Informal Carers
Amendment
In June 2025, information about the Safe Care at Home Review was added to Section 3, Responding to Allegations Against or by Informal Carers.
If the adult has a carer it is good practice to establish whether or not they would like the carer to be part of the safeguarding process.
For example:
- Supporting the adult to express their views and wishes;
- Challenging the opinion of professionals on behalf of the adult;
- Supporting the adult at meetings and during enquiries;
- Supporting an assessment of risk;
- Supporting an assessment of needs;
- Contributing to the Safeguarding Plan to prevent the abuse or reduce the possibility for further abuse.
When the adult has substantial difficult or lacks capacity, a carer can also act as an appropriate person if they meet the criteria to do so.
Regardless of whether or not a carer is directly involved, their needs and individual wellbeing should always be regarded throughout the safeguarding adults process.
A carer may experience intentional or unintentional harm from the adult they are supporting.
A carer may also intentionally or unintentionally harm or neglect the adult.
Additionally, a carer may witness or hear something that indicates another adult may be at risk of harm.
If a carer makes a disclosure that they have been abused by the adult they support they should be afforded the same support as would be provided to an adult making a disclosure.
Whenever a concern is raised by, or against a carer it is important to view the situation holistically and consider the safety, needs and individual wellbeing or both the carer and the adult in any subsequent decisions made or action taken.
The Safe Care at Home Review, published in July 2023, is a joint review led by the Home Office and DHSC into the protections and support for adults abused, or at risk of abuse, in their own home by people providing their care.
It considers how to protect people from harm and is an important reminder that people with care and support needs may experience abuse and neglect, sometimes under the guise of ‘care’.
Older people, or people with disabilities, may be particularly vulnerable to harm because of their dependence on others and the complexity of their care needs. They might rely on other people for physical, mental or financial support, and may face difficulties recognising or reporting harm.
The review draws on a range of evidence, including the Home Office funded Vulnerability Knowledge and Practice Programme, which in recent work has highlighted that one in six domestic homicides involved people who were cared for by, or caring for, the suspect. See: Safe Care at Home Review.
To reduce risk to the carer, adult and the overall stability of the informal support network it is important to consider strategies that can support the carer in their role.
These may include:
- Carer's assessment or review of a Support Plan;
- Respite, day service and other ways to enable to carer to take a break;
- Referral to a carer's support agency;
- Referral to a specialist charity e.g. Alzheimer's Society or Parkinson's UK;
- Training for the carer in managing the needs of the adult;
- Equipment to make a task easier;
- Behaviour management;
- Advocacy for the carer.
Last Updated: June 5, 2025
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