authority is meeting any of those needs),
2. Is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect, and
3. As a result of those needs is unable to protect themselves against the abuse or neglect.

Supporting Guidance for Professionals

Find detailed guidance on what constitutes a safeguarding referral here under additional guidance for staff. 

If you are unsure whether to raise a safeguarding referral, always make sure to contact Tameside's Early Support and Advice Hub (ESAH) via 0161 342 5656 before submitting via the portal. 

Referral checklist

If you have information that an adult at risk is potentially experiencing abuse or neglect, it is useful to consider the following checklist.

  Have you gathered enough information to raise the referral?

• Personal details.
• What is the nature of abuse/potential abuse?
• Does the person have care and support needs?
• What does the adult at risk want to happen?
• Have they consented to the referral? 
• Person’s individual circumstances which may impact/increase risk.

N.B Under the Care Act 2014, consent is not required to raise a safeguarding concern, and practitioners may override a person’s refusal of consent where there is a risk of significant harm, coercion, undue influence, or where others may be at risk.

Immediate safety
 Does the person need emergency medical treatment or the police to attend urgently? If so call 999.
 
Crime
 Has a crime been committed? Call 101 if non-emergency. Consider and seek advice from the police about preserving evidence.
 
Record
 Have you documented the concern/incident and all actions taken?
 
Support
 Have you provided support and reassurance to the adult at risk or others?
 

Referral Process

Once you have considered if your referral is for safeguarding and completed the process via the portal, it will be received by the appropriate team who will ensure that it’s dealt with as quickly as possible by the most appropriate enquiry officer. 

The Enquiry Officer will begin the information gathering stage identifying what measures have been put in place to protect the adult and mitigate risk, determine appropriate action required and will decide as to whether Section 42 criteria apply.

Contacting Emergency Services

It is essential to prioritise the immediate safety of any adult at risk when raising a safeguarding concern.

This includes arranging urgent medical attention or contacting the police if a crime is in progress. Offences of a sexual nature require specialist police involvement. 

Whenever an adult may be experiencing abuse or neglect, practitioners should consider whether a criminal offence has taken place. If there is reason to believe that a crime has occurred or may have occurred, this must be reported to the police immediately, alongside but separate from the submission of your professional referral.

Time Critical Referrals 

Where the issues being raised are time critical and emergency protection measures may be required, the local authority should be contacted directly. 

You can make contact either via the appropriate social care team or via the Tameside's Early Support and Advice Hub (ESAH) via 0161 342 5656 to raise a concern.

who will direct you to the appropriate team.  An Adult Safeguarding referral will still be required and should follow as soon as possible.

If you have an emergency outside of office hours, the out of hours team can be contacted on 0161 342 2222.

Where an adult is at risk of abuse and neglect consideration should be given as to whether a crime has occurred. If it’s considered a crime has or may have occurred, this should be referred to the police immediately and separately to the raising of the Adult Safeguarding referral.
  
Preserving Evidence

If the police are contacted, it is important that forensic and other evidence is not contaminated or lost. Advice should be sought from the police about how to preserve evidence in specific situations.

Evidence may be present even it cannot be seen; therefore, precautions should be taken:

• Do not disturb the scene or move any evidence where possible.
• Secure the scene where the incident took place.
• Keep any documents, containers as potential evidence.

Guidance for Health, Social Care and Related Providers

It is the responsibility of any individual or organisation who is affiliated to Tameside Safeguarding Adult Partnership Board to act if they suspect abuse or neglect of an adult subject to the safeguarding concern.

By completing and submitting this form, you are agreeing that any information contained in this referral can be shared with other appropriate council employees in accordance with the Data protection act. 

For a partner professional a formal adult safeguarding referral is needed via the Adult Safeguarding Referral Portal linked below. 
 

Safeguarding Portal (TMBC and Partners)

PLEASE NOTE: If you are unsure whether to raise a Safeguarding Referral, please contact Tameside’s Early Support and Advice Hub.