What is safeguarding?
Safeguarding means protecting people's health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults is primary concern and statutory duty of Folkestone and Hythe District Council. We all have duty to protect children and adults from abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
We have a Safeguarding Policy which sets out the procedures that will be followed if there are concerns or allegations of abuse or neglect towards child vulnerable adult.
Safeguarding is everyone’ responsibility
If you are worried that child or vulnerable adult is suffering abuse, contact Kent County Council to report your concerns:
- If it is an emergency or there is an immediate risk of harm contact the police on 999
- If you are concerned about the welfare of child call 03000 411 111 (text relay: 18001 03000 411 111) or contact the KCC Social Services Team online
- If you are concerned about the welfare of an adult call 03000 416 161 (text relay: 18001 03000 416 161) or contact the KCC Social Services Team online
- If outside of regular hours please call 03000 419 191
If you are child you can contact Childline or the NSPCC for advice and support on what to do if you or someone you know needs help – they offer telephone, email and instant chat options
Useful links
To find out more information about adult safeguarding, please visit the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board, where you will find range of useful resources including leaflet on how to protect yourself from abuse which is available in number of languages.
To find out more information about child safeguarding please visit the Kent Safeguarding Children Multi-Agency Partnership
A leaflet about adult abuse and what to do about it, which has been translated into Ukrainian and Russian is available here Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board
- Stop Adult Abuse leaflet (Ukrainian) (PDF, 837KB)
- Stop Adult Abuse leaflet (Russian) (PDF, 304KB)
- Stop Adult Abuse leaflet (English) (PDF, 830KB)
Making Safeguarding Personal
Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP) is about professionals working with adults at risk to ensure that they are making difference to their lives. Considering, with them, what matters to them so that the interventions are personal and meaningful. It should empower, engage and inform individuals so that they can prevent and resolve abuse and neglect in their own lives and build their personal resilience. It must enhance their involvement, choice and control as well as improving quality of life, wellbeing and safety.We will always endeavour to adhere to the MSP principals when providing support or assistance to an individual.