Understanding the risks

Use this page to start to understand different types of harm and abuse, and how people may be affected. It is the first step towards being able to manage safeguarding risks.

You should discuss the types of abuse and harm that people within and connected to your organisation might experience. This will help you decide which policies and procedures you need to work on most urgently.

Anyone can be at risk of abuse. People are at risk at different times and in different situations.

All organisations and individuals have a responsibility to safeguard children. A child is anyone under the age of 18.

If you work regularly with young people, you may find guidance on the National Youth Agency's safeguarding and risk management hub.

Any adult may experience abuse or harm. However, certain people are considered to be at greater risk so are given more protection by law.

An adult at risk is anyone aged 18 or over who:

• has needs for care and or support
• as a result of care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from abuse
• is currently experiencing or is at risk of abuse.

Adults at risk may:

• have a mental or physical illness
• have a learning disability
• have addiction problems
• be frail.

Whether an adult is at risk or not is something which changes with their circumstances – it’s not fixed.

Protecting your staff and volunteers is not necessarily safeguarding – but you do have a duty to keep them safe. This means paying attention to the particular types of harm that can develop within an organisation.

Safeguarding matters in everything you do digitally, from the impact of something you write online to how you store data. You need to consider safeguarding when you design and deliver digital services whether on your own platforms (such as your website or any apps) and when using other platforms (such as social media sites). You also need to consider how people who use your digital technology are kept safe from exposure to harm and do not use your technology to harm others.

• DigiSafe helps you build safeguarding measures into the design and delivery of your digital services.
• If you work with children, NSPCC Learning has specific guidance on using social media safely with children and young people.

You need to be aware of several types of harm.

• Physical
• Sexual
• Emotional
• Psychological
• Neglect
• Radicalisation
• Discriminatory
• Financial

Everyone has the right to make decisions for themselves. When you’re safeguarding adults, you must understand this right. Otherwise you can accidentally cause a different kind of harm by removing a person’s freedom of choice.

• To learn more about child abuse, use NSPCC Learning's definition and signs of child abuse.
• To learn more about how harm and abuse affects adults, use the Ann Craft Trust's clickable list of 14 types of harm.
• For more guidance on decision making with adults at risk, start with the Ann Craft Trust's mental capacity, self determination and unwise decisions page.
• Find guidance on why you should act to keep everyone safe from sexual harassment with the Citizens Advice explanation of sexual harassment.