SG2 Case details

The SG2 tables record counts of, and case details about, concluded safeguarding enquiries.

SG2 general notes

The information in these tables relates to safeguarding enquiries that concluded during the reporting year 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

Multiple counts are permitted in each of these tables. Record a count of one for each different category that applies to the enquiry.

White cells in the data tables relate to mandatory categories or metrics, blue cells relate to the voluntary ones.

SG2 Sources of risk

The source of risk refers to the perpetrator of the alleged abuse. If a concluded enquiry has determined that there is more than one source of risk, there should be a count for each source type in these tables. If the source types are different, for example if a stranger and a carer were the sources of risk, there should be a count of one in each of these categories for that enquiry. If both sources of risk are of the same type, for example if two strangers were the sources of risk, there should only be a count of one in that category.

Service provider

This category refers to any individual(s) or organisation paid, contracted or commissioned to provide social care services, regardless of the funding source. This category can include:

services organised by the local authority
personal budget/direct payment funded services
self-arranged services
self-funded services
residential and nursing homes that offer social care services

This category excludes health and social care staff or organisations responsible for assessment and care management. For example, local authorities, NHS trusts or GPs. These groups would fall into the category of ‘Other’.

Other – Known to individual and other – Unknown to individual

These two categories cover all other sources of risk which are not service provider. The source of risk would be classed as known to individual if the adult at risk knows their name and unknown to the individual if the adult at risk does not know their name.

Where the source of risk has not been identified, for example if no-one knows who stole a purse, this should be categorised as Other – Unknown to Individual.

Source of risk for domestic abuse and self-neglect cases

Where the type of risk is domestic abuse or self-neglect, please classify the source of risk as Other – Known to Individual.

List of risk sources

This table shows the classifications required for the SAC and which sub-classes could be included in each. It is at the discretion of the local authority which level to record locally.

Classification	Sub-class
Service provider	Service Provider – public sector Service Provider – private sector Service Provider – voluntary (such as voluntary/community organisations, charities)
Other – Known to individual	Relative/family/carer Individual – known but not related Primary health care Secondary health care Community health care Social care staff – care management and assessment Police Regulator Other public sector Other private sector Other voluntary
Other – Unknown to individual	Individual – unknown/stranger Primary health care Secondary health care Community health care Social care staff – care management and assessment Police Regulator Other public sector Other private sector Other voluntary

The description and tables which use ‘Source of Risk’ is included in the Data Dictionary.

SG2a – Counts of enquiries by type and source of risk

This table collects metrics broken down by the type and source of the risk. These are:

Section 42 Safeguarding Enquiries (mandatory)
Other Safeguarding Enquiries (voluntary)

All categories in the Type of Risk Table are now mandatory to collect and report.

The type of risk describes the nature of the allegations made, such as physical or sexual. Multiple types of risk can be included in this table; please record one count for each different type and source, for each enquiry.

For example, a concluded enquiry involved an allegation of financial abuse by a family member and an allegation of physical abuse from someone not known to the individual. This would be counted as one in the ‘Financial’ with ‘Other – Known to Individual’ cell and one in the ‘Physical’ with ‘Other – Unknown to Individual’ cell.

If there are multiple incidents of abuse which fall under the same category relating to one safeguarding enquiry, for example two instances of physical abuse by the same stranger, this should only be counted once in the ‘Physical Abuse’ and ‘Other – Unknown to Individual’ cell.

Some of these categories can overlap each other, for example an incident of domestic abuse can also be physical abuse. Please record a count of one for all categories that are applicable.

Definitions for types of risk

Classification	Definition
Physical	Includes hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate sanctions.
Sexual	Includes rape and sexual assault, sexual acts to which the adult has not consented, could not consent or was pressured into consenting.
Psychological	Includes emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, isolation or withdrawal from services or supportive networks.
Financial or material	Includes theft, fraud, exploitation, pressure in connection with wills, property or inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.
Discriminatory	Includes abuse based on a person’s race, sex, disability, faith, sexual orientation, or age; other forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment or hate crime/hate incident.
Organisational	Includes neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in one’s own home. This may range from one off incidents to on-going ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation.
Neglect and acts of omission	Includes ignoring medical or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, social care or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating.
Domestic abuse	An incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse by someone who is or has been an intimate partner or family member regardless of gender or sexuality. It can include: psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse; ‘honour’ based violence; female genital mutilation; forced marriage.
Sexual exploitation	The sexual exploitation of adults is a form of sexual abuse. It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive an adult at risk into sexual activity (a) in exchange for something the adult at risk needs or wants, and/or (b) for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator. The adult at risk may have been sexually exploited even if the sexual activity appears consensual. Sexual exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology.
Modern slavery	Encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. Traffickers and slave masters use whatever means they have at their disposal to coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment.
Self-neglect	Covers a wide range of behaviour; neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding.

The description and tables which use ‘Type of Risk’ is included in the Data Dictionary.

Further clarification

Organisational abuse

There is increasing multiagency awareness about what constitutes organisational abuse. This means that organisational abuse can now often be identified at an early stage as a possible type of abuse. However, safeguarding enquiries relating to organisational abuse are likely to be under reported in the SAC due to various reasons relating to operational practice (for example being pursued via different routes such as commissioning or IT system limitations, which may not be in line with S42 Care Act 2014).

Wherever operational practice allows, in order to capture the full breadth and variety of safeguarding activity there should, wherever possible, be a report in the SAC of organisational abuse alongside a report of any specific types of neglect/abuse. This can be achieved with close reference to the above definitions of different types of abuse and the specific circumstances of each case, including the possibility that the potential abuse or neglect could also be organisational abuse and, where possible, recording this at the outset of the enquiry. So, to reiterate the table SG2a guidance: for each enquiry multiple types of risk can be included in this table. Therefore when the concluded enquiry is reported in the SAC and types of abuse have been determined there is the capability of recording as both (or more) types of abuse.

Cuckooing

For cases of cuckooing (where professional criminals target the homes of vulnerable adults so they can use the property for drug-dealing and other criminal activities), the same principle of considering the specific circumstances and the range of definitions of abuse will support recording and reporting types of abuse against completed enquiries. There is not a defined or specific Type of Risk to be used in these cases.

SG2b – Counts of enquiries by location and source of risk

This table collects metrics broken down by the location and source of the risk. These are:

Section 42 Safeguarding Enquiries (mandatory)
Other Safeguarding Enquiries (voluntary)

The location of risk describes where the alleged safeguarding incident took place. Multiple locations can be included in this table, please record one count for each location and source.

For example, a concluded enquiry involved an allegation which took place in a care home and was perpetrated by a family member and an allegation that took place in a hospital and was perpetrated by someone not known to the individual. This would be counted as one in the ‘Care Home’ with ‘Other – Known to Individual’ cell and one in the ‘Hospital’ with ‘Other – Unknown to Individual’ cell.

If there are multiple incidents of abuse which fall under the same category, for example two instances of abuse in a hospital by the same stranger, this should only be counted once in the ‘Hospital’ and ‘Other – Unknown to Individual’ cell.

Notes about location types

Classification	Notes
Own home	The residence where the adult at risk usually lives. Includes property owned by the individual, family or friends. Can include rented or supported accommodation, such as supported living, sheltered housing or shared lives schemes.
In the community (excluding community services)	Can include places like businesses, offices, pubs and other people’s homes.
In a community service	Can include places like community centres, day care centres, leisure centres, libraries, schools, GP surgeries and dental surgeries.
Care home - nursing	Can be used whether the person is at the care home on a permanent or temporary basis.
Care home - residential	Can be used whether the person is at the care home on a permanent or temporary basis.
Hospital - acute	The individual at risk could be a patient or a visitor.
Hospital - mental health	The individual at risk could be a patient or a visitor.
Hospital - community	The individual at risk could be a patient or a visitor.
Other	Includes any other setting that does not fit into one of the above categories.

The description and tables which use ‘Location of Risk’ is included in the Data Dictionary.

SG2a_b1/a_b2 - Counts of enquiries by type and location of risk

These tables collect metrics broken down by type and location of the risk. These are:

Section 42 Safeguarding Enquiries (mandatory)
Other Safeguarding Enquiries (voluntary)

The tables record the combination of the type of alleged abuse and where the alleged safeguarding incident took place.

The type of risk describes the nature of the allegations made, such as physical or sexual, the location of risk describes where the alleged safeguarding incident took place – see the tables for SG2a and SG2b for further definitions of each category.

Multiple results can be included in the tables where more than one enquiry involves the same individual but has a different type or location of risk. For example, one enquiry could be for physical abuse in the individual’s own home with a subsequent enquiry for financial abuse in a care home.

SG2c/e – Counts of enquiries by action, result and source of risk

These tables collect metrics broken down by action, result and source of the risk. These are:

Section 42 Safeguarding Enquiries (mandatory)
Other Safeguarding Enquiries (voluntary)

The tables look at whether a risk was identified and any action was taken as a result of the safeguarding enquiry (table SG2c) and, where a risk was identified, what was the outcome when the case concluded (table SG2e).

Multiple results can be included in table SG2e if there is more than one outcome from the source of risk identified. Please record one count for each risk outcome.

For example, a concluded enquiry involved allegations against a family member and a social care worker. The individual at risk lived in a care home. Despite the alleged abuse, the individual still wanted to maintain contact with the family member. The care home increased the monitoring of the individual at risk when the family member visited and this reduced the risk with regards to that situation. As a result of the allegation about the care worker, the care worker was dismissed from their job so that risk was removed. For the first allegation, there should be a count of 1 in the ‘Risk reduced’ with ‘Other – Known to Individual’ cell. For the second allegation, there should be a count of 1 in the ‘Risk removed’ with ‘Service provider’ cell.

If there are multiple allegations which fall into the same category, for example allegations against 2 different care workers who were both dismissed, this should only be counted once in the ‘Risk removed’ with ‘Service provider’ cell in the table.

Risk assessment outcomes

Classification	Definition
Risk identified	Evidence is found of, or potential for, abuse or neglect which could possibly cause harm to the vulnerable adult.
Risk assessment inconclusive	No direct evidence is found of, or potential for, abuse or neglect which could possibly cause harm to the vulnerable adult but there is uncertainty as to whether they are susceptible to abuse or neglect.
No risk identified	No evidence is found of, or potential for, abuse or neglect which could possibly cause harm to the vulnerable adult (for example, it may be that immediate action taken when a safeguarding concern is raised has mitigated the risk).
Enquiry ceased at individual’s request	This refers to cases where the individual at risk does not wish for an enquiry to proceed for whatever reason and so preclude a conclusion being reached.

The description and tables which use ‘Risk Assessment Outcomes’ are included in the Data Dictionary.

Action

Action can include anything that has been done as a result of the safeguarding enquiry. It includes things like disciplinary action for the source of risk, increased monitoring of the adult at risk, referral to a counsellor or a referral for a social care assessment. It can include action taken by the local authority itself or action taken by other organisations such as the police or a care home. Having an enquiry should not be classed as taking action for the purpose of this table.

No action taken

This category should only be used where no safeguarding action has taken place at all during the case and no further action is planned.

Risk outcome

This describes what happened to the risk being actioned. It is the decision of the safeguarding officer as to which option to record but the views of the individual at risk (or the person acting in their best interests) and other colleagues should be considered where possible.

Risk outcomes

Classification	Definition
Risk remained	The circumstance causing the risk is unchanged and the same degree of risk remains. It is acknowledged that there are valid reasons why a risk remains, for example in the case of an individual wanting to maintain contact with a family member who was the source of the risk but the safeguarding officer refers the individual at risk for counselling.
Risk reduced	The circumstance causing the risk has been mitigated to some degree. It is acknowledged that there are valid reasons why a risk is reduced rather than removed, for example if an incident occurred in a care home where the perpetrator was not identified but the individual at risk was to be monitored more closely going forwards.
Risk removed	The circumstance causing the risk has been completely removed so that the individual is no longer subject to that specific risk, for example if a care worker in a care home is the perpetrator and they are dismissed as a result of their behaviour.

The description and tables which use ‘Risk Outcomes’ are included in the Data Dictionary.

Last edited: 9 October 2024 4:31 pm