Safeguarding Referral Landing Page

The Professional Referral Portal is a secure, online system designed to allow professionals, such as health and social care practitioners, to make referrals about adults who may be at risk of abuse or neglect. This service is intended to ensure timely intervention and support for those who need safeguarding assistance.

Under Section 42 of the Care Act 2014, a safeguarding referral should be made for any adult who meets the following criteria:

1.Has needs for care and support – Whether these needs are currently being met or not, the adult must require support with daily living, either due to physical, mental, or emotional health challenges.

2. Is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect – The adult may currently be subjected to abuse or neglect, or they could be in a situation where these risks are present. This could include physical, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse, as well as neglect or self-neglect.

3. As a result of these care needs, the adult is unable to protect themselves – The adult's care and support needs make it difficult for them to safeguard themselves against the abuse or neglect, or the risk of it happening.

If you are a professional working with adults who have care and support needs and believe someone meets the above criteria, then please use our referral portal to submit your concerns. Our team will review the information and be in touch with you within 48 hours of receiving your referral.

If the above criteria are met, then you will be required to create a portal account, or log in to an existing account, in order to complete and submit the form. Guidance on this can be found by clicking here.

It is important to give as much information as possible about the Adult at Risk and also the person who is the alleged source of risk within this form.

By giving us as much information as possible we will be able to support the individual in a timely manner and to liaise with our partner agencies to appropriate safeguard the individual(s).

For any adult who meets the above criteria, and the safeguarding concerns must have happened in the Bolton Area.

In adult safeguarding, obtaining the consent of the person at risk is important but not always required. Adults have the right to make informed decisions about their own safety and well-being, including the right to refuse safeguarding support, provided they have the mental capacity to do so.

However, there are certain situations where action may be taken without the adult's consent:

1. If the adult lacks mental capacity to make decisions regarding their own safety, safeguarding interventions may proceed in their best interests, in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

2. If others are at risk, safeguarding concerns may need to be raised to protect others, even if the adult in question does not consent.

3. In cases where a serious crime is suspected, authorities may be involved even without the adult's consent.

4.If coercion or undue influence is suspected, and the adult's refusal may not be made freely or voluntarily.

In safeguarding cases, professionals should aim to empower adults, involving them in decisions and respecting their choices wherever possible, while balancing the duty to protect them and others from harm.

By accepting you give permission for Bolton Council to process your information and potentially share such data with Care related 3rd party organisations. for more information on how we handle your data click here to view our Privacy Notices.