Safeguarding is about protecting people from harm, abuse, and neglect – especially those who may not be able to speak up for themselves, like children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
It is the responsibility of our employees and volunteers to keep our customers, their families, and our communities safe from abuse. We work closely with professionals in social services, healthcare, and the police to support anyone experiencing abuse or neglect. Our approach to safeguarding is in line with The Care Act 2014, and covers both adults and children.
If you have a concern, or see or hear something that worries you, please let us know. You should always report your safeguarding concern, even if you’re not 100% sure that something is not right. You can tell us about a concern by calling us on 0114 2900 200 or 0800 1380 380 or emailing us at enquiries@syha.co.uk. You can also inform your local authority’s Safeguarding Team.
If you think that a child or vulnerable adult is in immediate danger, please call the police on 999. If you’re not able to speak, press 55 at any time and you’ll be automatically transferred to the police.
Physical abuse – Deliberately causing someone pain or injury.
Domestic abuse – A pattern of controlling, coercive, threatening, violent or abusive behaviour between people aged 16+ who are partners or family members. You can read about our approach to reports of domestic abuse on our website.
Sexual abuse or exploitation – Any sexual activity without consent, including coercion, manipulation, force, and the creation or sharing of sexual content without consent.
Psychological abuse – Behaviour that harms someone’s mental health, wellbeing, or development.
Financial or material abuse – Restricting or misusing someone’s money or possessions for power or personal gain.
Modern slavery – Exploiting someone who is unable to refuse or leave due to threats, coercion, deception or abuse of power. Includes forced labour, trafficking, debt bondage and forced marriage.
Discriminatory abuse – Harassment, harm or unfair treatment based on protected characteristics such as race, gender, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation or culture.
Organisational abuse – Poor practice, culture or policies within a care setting that cause neglect or harm.
Neglect – Failing to meet someone’s basic needs (food, shelter, medical care, safety), leading to harm or risk of harm.
Self‑neglect – When a person fails to care for their own basic needs, resulting in risk of harm or illness.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) – Deliberately cutting, injuring or altering female genitals for non‑medical reasons, usually affecting girls under 15.
Honour‑based abuse – Practices used to control someone’s behaviour to protect perceived family or community “honour”.
Forced marriage – When one or both people cannot or do not consent to a marriage and are pressured, coerced or abused.
Hate crime – Any crime perceived as motivated by hostility toward someone’s race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.
Mate crime – When someone is harmed or exploited by a person they believed was a friend.
Radicalisation – The process of being encouraged to support terrorism or violent extremism.
Online abuse – Any form of abuse happening via the internet, social media, or mobile devices.
Childline – 0800 1111
NSPCC – 0808 800 5000
Men’s advice line – 0808 801 0327
Refuge National Domestic Violence Helpline – 0808 2000 247
National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans+ Domestic Abuse Helpline – 0808 999 5428
Rape Crisis (England and Wales) – 0808 802 999
Respect Phoneline: 0808 802 0231
