Safeguarding adults procedure checklist

Source anchors

How to use this checklist

Use this checklist to audit whether the service can recognise adult safeguarding concerns, make people safe, refer through the right local route, record decisions and learn from themes. It can be used quarterly, after a safeguarding concern, before governance review, or before an inspection-readiness review.

Local authority safeguarding routes vary. Do not use this checklist as a substitute for the current local safeguarding adults procedure. Record the route checked, the decision made and the outcome received.

For each row, record:

Met: evidence is current and complete.
Part met: evidence exists but has a gap or needs follow-up.
Not met: evidence is absent or the control is not working.
Not applicable: the service does not carry out this activity.

Every Part met or Not met item should create an action with an owner and due date.

The PDF is designed for printing, or for completing on screen with a PDF viewer's Fill & Sign, Markup or comment tools. Use those tools to tick boxes and type into the lines.

Service details

Field	Local entry
Service name
Location
Date completed
Completed by
Registered Manager
Safeguarding Lead
Local authority area
Period reviewed

1. Routes and prevention

Check	Evidence to review	Status	Action owner	Due date
Safeguarding Lead and deputy are named.	Procedure, role list, rota.
Local authority safeguarding adults route is current.	Local authority portal, procedure, review date.
Out-of-hours escalation route is visible to staff.	On-call procedure, staff briefing.
Staff know how to raise concerns without waiting for proof.	Staff interview, induction record.
People using the service know how to raise a concern or get support.	Service information, accessible format, notice.
Preventative controls are reviewed, including recruitment, training, supervision and whistleblowing.	Recruitment file, training matrix, supervision record, whistleblowing route.

2. Recognition and immediate safety

Check	Evidence to review	Status	Action owner	Due date
Staff can recognise abuse, neglect, improper treatment and self-neglect.	Training record, staff interview.
Staff know how to act if a person is in immediate danger.	Procedure, staff interview, emergency route.
Concern records show immediate safety action.	Safeguarding sample, incident sample.
Police or urgent clinical help is used where needed.	Record sample, call note, referral evidence.
Evidence is preserved where a crime may have occurred.	Staff guidance, incident sample.
The person's wishes and desired outcome are recorded where possible.	Safeguarding record, conversation note.

3. Logging and threshold decision

Check	Evidence to review	Status	Action owner	Due date
Concerns are logged promptly with source, date and category.	Safeguarding register, source record.
Consent and information-sharing decisions are recorded.	Consent note, capacity note, decision record.
Mental Capacity Act or best-interest decision is recorded where relevant.	Capacity assessment, best-interest note.
Section 42 or local threshold reasoning is recorded.	Threshold decision, local guidance reference.
Not-referred decisions explain why referral was not made.	Not-referred closure sample.
Senior review is visible for high-risk or borderline decisions.	Registered Manager review, governance note.

4. Referral and external coordination

Check	Evidence to review	Status	Action owner	Due date
Referrals show route, submitter, date and reference where available.	Local authority referral, portal receipt, call note.
Local authority advice or outcome is recorded.	LA correspondence, outcome note.
Provider actions are opened even where no further external action is taken.	Improvement action, risk update, care-plan change.
Person, representative or advocate updates are recorded where appropriate.	Update note, contact record.
Staff allegations are handled through a separate and impartial route.	Allegation record, HR or external advice note.
DBS, professional-regulator or commissioner routes are considered where relevant.	Referral decision, advice note.

5. Linked records and notifications

Check	Evidence to review	Status	Action owner	Due date
Incident, complaint or risk records are linked where needed.	Cross-linked records.
CQC statutory notification need is considered for abuse or allegation of abuse.	Notification decision, submitted notification or not-applicable reason.
Duty of candour is considered where harm may meet the threshold.	Duty of candour decision, incident review.
Restraint, restriction or deprivation of liberty concerns are reviewed.	Care plan, MCA record, restraint review.
Actions have owners, due dates and completion evidence.	Improvement actions, evidence.

6. Governance and training

Check	Evidence to review	Status	Action owner	Due date
Safeguarding themes are reviewed at governance.	Governance minutes, theme report.
Review includes referrals, not-referred decisions, outcomes and repeated themes.	Safeguarding report, audit sample.
Staff training is current for role and service type.	Training matrix, induction record.
Safeguarding Lead training is deeper than general staff awareness.	Training record, role description.
Learning changes policy, supervision, rota, staffing or care planning where needed.	Action log, policy review, supervision note.
Whistleblowing and speak-up routes are visible and trusted.	Staff interview, policy, governance review.

7. Summary judgement

Question	Answer
Are staff clear on the first action to take when they see a concern?
Which safeguarding theme repeated in the last 12 months?
Which concern led to a service change?
Which record still lacks external outcome or closure reasoning?
What would a CQC inspector see if they asked for safeguarding evidence today?

8. Action log

Action	Source check	Owner	Due date	Completion evidence

9. Completion

Sign-off	Name	Date
Completed by
Reviewed by Registered Manager

This checklist is a working tool. It does not replace live regulator guidance, local authority safeguarding adults procedures, police advice, safeguarding legal advice, Mental Capacity Act advice or professional judgement.