National Safeguarding Adults Week 2020
Cheshire East Council and the Safeguarding Adults 
Board are supporting National Safeguarding Adults Week with a range of activities to make people aware of the different types of abuse that some people experience.The National Adult Safeguarding week starts on Monday 16 November and is an excellent opportunity to promote adult safeguarding and the work that a number of organisations are doing to protect residents across Cheshire East.
Research by Action on Elder Abuse suggests that as many as one in eleven older people in the UK are mistreated or neglected by those they trust the most. Abuse can happen anywhere – in a person's home, in the street, in a residential or nursing home, at a day centre or resource centre, in a hospital or indeed any place where an adult at risk might be.
The week will be full of online activities both nationally and locally. In Cheshire East, these activities will include Lunch and Learn with domestic abuse organisation My CWA and an item [CG1] reflecting the issues faced by exploited 18-25 year olds. There will be lots of information available during the week, along with interactive sessions.
The Care Act 2014, describes 10 forms of adult abuse – they are: physical, domestic, sexual, psychological, financial and material, modern slavery, neglect, discriminatory, organisational and self-neglect.
A recent case highlighted the importance of staying aware of scams and potential financial abuse. Retired accountant, Bill, considered himself to be financially knowledgeable. Unfortunately, this did not protect him from falling victim to a phishing scam which caused him considerable stress.
The fraudsters set up legitimate looking websites, sent texts and official looking emails in order to convince innocent victims to part with personal information. They sometimes telephone residents, pretending to be from the bank or an official company.
Bill received an email that he thought was official and from his pension company. It had the correct logos and read like an official mailing. The email asked him to click on a link and to confirm his banking details. Unfortunately, the fraudsters then successfully took £2,000 from his account.
The bank and Bill’s carer worked together, and Bill was reimbursed with his money, but this experience caused considerable stress for Bill and affected his confidence. Cheshire East Safeguarding Adults Board and the council’s trading standards team are promoting ways to keep residents safe from such scams during Safeguarding Adults Week.
Councillor Laura Jeuda, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for adult social care and health, said: “It is very sad to say this, but adult abuse is far more common than many of us think. The council sits on a dedicated safeguarding adults board, which is committed to raising the profile of adult safeguarding.
“If you know someone who is experiencing abuse, please report it. Together we can stamp out all forms of abuse.”
Geoffrey Appleton, Independent Chair of Cheshire East’s Safeguarding Adults Board, said: “The week is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of safeguarding adult issues. The planned events throughout the week highlight how abuse can happen anywhere. It can be committed by anyone, and that abuse can take many forms.
“What ever the circumstances, abuse is always wrong, and the week demonstrates how agencies in Cheshire East work together to support the person, to bring the abuse to an end”.
Throughout the week the campaign and planned events will be highlighted by Cheshire East Council and its partner agencies on social media. Look for the hashtag #SafeguardingAdultsWeek.
More information