Overview of section

Within this section practitioners will find procedures explaining what they must do if they have concerns about an adult at risk of abuse and/or neglect including:

• the statutory duty to report
• practitioner responsibilities to report
• the duty to report concerns (including abuse and neglect) about a practitioner
• where practitioners should be reporting concerns about abuse and neglect including contact outside of office hours.

Specific situations a practitioner may encounter in relation to an adult at risk of abuse or neglect and ways in which to respond are detailed in:

• managing immediate concerns about the safety of an adult at risk
• when to contact the police
• information on recognising an adult at risk of abuse and neglect
• ways of seeking agency advice and initial discussions with social services
  • outcomes of agency and social services initial discussions
  • recording discussions
• what to do if an adult at risk tells you that they or another person is or has been abused or neglected
• managing concerns from the general public

Practitioners completing a duty to report have responsibilities in terms of:

• seeking consent to a report
• gathering information to make a report
  • the process following a report