Charlton hosts campaign to protect vulnerable adults

by our Staff Reporter | Charlton

The centre circle of The Valley was the venue last Tuesday (3 March 2015) for a campaign aimed at raising awareness about the safety of vulnerable adults in Greenwich.

Local organisations that work with vulnerable adults stepped onto the pitch at half-time during Charlton’s game against Nottingham Forest to sign a pledge promising to strive to work with the community to safeguard adults at risk and take action against adult abuse.

The club used its Big Screen, its matchday programme and its tannoy announcements to promote a message to fans: If you believe someone is abusing you or if you know of someone who may be at risk, talk to someone.

Organisations signing the pledge yesterday were the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Charlton Athletic Community Trust and Greenwich Action for Voluntary Services (GAVS). They were teaming up to promote the work done under the umbrella of the Greenwich Safeguarding Adults Board. Other organisations involved in that work include the local NHS, the Police, and local voluntary agencies.

Councillor David Gardner, the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Cabinet Member of Health and Adult Social Care, was one of the signatories of the pledge. He said: “The Royal Borough runs services for some of the most vulnerable people in the community. We place great emphasis on keeping those adults safe, and the support that we get from the Club and the Trust, as well as from other community groups and public bodies, is tremendously important, both in protecting vulnerable people from abuse, and in ensuring adults know where they can get advice and support.”

Jane Lawson, Independent Chair of Greenwich Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB), said: “One of the common features of adult abuse is that it so often goes unseen. That’s why campaigns like this one are so important, in raising awareness across the community of the responsibility we all have in taking action to protect those who are vulnerable.” 

Barry Simmons, Safeguarding Officer for Charlton Athletic Community Trust, who signed the pledge on behalf of the Trust, said: “Quite rightly there has been a lot of focus and resources put into the safeguarding of children. The Care Act will help organisations sharpen their focus around the safeguarding of adults at risk and help create greater awareness of the ways in which adults can be at risk of abuse.”

The Trust runs a number of projects including Charlton Upbeats, a football team for people with Down’s Syndrome, and Charlton Athletic Extra Time which runs activities for people aged 50-plus.

The Care Act 2014 will change the way in which those with responsibility for adults at risk approach their work and provide protection for the most vulnerable. Local councils and other organisations will have to work together under the umbrella of a local Safeguarding Adults Board.

An adult at risk is anyone who is over the age of 18 and is unable to protect themselves from injury or harm due to their age, illness or disability. It can include older people, as well as people with sensory impairment, learning disabilities or mental health problems. Abuse can range from bullying, discrimination, physical abuse, sexual abuse and emotional abuse, to financial abuse, organisational abuse, and neglect.

Adults can be at risk of abuse at work or college, or in hospital, residential homes, in public and even in their own homes. Abuse can also occur over the telephone or internet, and via social media or email.

If you believe someone is abusing you or if you know of someone who may be at risk, talk to someone. This could be someone you trust in your family, a friend, a care manager, the local police, your GP or someone from the Safeguarding Adults Board.

To report abuse or if you suspect an adult is being abused contact the Greenwich Safeguarding Adults Team on 020 8921 2304 or 020 8854 8888. In an emergency, always call 999.

For more details on local services to protect vulnerable adults visit:

www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/safeguardingadults.

For a copy of the Royal Borough’s Stop Abuse leaflet, please email:

adultprotection@royalgreenwich.gov.uk.