This quick guide is intended to support you to know WHEN and HOW to make a safeguarding referral, sometimes referred to as a safeguarding concern.

The Cumbria Safeguarding Adults Board Threshold Tool also provides further guidance and examples of reportable and non reportable concerns of low medium and high risk.

Please also refer to the Cumbria Safeguarding Adults Board Procedures for further information on how to escalate concerns.

You MUST report the following incidents relating to adults
with care and support needs as safeguarding concerns if:

• The adult or carer is distressed, fearful or feels intimidated by the incident
• The adult has suffered an injury
• You believe that there is a deliberate attempt to cause harm or distress
• Incidents are repeated and targeted
• A crime has been committed
• The incident involves a member of staff
• Other adults may be at risk

Reporting a concern to Adult Social Care (sometimes called making a referral) is the direct reporting of an
allegation, concern or disclosure to the Adult Social Care, local Single Point of Access (SPA).

If you have a concern out of hours please contact the Emergency Duty Team,

It is the responsibility of each organisation to have their own internal procedures, which must detail the nominated staff who are able to take on the role of reporting concerns to Adult Social Care, SPA.

However, non urgent advice and guidance is available from the Adult Social Care Safeguarding Team 9am - 5pm Monday to Thursday, 9am - 4.30pm Friday by emailing safeguardingadults@cumbria.gov.uk 

Please note this email address should not be used to make raise a safeguarding concern this should be done through your local Single Point of Access (see above).

All safeguarding adults concerns reported to the SPA should by done by phone. Written referrals are not accepted. The referrer should be prepared to provide as much factual information as possible about the concern when calling the SPA.

The SPA Officer will assist the referrer by clarifying the incident or the concern through a series of prompts and questions.

The SPA Officer will deal with the concerns in a discrete and sensitive manner. This includes not sharing the identity of the referrer with either the victim or perpetrator unless they wish to be identified.

Safeguarding Adults referral will be accepted from anyone who has a concern that an adult with care and support needs, is at risk of abuse or neglect.

Where a crime has been committed or suspected these should also be referred to police. It is useful to advise both the Police and Adult Social Care that both referrals have taken place to assist in coordinating the appropriate response.

Once a concern is reported to Adult Social Care via the SPA a decision will be made as to how this will be logged, based on the information provided and the perceived level of risk posed.

If you have raised a safeguarding concern then you as referrer should be informed of the decision around how the safeguarding concerns will be progressed.

This is the 1st in a series of "Quick Guides to...." which Cumbria Safeguarding Adults Board (CSAB) are developing. These are intended to both support practice and raise awareness and understanding of various aspect of safeguarding adults at risk of abuse or neglect.

If you need more information you can find further resources, policy and guidance on our website.