Safeguarding is about protecting people from abuse, neglect and avoidable harm while respecting their rights, choices and dignity. But safeguarding is not simply about responding when something goes wrong. It also involves recognising risks early, supporting people to make informed decisions and working with the right services when concerns arise.
If you work or plan to work in health and social care, education, childcare, housing or another setting where you may come into contact with vulnerable people, understanding the principles behind safeguarding is essential.
So, what are the 6 principles of safeguarding, and how do they influence safeguarding practice in the UK?
In this guide, we explain each principle in straightforward language, look at where the principles come from, and explore how they relate to adult safeguarding.
What Are the 6 Principles of Safeguarding?
The six principles that underpin adult safeguarding in England are:
The principles are set out in the Care and Support Statutory Guidance associated with the Care Act 2014. They are intended to guide how professionals and organisations approach safeguarding adults across different sectors and settings.
At the centre of these principles is a person-focused approach. Safeguarding should not simply be about completing a procedure. It should consider the person’s wishes, wellbeing, rights and circumstances while responding appropriately to concerns about abuse or neglect.
Why Are the 6 Principles of Safeguarding Important?
Safeguarding concerns can involve difficult and sensitive situations. A person may be experiencing abuse, neglect or exploitation, but the appropriate response can vary depending on their circumstances and the level of risk.
The six principles provide a framework for making safeguarding decisions.
They help professionals consider questions such as:
- What does the person want to happen?
- Could action be taken before the situation becomes more serious?
- What level of intervention is appropriate?
- Does the person need additional support or representation?
- Which organisations or services need to be involved?
- Who is responsible for the decisions being made?
The Care Act statutory guidance states that the six principles should inform work with adults across a wide range of sectors and settings, including health and social care, housing, education, welfare and criminal justice.
The 6 Principles of Safeguarding Explained
1. Empowerment
Empowerment means supporting people to make their own decisions and give informed consent.
Safeguarding should involve the person as much as possible. Rather than automatically deciding what should happen, professionals should listen to the person’s wishes and help them understand their options.
This is particularly important because safeguarding interventions can affect a person’s independence, privacy and daily life.
For instance, when a safeguarding concern is raised, the person should, where appropriate, be asked what outcome they want from the process and supported to express their views.
Why does empowerment matter?
A person-centred approach can help people:
- Understand their rights and choices
- Express their wishes
- Take part in safeguarding decisions
- Maintain as much independence as possible
- Make informed decisions about their circumstances
Empowerment does not mean ignoring risks. It means balancing protection with the person’s right to have a say in decisions that affect them.
2. Prevention
Prevention means taking action before harm occurs or risks become more serious.
Safeguarding should not always begin after abuse or neglect has already taken place. Recognising warning signs and addressing concerns early can help reduce the possibility of harm.
The Care Act guidance places significant importance on prevention and early intervention, including approaches that can help prevent or delay increasing care and support needs.
Prevention may involve:
- Recognising potential safeguarding concerns early
- Providing appropriate information and support
- Identifying changes in a person's circumstances
- Addressing risks before they escalate
- Working with relevant services and community resources
Early action can be particularly important when a person’s circumstances are changing or when concerns appear to be developing over time.
3. Proportionality
Proportionality means using the least intrusive response that is appropriate to the level of risk.
Not every safeguarding concern requires the same response.
The response should reflect the seriousness and circumstances of the concern while taking the person’s wishes and rights into account. The Care Act guidance describes proportionality as a response that is appropriate to the risk presented.
This principle helps avoid two potential problems:
- Taking stronger action than the situation requires
- Failing to take sufficient action when someone is at significant risk
A proportionate response therefore requires careful consideration of the available information, the person’s circumstances and the nature of the risk.
4. Protection
Protection means providing support and representation for people who are most at risk or need additional help.
Some people may be unable to protect themselves from abuse or neglect because of their circumstances or care and support needs.
In these situations, safeguarding arrangements may need to provide additional support.
Protection can involve:
- Helping someone report abuse or neglect
- Providing appropriate representation
- Taking action to reduce immediate risks
- Involving relevant safeguarding services
- Supporting the person throughout the safeguarding process
Protection is particularly important when a person is unable to keep themselves safe without additional assistance.
At the same time, safeguarding should continue to take the person’s wishes into account wherever possible.
5. Partnership
Partnership means working across services, organisations and communities to support safeguarding.
Safeguarding is rarely the responsibility of one person or one organisation.
Depending on the circumstances, effective safeguarding may involve cooperation between:
- Social care services
- Health services
- Local authorities
- Police
- Housing services
- Community organisations
- Care providers
- Voluntary organisations
Different organisations may have access to different information, responsibilities and forms of support. Working together can therefore help create a more coordinated response.
The Care Act guidance highlights the importance of strong multi-agency partnerships in preventing and responding to abuse and neglect.
Partnership also extends beyond formal organisations. Communities can play a role in recognising concerns, supporting people and helping prevent abuse and neglect.
6. Accountability
Accountability means maintaining transparency and clarity about safeguarding decisions and responsibilities.
Everyone involved in safeguarding should understand their role and responsibilities.
Accountability can include:
- Clearly identifying who is responsible for decisions
- Keeping appropriate records
- Explaining decisions where appropriate
- Following safeguarding policies and procedures
- Being open about responsibilities
- Reviewing how safeguarding arrangements are working
Good safeguarding requires organisations and professionals to be able to explain how decisions were made and what actions were taken.
SCIE also identifies accountability and transparency as one of the six principles underpinning adult safeguarding.
The 6 Principles of Safeguarding at a Glance
These six principles are set out in the Care and Support Statutory Guidance and are also reflected in SCIE’s safeguarding guidance.
Where Do the 6 Principles of Safeguarding Come From?
The six principles form part of the safeguarding framework for adults in England and are included within the Care and Support Statutory Guidance issued under the Care Act 2014.
The Care Act provides a legal framework for adult health and social care in England. It includes responsibilities relating to wellbeing, care and support, cooperation between organisations and safeguarding adults at risk of abuse or neglect.
The statutory guidance states that the six principles should apply across different sectors and settings, including health and care services, housing, education, welfare and criminal justice.
It is important to remember that safeguarding legislation and guidance can differ across the UK. The six principles discussed in this article specifically relate to the adult safeguarding framework in England.
How Are the 6 Principles Used in Safeguarding?
The six principles are not six separate steps that must always be followed in a fixed order.
Instead, they help inform safeguarding decisions.
For example, when a concern is raised, professionals may need to consider:
Empowerment
What does the person want to happen?
Prevention
Can action be taken now to reduce the possibility of further harm?
Proportionality
What response is appropriate to the level of risk?
Protection
Does the person require additional support or representation?
Partnership
Which organisations or services need to work together?
Accountability
Are roles, responsibilities and decisions clear?
Considering these questions can help keep safeguarding responses person-centred while ensuring that risks are taken seriously.
Adult Safeguarding vs Child Safeguarding
Safeguarding applies to both adults and children, but the legal frameworks, responsibilities and procedures are not identical.
Adult safeguarding in England is strongly associated with the Care Act 2014 and focuses on adults who have care and support needs and may be experiencing, or be at risk of, abuse or neglect.
Child safeguarding operates under a different legal and policy framework, with specific duties concerning children and young people.
Although the frameworks differ, both involve protecting people from harm and promoting their welfare.
It is therefore important not to assume that adult and child safeguarding procedures are interchangeable.
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What Are the Main Types of Abuse?
Understanding the different forms of abuse can help people recognise potential safeguarding concerns.
Depending on the circumstances, safeguarding concerns may include:
Physical abuse
This can involve physical harm, injury or inappropriate physical treatment.
Psychological or emotional abuse
This may include threats, intimidation, humiliation, controlling behaviour or other conduct that causes emotional harm.
Financial or material abuse
This can involve theft, fraud, exploitation or inappropriate control over someone’s money or property.
Sexual abuse
This involves sexual activity or behaviour without appropriate consent.
Neglect and acts of omission
This may occur when a person’s essential care or support needs are not properly addressed.
Organisational or institutional abuse
This can involve poor care practices or harmful routines within an organisation or service.
Discriminatory abuse
This involves harmful treatment connected to characteristics such as disability, age, race, religion or other protected characteristics.
Domestic abuse
Domestic abuse can involve physical, emotional, sexual, financial or controlling behaviour within certain relationships.
Self-neglect
Self-neglect can involve serious difficulties with personal care, health, hygiene, living conditions or other aspects of wellbeing.
A safeguarding concern does not always look the same from one situation to another. Recognising changes in behaviour, circumstances or wellbeing can therefore be important.
What Should You Do If You Have a Safeguarding Concern?
The correct response depends on the circumstances, the person involved and the level of risk.
If you are concerned that someone may be experiencing abuse or neglect, you should follow the safeguarding policy and reporting procedure relevant to your organisation or setting.
Depending on the situation, this may involve:
- Recognising the concern
- Listening carefully to the person
- Taking the concern seriously
- Recording relevant information accurately
- Following your organisation's safeguarding procedure
- Reporting the concern to the appropriate person or service
- Taking urgent action if someone is in immediate danger
If there is an immediate threat to someone’s safety, emergency services may need to be contacted.
Professionals should also understand their responsibilities around information sharing. Safeguarding does not mean sharing personal information unnecessarily. Information should be handled appropriately and in accordance with relevant legal and organisational requirements. SCIE provides specific guidance on information sharing in adult safeguarding.
What Is Making Safeguarding Personal?
Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP) is an approach that puts the adult at the centre of safeguarding decisions.
Instead of focusing only on whether a safeguarding procedure has been completed, MSP considers what the person wants to achieve and what would help them feel safer.
Questions may include:
- What would you like to happen?
- What would help you feel safer?
- Who would you like to involve?
- What outcome would make the biggest difference to you?
SCIE describes Making Safeguarding Personal as a person-centred, outcomes-focused approach that respects an adult’s wishes and promotes their wellbeing.
This approach connects closely with the principle of empowerment because safeguarding should involve people in decisions about their own lives wherever possible.
Why Person-Centred Safeguarding Matters
Safeguarding is ultimately about people.
A process may be necessary, but the person affected should not become secondary to the process.
A person-centred approach considers:
- Their wishes and feelings
- Their rights and dignity
- Their circumstances
- Their communication needs
- Their capacity to make particular decisions
- The risks they may face
- The support available to them
The Care Act guidance emphasises the importance of considering people’s views, wishes, feelings and beliefs when carrying out care and support functions.
Common Safeguarding Mistakes to Avoid
Safeguarding can become less effective when concerns are overlooked, responsibilities are unclear or the person is excluded from decisions.
Some common issues include:
Ignoring early warning signs
Small changes can sometimes indicate that a person’s circumstances are changing.
Making decisions without involving the person
Where appropriate, people should have the opportunity to express their wishes and participate in decisions.
Taking a one-size-fits-all approach
Safeguarding responses should reflect the individual circumstances and level of risk.
Failing to communicate responsibilities
Everyone involved should understand their role.
Working in isolation
Safeguarding concerns may require cooperation between multiple services.
Sharing information inappropriately
Information should be shared responsibly and only when there is an appropriate basis for doing so.
The 6 Principles of Safeguarding: Key Takeaways
The six principles provide an important foundation for adult safeguarding in England:
- Empowerment keeps the person's voice at the centre.
- Prevention focuses on acting before harm occurs.
- Proportionality encourages an appropriate response to the level of risk.
- Protection ensures people who need additional support can receive it.
- Partnership recognises the importance of cooperation between services and communities.
- Accountability promotes transparency and clear responsibility.
Together, these principles support a safeguarding approach that aims to protect people while respecting their rights, choices and dignity.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The six principles of adult safeguarding in England are Empowerment, Prevention, Proportionality, Protection, Partnership and Accountability.
The six principles work together rather than operating as a ranking. Each addresses a different part of effective adult safeguarding.
Empowerment means supporting people to make their own decisions and give informed consent wherever possible.
The six principles work together rather than operating as a ranking. Each addresses a different part of effective adult safeguarding.
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