How to help someone you think is in danger
Abuse can have a very harmful effect on the victim, their families, and the wider community. If you suspect a neighbour’s health, wellbeing, or human rights are at risk, you can report this to us. In this blog, we’ll explain how you can report a concern and what action we’ll take when you do.
What is safeguarding?
Safeguarding is all about protecting the people around us. We can all play a role in making sure everyone lives free from harm, abuse, and neglect by watching out for and reporting any concerns.
Warning signs might include hearing shouts or screams, seeing unexplained injuries, or noticing that someone seems fearful of certain people.
How to report a safeguarding concern
We have a specialist team that manages all safeguarding reports. If you’re worried about someone, you can tell us in one of the following ways.
- Via your online account.
- Email safeguarding@chp.org.uk.
- Call 0300 555 0500 (text relay: 18001 0300 555 0500).
- Speak to us in person.
We take every report very seriously, especially when it involves a vulnerable person like a child, an older adult, or someone with a disability.
What we’ll do to help
When you report a concern to us, we’ll act quickly. If the person is in danger, we’ll take immediate action to protect the person involved and inform the police and social care.
We’ll quickly alert the Adult Safeguarding Board or the local authority's Children's Social Care. Or we might encourage you to report this directly to them, depending on what’s more appropriate. We’ll do this within 24 hours of receiving the concern.
We’ll also work together with other agencies to protect the person at risk. This will involve sharing information, attending meetings, and taking action. The actions we or our partners take, and the timeframes, will depend on the situation. The response will be fair and not worsen the situation for the person involved.
You can read more in our Protecting People from Harm (Safeguarding) Policy.