Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults & Children With Disabilities

Introduction

Safeguarding means protecting people from harm, abuse, neglect, exploitation, discrimination, and unsafe situations.

Disabled adults, children, young people, neurodivergent individuals, and people with additional needs may sometimes face higher risks because of communication barriers, dependency on others, isolation, inaccessible services, or being misunderstood.

Safeguarding should always be handled with dignity, respect, compassion, and accessibility.

This guide explains:

• safeguarding for adults and children
• disability-related risks
• signs of abuse or neglect
• rights and protections
• how to report concerns
• accessible support
• government guidance and services

Right First Time UK supports safe, inclusive, accessible, and person-centred safeguarding for all individuals and families.

What Is Safeguarding?

Safeguarding is about helping people stay safe from harm.

It may involve protecting someone from:

• physical abuse
• emotional abuse
• sexual abuse
• neglect
• financial abuse
• exploitation
• discrimination
• domestic abuse
• online harm
• institutional abuse
• self-neglect

Safeguarding is not about taking away independence. Good safeguarding should protect safety while respecting dignity, choice, communication needs, and human rights.

Safeguarding Children With Disabilities

Children and young people with disabilities or additional needs have the same right to safety, care, education, protection, and respect as any other child.

Some children may be more vulnerable because:

• communication difficulties may make it harder to speak out
• behaviour may be misunderstood as “challenging” rather than distress
• medical or care needs may increase dependency on adults
• bullying or isolation may go unnoticed
• signs of abuse may be mistaken for disability-related needs
• they may rely on others for personal care
• they may not understand unsafe behaviour from others

Schools and colleges in England must follow statutory safeguarding guidance to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people under 18.

Government guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2

Report child abuse to a local council:
https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse-to-local-council

Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults

Adult safeguarding protects adults who may have care and support needs and who may be at risk of abuse or neglect.

This may include adults living with:

• physical disabilities
• learning disabilities
• mental health conditions
• neurodiversity
• dementia
• chronic illness
• sensory impairments
• mobility difficulties
• dependency on care services

Care and support guidance under the Care Act focuses on wellbeing and helping people achieve the outcomes that matter to them.

Government care and support guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-statutory-guidance/care-and-support-statutory-guidance

Find your local council:
https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council

Signs That Someone May Be at Risk

Possible signs of safeguarding concerns may include:

• unexplained injuries
• fearfulness or withdrawal
• sudden changes in behaviour
• poor hygiene or untreated medical needs
• missed appointments
• isolation from friends or family
• controlling behaviour from another person
• lack of food, heating, medication, or basic care
• unexplained financial problems
• distress after contact with certain people
• signs of bullying or harassment
• self-neglect
• unsafe living conditions

A concern does not need to be “proven” before seeking advice. It is better to report concerns early if someone may be unsafe.

Types of Abuse and Harm

Physical Abuse

This may include:

• hitting
• pushing
• rough handling
• misuse of restraint
• physical punishment
• denying mobility aids or medication

Emotional or Psychological Abuse

This may include:

• threats
• humiliation
• intimidation
• isolation
• controlling behaviour
• blaming disability-related needs
• making someone feel worthless

Neglect

This may include:

• not providing food or drink
• ignoring medical needs
• unsafe living conditions
• poor hygiene support
• failure to provide care or supervision
• not supporting disability-related needs

Financial Abuse

This may include:

• stealing money
• taking benefits
• pressuring someone to sign documents
• controlling bank accounts
• misusing disability benefits
• fraud or exploitation

Sexual Abuse

This may include any sexual contact, behaviour, or pressure without consent. Children cannot legally consent to sexual abuse. Some adults may also be unable to consent due to coercion, pressure, incapacity, or exploitation.

Discriminatory Abuse

This may include abuse or unfair treatment because of:

• disability
• age
• race
• religion
• sex
• sexual orientation
• gender reassignment
• pregnancy or maternity
• marriage or civil partnership

Domestic Abuse

Disabled individuals may experience domestic abuse from partners, ex-partners, relatives, carers, or people they depend on.

Domestic abuse can include:

• physical abuse
• emotional abuse
• coercive control
• financial control
• threats
• isolation
• restricting access to care, medication, equipment, or communication

Disability, Communication & Safeguarding

Some disabled children, young people, and adults may communicate distress differently.

Signs of distress may include:

• changes in behaviour
• shutdowns
• meltdowns
• anxiety
• aggression
• withdrawal
• sleep changes
• loss of skills
• refusal to attend certain places
• fear around certain people

These signs should not automatically be dismissed as “part of the disability.” They may be signs that something is wrong.

Accessible communication may include:

• easy-read information
• visual aids
• interpreters
• British Sign Language support
• communication devices
• extra processing time
• trusted advocates
• trauma-informed conversations

Rights, Equality & Protection

Disabled individuals have rights to safety, dignity, equality, and protection from discrimination.

Support services should consider:

• reasonable adjustments
• accessible communication
• safeguarding needs
• mental capacity where relevant
• the person’s wishes and feelings
• best interests for children
• safe family and care arrangements

Equality Act 2010 guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance

Equality and Human Rights Commission:
https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/

What To Do If a Child Is at Risk

If a child or young person is in immediate danger, call 999.

If there is concern that a child is being abused, neglected, or is at risk, contact children’s social care through the child’s local council. GOV.UK states that if you think a child or young person is at risk or being abused or neglected, you should contact the children’s social care team at their local council.

Report child abuse to a local council:
https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse-to-local-council

NSPCC:
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/

Childline:
https://www.childline.org.uk/

What To Do If an Adult Is at Risk

If an adult is in immediate danger, call 999.

If there is concern that an adult is being abused, neglected, exploited, or unsafe, contact the adult safeguarding team through the local council.

Find your local council:
https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council

NHS social care and support:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/

Care Act guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-statutory-guidance/care-and-support-statutory-guidance

Safeguarding in Education

Schools, colleges, and education settings should have safeguarding procedures and a designated safeguarding lead.

Concerns may involve:

• bullying
• neglect
• abuse
• exploitation
• online harm
• discrimination
• unsafe behaviour from adults or peers
• unmet SEND needs
• emotional harm

Children and young people with SEND may need extra support to be heard, understood, and protected.

Keeping Children Safe in Education:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2

SEND support guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/extra-SEN-help

Safeguarding in Care Settings

Safeguarding concerns may happen in:

• care homes
• supported living
• hospitals
• day centres
• home care
• respite care
• community services

Concerns may include:

• poor care
• unsafe staffing
• rough handling
• medication errors
• neglect
• emotional abuse
• financial exploitation
• lack of dignity
• failure to meet disability needs

Concerns can be reported to:

• the care provider
• the local authority safeguarding team
• the Care Quality Commission where relevant
• the police if a crime may have happened

Care Quality Commission:
https://www.cqc.org.uk/

Online Safety

Disabled children, young people, and adults may be vulnerable to online harm, including:

• bullying
• grooming
• scams
• exploitation
• harassment
• coercion
• sharing private information under pressure

Support should include:

• safe internet use
• privacy education
• trusted adults or advocates
• reporting harmful contact
• blocking unsafe users
• accessible online safety resources

Government online safety information:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/online-safety-bill

Advocacy & Support

Advocates can help people:

• understand their rights
• speak up safely
• attend meetings
• explain concerns
• challenge decisions
• access services
• make complaints

Advocacy may be especially important where someone has:

• communication difficulties
• learning disabilities
• mental health needs
• trauma
• fear of not being believed
• dependency on the person causing harm

Citizens Advice:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

NHS advocacy information:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/help-from-social-services-and-charities/someone-to-speak-up-for-you-advocate/

Accessible Safeguarding Support

Safeguarding services should be accessible.

Accessible support may include:

• communication aids
• interpreters
• easy-read information
• disability-aware staff
• quiet meeting spaces
• extra time
• support workers
• trusted representatives
• trauma-informed approaches

People should not be excluded from safeguarding support because communication, mobility, mental health, sensory, or learning needs are not properly understood.

Recording Concerns

When safe to do so, it may help to record:

• dates and times
• what happened
• who was involved
• injuries or changes noticed
• messages or evidence
• names of professionals contacted
• reference numbers from reports

Do not put yourself or another person at greater risk to collect evidence. Safety comes first.

Important Reminder

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

Disabled adults, children, and young people deserve:

• safety
• dignity
• protection
• accessible communication
• respect
• equal treatment
• support without judgement

Concerns should always be taken seriously, especially where someone may struggle to speak up or be understood.

Right First Time UK supports safeguarding awareness, disability inclusion, accessible support, and protection from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and harm.