Organisational Abuse
Organisational Abuse
Organisational abuse – sometimes called institutional abuse – happens when the way a service is run leads to neglect, poor care, or harm to people who rely on it for support. This can occur in any care or support setting, including care homes, hospitals, supported living, day services, or people’s own homes, and may reflect wider issues such as poor leadership, unsafe cultures, inadequate staffing, or ineffective systems and processes.
The Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Adults Boards’ organisational abuse guide, which is attached to this page, has been developed to support practitioners across all agencies. It provides practical guidance in the following key areas:
- understanding what organisational abuse is
- recognising indicators and risk factors
- responding appropriately and collaboratively to known or suspected organisational abuse
- applying relevant legislation and best practice
- promoting a culture of safety, dignity, and accountability
Local Government Association resources
A comprehensive hub of guidance, tools, and examples developed by the Organisational Abuse Expert Reference Group includes:
- definitions and indicators of organisational abuse
- guidance on closed cultures
- safeguarding concerns framework
- whistleblowing and coroner involvement
- examples of local safeguarding board policies
Useful Documents