Who is an adult at risk?
“An adult at risk is someone who has needs for care and support (whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs) and is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect; and as a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of abuse or neglect.”
Department of Health (2014) Care Act.
An adult at risk may therefore be a person who is elderly and frail due to ill health, physical disability or cognitive impairment or
- has a learning disability,
- has mental health needs including dementia or a personality disorder,
- has a long-term illness/condition,
- misuses substances or alcohol,
- has a physical disability and/or a sensory impairment,
- is a carer such as a family member/friend who provides personal assistance and care to adults and is subject to abuse,
- is unable to demonstrate the capacity to make a decision and is in need of care and support.
This list is not exhaustive.
This does not mean a person who is old or frail or has a disability is at risk. For example, a person with a disability who has the mental capacity to make decisions about their own safety could be perfectly able to make informed choices and protect themselves from harm. In the context of Safeguarding Adults, the vulnerability of the adult at risk is related to how able they are to make and exercise their own informed choices free from duress, pressure or undue influence of any sort, and to protect themselves from abuse, neglect and exploitation. It is important to note people with capacity can also be vulnerable.