Unit name: Safeguarding and Protection in Care Settings
Learning outcome: 3. Know how to respond to suspected or alleged abuse
Assessment criteria: 3.2 Explain the actions to take if an individual alleges that they are being abused
If an individual discloses to you that they have been abused, you should listen to them and take their disclosure seriously. You should provide reassurance, tell them they have done the right thing and that you will do everything you can to protect them from further abuse.
You should not say that you will keep it a secret if they ask you to – you should explain that you have a duty of care to pass this information on to prevent further abuse to them or others.
You should firstly ensure that they are safe and not at risk and you may also need to preserve any evidence.
As soon as possible, you should report your concerns to your manager, using your employer’s safeguarding policy and procedure. You should also make a written record of the disclosure.
If your concerns are not dealt with correctly by your manager, you should escalate your concerns, using your employer’s whistleblowing policy and procedure as guidance.