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Pack 16: Adult Protection For Volunteers

Working with vulnerable adults or their carers places greater responsibility on your volunteers and can have implications for the organisation. Ensure your volunteers are equipped to deal with this client group and understand how to handle any protection issues.
Author

Kay Curtis

Resources

Handouts, Activity Sheets & Case Studies

Experience Level Needed

Beginner

Access

Download and Online Access

Duration

2 hours

Price

£
50

What's included?

  • Session Timetable
  • Timed Activities
  • Trainer notes
  • Training material in PPT files 
  • Pre Course questionnaire
  • Training Evaluation form
  • Session extension ideas
  • Activity sheets
  • Case Studies
  • Achievement cards and certificates

Overview

This training pack aims to equip participants with a comprehensive understanding of adult protection.

It guides them through recognizing vulnerable adults, identifying various types of abuse, and understanding the signs and consequences associated with each. 

This pack also provides clear procedures for reporting abuse and offers strategies for handling disclosures while emphasizing the difficulties that may arise throughout the process. 

Objective

By the end of the session participants will:

- an understanding of who is a vulnerable adult and the vulnerability of the adults they work with
identified what is meant by abuse
- defined the different types of abuse and abusers
explored how to spot signs of abuse and to deal with disclosure
- information on where to take concerns and how to report abuse
- discussed possible difficulties and consequences around reporting concerns of abuse

WHY IT MATTERS

Why adult protection training is mandatory for UK volunteers in regulated roles in 2026.

📅 Pack content last reviewed: April 2026
✍️ Authored by Kay Curtis · 30+ years' UK voluntary-sector specialism

Pack 16: Adult Protection is a complete full-day trainer-led session for UK charity volunteers working with adults at risk — mandatory for volunteers in regulated roles. The pack covers recognition of abuse, the legal framework, reporting routes, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 awareness, and the role of the designated safeguarding lead.

Adult protection is the single highest-priority compliance area for UK charities working with vulnerable adults in 2026. The Charity Commission emphasises that safeguarding is a key governance priority for trustees of all charities. Trustees are ultimately responsible for ensuring measures are in place to protect everyone who comes into contact with the charity from harm.

Adult safeguarding in 2026 rests on a defined legal framework. The Care Act 2014 creates the statutory framework for safeguarding adults with care and support needs in England. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 shapes how decisions are made with and for people who may lack capacity. Charity Commission CC3 guidance applies to every registered charity. And the Worker Protection Act 2023, in force from October 2024, adds a proactive duty to prevent harassment in volunteer settings.

This training pack gives your charity a safeguarding session that meets Charity Commission expectations for volunteer induction and refresher training in regulated roles. Pairs with Workbook 2 (Keeping Safe) for self-study reinforcement and Pack 23 (Volunteers with Extra Support Needs).
ALL CHARITIES
Have safeguarding duties
The Charity Commission is explicit: safeguarding applies to every registered charity, not only those working with children or adults at risk.
CARE ACT 2014
Statutory framework for adults at risk
Defines safeguarding duties for adults with care and support needs. Frames how charities work with vulnerable adults.
ANNUAL
Charity Commission expects review
Every charity should review safeguarding training annually to confirm it remains appropriate to current risks and roles.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Quick answers from buyers like you.

QIs this mandatory for all my volunteers, or only some?
Mandatory for volunteers in regulated roles (DBS-checked roles working with adults at risk) and strongly recommended for all volunteers in any direct-contact role. Charity Commission guidance expects safeguarding training appropriate to the role, reviewed annually.
QDoes it cover the Care Act 2014 and Mental Capacity Act?
Yes. The pack covers the Care Act 2014 framework for safeguarding adults at risk, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 principles, the presumption of capacity, the situations where capacity may be in question, and Charity Commission CC3 guidance — all in plain English appropriate for awareness-level training.
QIs this awareness-level or specialist training?
This is comprehensive awareness-level training appropriate for volunteers in regulated roles and refresher training for designated leads. It is not a substitute for the specialist accredited training that designated safeguarding leads, safeguarding officers, and volunteers in named professional roles require in addition.
QHow current is the legal content?
The pack content is reviewed annually and reflects current Charity Commission guidance, the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005, UK GDPR, the Worker Protection Act 2023, and recent guidance on online safeguarding risks. Updated within your licence year when material legislative changes occur.
QIs it better to buy this pack or the full library?
Adult protection training works best in combination with Pack 23 (Extra Support Needs), Pack 24 (Risk), Pack 5 (Working Safely), and Workbook 2 (Keeping Safe). If adult protection is your only training need, the single pack works. For full compliance training, the £295 licence pays for itself after six packs.
RELATED TRAINING PACKS

Adult protection sits across the entire volunteer journey.

Pair adult protection with the other compliance-critical packs:

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