Safeguarding is an important role for learning disability nurses and other professionals. Their clients have increased vulnerability for many reasons, requiring nurses to be constantly watchful. Empowerment of service users and improved access to advocacy are positive ways of protecting them from abuse.

Nurses need to be able to understand these responsibilities, as well as thresholds of abuse, the potential need to whistleblow, their own protection from subsequent repercussions and what can be done at an organisational level to safeguard people with learning disabilities.