Keeping safe, protection and emergencies

Everyone has the right to be safe

If you or an adult you know is being harmed, you should speak up.   There are many forms of harm

  • neglect, such as failure to provide food, heating or medical care
  • physical, such as hitting or shaking
  • any form of sexual activity that is not wanted or understood
  • threats of harm, such as being left alone, humiliated, intimidated or verbally abused.

Some adults may be more at risk because of a disability, illness or health condition.

Anyone could cause harm.  It could be family, friends, paid staff, volunteers, other service users or strangers.

Financial harm

You should speak up if you or someone you know is feeling under pressure to hand over money or personal property.

Examples of financial harm include

  • abuse of property or benefits
  • stopping someone from having their money or belongings
  • stealing, cheating or fraud
  • putting on pressure to have a will rewritten.

Concerns for a child’s safety

Children and young people have the right to be protected and to be safe from harm by others. Most children in Scotland grow up in a safe place, but sadly some do not. These children need extra help from adults to keep them safe.

Contact Social Work Duty, or in an emergency call 999. You can also call the police on 101 if it's not urgent. 

When you report a child at risk

We will take your call seriously. We will find out more to help us decide what to do next. Our next step may be to

  • take no further action 
  • offer the family support
  • put the child and family in touch with another agency for support
  • start to investigate if we think that the child is not safe.

We are all responsible for making sure that all children are safe. Everyone in a community plays a vital role in looking after the children who live there.