Every year on 3rd December, the International Day of People with Disabilities (IDPD) offers an important opportunity to reflect, learn and recommit to creating a society where people living with disabilities are valued, respected and protected. At Innovate Care Group, this day aligns closely with our core purpose: delivering safe, person-centred care that upholds dignity, promotes independence and safeguards those who may be at risk.
Disability is not a minority issue. It is a natural part of human diversity. Yet disabled people continue to face significant barriers – not only in access to services, employment and education, but also in how safe and heard they feel within systems designed to support them. As care professionals, safeguarding must sit at the heart of how we respond.
Disability and Safeguarding: An Inseparable Relationship
Safeguarding is not an add-on to care; it is fundamental. Research and practice consistently show that people with disabilities are at higher risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination. This risk is often compounded by factors such as communication barriers, reliance on others for support, social isolation, and assumptions about capacity or credibility.
Safeguarding in disability care means:
- Listening – even when communication is non-verbal or unconventional
- Believing – taking concerns seriously, regardless of who raises them
- Acting – responding proportionately, promptly and transparently
True safeguarding is proactive. It is embedded in everyday interactions, not only in policies or incident responses.
Promoting Rights, Not Just Support
The International Day of People with Disabilities reminds us that disability care is about more than meeting needs – it is about upholding rights. People with disabilities have the same right to safety, autonomy, choice and control as anyone else.
At Innovate Care Group, we recognise that safeguarding is strongest when individuals:
- Are supported to understand their rights
- Are encouraged to make informed choices
- Feel confident to speak up without fear of repercussions
This means working in partnership with individuals, families, advocates and commissioners to ensure care is not only compliant, but empowering.
Challenging Assumptions and Reducing Risk
One of the greatest safeguarding risks in disability care is unconscious bias. Assumptions about capacity, behaviour or “what is best” can unintentionally silence individuals or justify poor practice.
Safeguarding requires us to continually ask:
- Are we truly involving the person in decisions about their life?
- Are we adapting communication to meet their needs?
- Are we seeing behaviour as communication rather than “challenging”?
By maintaining a reflective and curious approach, care professionals can reduce risk and ensure that support enhances, rather than restricts, a person’s life.
The Role of Care Professionals
Care professionals play a vital role in protecting and advocating for people with disabilities. This responsibility goes beyond following procedures; it is about values, vigilance and accountability.
Strong safeguarding cultures are built when staff:
- Feel confident to challenge poor practice
- Receive regular training and supervision
- Are supported to report concerns without fear
- Understand their role in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements
At Innovate Care Group, safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility – from frontline staff to senior leadership. It is embedded in our recruitment, training, governance and quality assurance processes.
Moving Forward Together
The International Day of People with Disabilities is not just a moment of awareness; it is a call to action. It challenges us to move beyond compliance and towards meaningful inclusion, respect and safety.
As care providers, commissioners, professionals and partners, we must continue to ask:
- How are we reducing risk while promoting independence?
- How are we amplifying the voices of people with disabilities?
- How are we ensuring safeguarding is lived, not just written?
At Innovate Care Group, we remain committed to delivering care that protects, empowers and respects people with disabilities – not just on 3rd December, but every day.
Because safeguarding is not simply about preventing harm. It is about creating environments where people can live safely, confidently and with dignity.
Contact us today to learn more about our mission to transform complex healthcare.
