How do we know that an adult may be at risk of harm?
An adult who is being harmed may tell someone about it, but sometimes they just keep quiet.
They may be afraid to tell anyone or they may be worried about what would happen if they told someone. This means that sometimes it is up to other people to realise that an adult may be at risk.
You may become concerned about someone because you notice that something is wrong.
You may:
notice a change in their behaviour
see that an adult has an injury that they cannot explain
find the adult distressed but unable to explain why
discover that the adult has no money cannot pay their usual bills
find that the adult is no longer clean and tidy
These are just some of the signs that an adult may be at risk of harm: there could be many others, too.
The most important thing is that if you believe that an adult may be at risk of harm you tell someone about it.
