Recurring concern
Failure to recognise vulnerability in safeguarding decisions
- Reports that mention this concern
- 10
- Times this concern has been raised
- 10
- Stated actions linked to this concern
- 24
What this concern includes
Includes failures in safeguarding, police or comparable protective decision-making to recognise, assess or act on a person's vulnerability, including treating capacity as negating vulnerability or misclassifying a vulnerable person despite relevant indicators.
What is not included
- Excludes generic safeguarding failures where recognition or assessment of vulnerability is not the deficient control.
- Excludes mental-capacity assessment or best-interests failures where vulnerability recognition is not materially involved.
- Excludes failures concerning a separately named hazard, statutory pathway or specialist risk-assessment system when that system provides the more specific supported boundary.
- Excludes general service-access, communication or support failures where vulnerability was recognised and the deficiency arose at a later stage.
Trends
Reports over time
Reports mentioning this concern, over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Reports and published responses 10 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
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Concerns raised1
Failure to assess additional risks to vulnerable parents in safeguarding referrals concerning their children
This report raised 6 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Suffolk County Council
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
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Suffolk County Council
Add guidance to the MASH practice note and Standard Operating Procedure to identify vulnerable adults in safeguarding referrals concerning children.
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Suffolk County Council
Implement prompts across children’s and adults’ multi-agency referral forms to identify and route related concerns about adults or children.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to distinguish mental capacity from vulnerability in safeguarding decisions
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
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North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
Develop an Emergency Department safeguarding supervision programme for adult patients, supported by the Trust Safeguarding Team.
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North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
Ensure relevant staff attend mandated safeguarding training at the appropriate level and review attendance through governance meetings.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
A capacitous adult’s liberty and choice limited the Trust’s ability to intervene despite risky behaviours or an unsafe lifestyle.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to recognise sexual exploitation and vulnerability among homeless LGBTQIA young people
This report raised 6 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
- Department of Health and Social Care
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board
- Tameside Borough Council
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.4
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NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board and Tameside Borough Council
Work with the adult safeguarding board to embed tiered risk assessment in team practice and train staff to recognise sexuality-based discrimination as potential abuse.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Fund sector training and resources on safeguarding and safe service delivery for night shelters.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Work with Homeless Link to develop training covering safeguarding support for people whose protected characteristics, particularly sexuality, increase vulnerability.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Share NICE homelessness guidance across housing, homelessness and health sectors to promote person-centred, trauma-informed support.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
Department of Health and Social Care
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will provide further context on exploitation risks affecting vulnerable homeless young people.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to assess missing-person vulnerability without relying on assumptions about addiction
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- College of Policing
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
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College of Policing
Update Missing Persons APP to warn against imprecise, value-laden terminology and require clear descriptions relevant to risk assessment.
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College of Policing
Publish Evidence Based Guidelines on vulnerability-related risk assessment, including gathering information from multiple sources to inform professional risk judgements.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to consider safeguarding referral and assessment for vulnerable adults with serious mental disorder
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to assess known vulnerability when issuing CAWNs
This report raised 6 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
- College of Policing
- Greater Manchester Police
- Home Office
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
-
College of Policing
Release updated Child Abduction Warning Notice guidance requiring vulnerability risk assessment, links to suicide-prevention guidance, and clear explanation of events to recipients.
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Home Office
Strengthen PACE Code C to require proactive identification and recording of vulnerability factors and sharing those records with personnel communicating with the individual.
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Greater Manchester Police
Require pre-service vulnerability risk assessments, documenting the rationale and potential impact on the suspect in Child Abduction Warning Notice records.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
Home Office
Operational and procedural concerns about police practice are for the police to address.
-
Concerns raised1
Failure to classify people presenting indicators of vulnerability as vulnerable persons rather than absconding suspects
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- West Mercia Police
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5
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West Mercia Police
Finalize a vulnerability strategy incorporating nationally recognized effective practice.
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West Mercia Police
Roll out the piloted “see beyond the obvious” vulnerability programme across West Mercia in 2017.
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West Mercia Police
Maintain an organisation-wide programme developing officers and staff to identify and manage vulnerability and protect people from harm.
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West Mercia Police
Introduce the THRIVE model across the force to support information gathering, risk assessment and public protection decisions.
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West Mercia Police
Provide vulnerability-related training, online learning and knowledge checks across public-protection disciplines.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
-
West Mercia Police
Existing vulnerability training and improvements with NPAS are considered sufficient; the force has done all it can to prevent recurrence.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to safeguard an injured or intoxicated vulnerable person before police departure
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Ian Hopkins QPM., MBA
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
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Ian Hopkins QPM., MBA
Complete wider vulnerability work incorporating lessons learned from this case.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
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Ian Hopkins QPM., MBA
Specific waiting times cannot be formalised because circumstances vary and fixed timescales would be impractical.
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Ian Hopkins QPM., MBA
The National Decision Making Model is considered sufficient for officers to assess risks and decide whether to remain at a scene.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to recognise vulnerable residents
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- National Offender Management Service Directorate of Probation
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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National Offender Management Service Directorate of Probation
The Approved Premises had protocols for monitoring vulnerable residents, including ACCT assessments and additional checks where required.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to recognise vulnerable consumers
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
- Energy UK
- Ofgem
- RWE npower Group plc
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5
-
Ofgem
Issue guidance to non-domestic suppliers on good practice for debt management and disconnection, including shared occupancy and vulnerable customers.
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Energy UK
Amend and publish the Safety Net to protect vulnerable domestic consumers using non-domestic supplies from uncontrolled disconnection.
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Energy UK
Keep the Safety Net’s operation, including its new protections, under constant review through independent audits of suppliers’ systems and processes.
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RWE npower Group plc
Add mandatory vulnerability and shared-supply checks, standardize recording through a checklist, and investigate reported risks before disconnection.
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RWE npower Group plc
Brief internal and external debt-collection agencies on amended shared-supply and vulnerability procedures, with further written guidance and annual repetition.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.
Data last updated 7 September 2026