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Glossary of Terms

Term	Description
Abuse and Neglect	See section 32-38
ADASS	Association of Directors of Adult Social Services. It is a charity and membership organisation representing directors and senior leaders in adult social care across local authorities in England. You can learn more directly from their official site: adass.org.uk
Adult	Is a person aged 18 or over who is in need of care and support regardless of whether they are receiving them, and because of those needs are unable to protect themselves against abuse or neglect.
Adult safeguarding	Adult safeguarding means protecting a person’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect.
Advocacy	Advocacy means taking action to help people who experience substantial difficulty contributing to the safeguarding process to say what they want, secure their rights, represent their interests and obtain the services they need.
Appropriate individual	Within this document an ‘appropriate individual’ is a person who supports an adult typically but not exclusively in an advocacy role.
Best Interest	The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) states that if a person lacks mental capacity to make a particular decision then whoever is making that decision or taking any action on that person’s behalf must do so in the person’s best interest. This is one of the principles of the MCA.
Care and Support Needs	See section 26-31
Carer	Throughout these procedures refer to Family/Friend Carers as distinct from paid carers who are referred throughout as Support Workers. The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) define a carer as someone who ‘spends a significant proportion of their time providing unpaid support to a family member, partner or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or substance misuse problems’.
Concern	Means a safeguarding adult concern. This may also be referred to as a safeguarding alert, notification or safeguarding referral within organisations.
Duty of Care	Refers to a legal and moral obligation to ensure the safety and well-being of others. It means taking reasonable steps to prevent harm where it is foreseeable, especially when you are responsible for someone’s care or safety.
Enquiry	Establishes whether any action needs to be taken to stop or prevent abuse or neglect, and if so, what action and by whom the action is taken. Previously this may have been called a ‘referral’
Enquiry Officer	Refers to the professional employed by the Local Authority who is responsible for leading or coordinating an enquiry. Across Berkshire, this role may be referred to by different titles, including: Safeguarding Adults Manager (SAM), Assessing Officer and Safeguarding Enquiry Officer.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)	General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a legal framework that sets guidelines for the collection and processing of personal information of individuals within the European Union (EU). The GDPR sets out the principles for data management and the rights of the individual, while also imposing fines that can be revenue-based. The GDPR came into effect across the EU on May 25, 2018 and its requirements are part of English law under the Data Protection Act 2018.
Inherent Jurisdiction	Is the power of the High Court to make orders and grant injunctions in certain situations where there is no other power to intervene in law. It protects adults who have mental capacity but are vulnerable—due to abuse, neglect, coercion, or undue influence.
Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP)	MSP is about person centered and outcome focused practice. It is how professionals are assured by adults at risk that they have made a difference to people by taking action on what matters to people, and is personal and meaningful to them.
OPG – Office of the Public Guardian	An executive agency of the Ministry of Justice that supports people in England and Wales to make decisions about their health and finances and helps protect those who lack the mental capacity to make such decisions themselves.
Position of trust	Position of trust refers to a situation where one person holds a position of authority and uses that position to his or her advantage to commit a crime or to intentionally abuse or neglect someone who is vulnerable and unable to protect him or herself.
Professional(s)	Refers to any individuals, whether paid or unpaid, who have a formal role in supporting, caring for, or working with adults with care and support needs.
Public interest	Public interest is a decision about what is in the public interest needs to be made by balancing the rights of the individual to privacy with the rights of others to protection.
Regulated Provider	A regulated provider is an individual, organisation or partnership that carries on activities that are specified in Schedule 1 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.
Situational Incapacity	Refers to a temporary or context-specific inability of a person to make decisions, perform tasks, or function effectively due to external or internal factors present in a particular situation. This condition is not permanent and may vary depending on the environment, stressors, or specific circumstances.
Trauma Informed	Recognises the widespread impact of trauma, understands potential paths for recovery, and actively seeks to avoid re-traumatisation by creating safe, supportive environments for individuals who have experienced trauma.
Unconscious Bias	When we unknowingly make decisions or judgements based on assumptions, prior experiences, or personal thought patterns that interfere with impartial judgement.
Victim Support	Victim Support is a national charity, which provides support for victims and witnesses of crime in England and Wales. It provides free and confidential help to family, friends and anyone else affected by crime, which includes information, emotional and practical support. Help can be accessed either directly from local branches or through the Victim Support helpline.
Vital interest	Vital interest is a term used in the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998 to permit sharing of information where it is critical to prevent serious harm or distress, or in life-threatening situations.