Duty of Care

Duty of Care

As professionals you have a duty of care to your service users and your colleagues. Safeguarding is everybody’s business.

A duty of care is defined simply as a legal obligation to: 

• Always act in the best interest of individuals and others 
• Not act or failure to act in a way that results in harm 
• To act within your competence and not take on anything you do not believe you can safely do. 

You have the responsibility to follow the six safeguarding principles that underpin all adult safeguarding work and are enshrined within the Care Act 2014: 

• Empowerment – presumption of person led decisions and informed consent 
• Prevention – it is better to take action before harm occurs 
• Proportionality – proportionate and least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented 
• Protection – support and representation for those in greatest need 
• Partnerships – local solutions through services working with their communities 
• Accountability – accountability and transparency in delivering