Feeling safe in your home is an important consideration for all individuals. There are different aspects of safety ranging from abuse to actions you can take to make yourself feel safer.
Crime, fear of crime, and anti-social behaviour is an important consideration in the quality of life of local communities.
Keeping people safe
When keeping people safe, we often refer to 'safeguarding' work. This means:
- Working with adults who have care and support needs to keep them safe and to prevent harm from happening in the first place.
- Responding to concerns about suspected harm and putting in place plans to help protect adults at risk.
We work with our partners in safeguarding work to keep adults at risk safe from abuse and neglect.
Partners include: the police, health services and professionals, community groups, providers of care, and other professionals
Derbyshire Safeguarding Adults has lots of information about keeping safe and the range of help and support available for people who need support through safeguarding as well as to prevent abuse and neglect.
Our keeping people safe leaflet attached to this page has more information about safeguarding and other ways we keep people safe.
Safeguarding referrals
Are you, or is someone you know, an adult who is at risk of abuse and neglect and needs help? We can provide information and help.
We're committed to support people in Derbyshire to make choices to stay safe and to live a life free from fear, harm and abuse.
Find out how and where to report your concerns.
If you've experienced abuse, are currently experiencing it, or suspect someone else is then there are people and organisations that can help.
If you're worried about your safety or the safety of another adult or child or want to report abuse:
There may be times when some information will need to be shared with other professional agencies, in the interests of the vulnerable adult or for the protection of the public. But you'll be kept informed of any action taken.
Always act whenever abuse is suspected. Your disclosure will be given protection under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.
Safer Derbyshire also has lots of information about keeping people safe and the range of help and support available in lots of different situation including relating to domestic abuse, counter-terrorism and hate crime.
Doorstep safety
Bogus callers, sometimes known as doorstep thieves, are people who trick their way into peoples' homes with the intention of stealing money or property.
These people often work in teams of 2 or more and they usually prey on people who are older or vulnerable.
Bogus callers can be anyone and use many different ways to gain entry to your home. They pretend to be council officials, workmen from the gas or water board, or even the police.
Most official companies will send you a letter first and you can ask your gas, water or electricity supplier to give you a unique password for additional security.
Scams
Scams are frauds and tricks designed to cheat people out of their money. Scammers approach people in a variety of ways including by phone, post or online.
Anyone can fall for a scam, but the average age of a scam victim is 74. Lonely older people are more likely to be scammed than those who have family members or friends to support them.
Cheating people out of their money is financial abuse and we have a duty to protect vulnerable people from abuse under the Care Act 2014.
Read more about fighting back against scams.