When navigating adult social care – whether for yourself or someone you support – it can be difficult to find clear, reliable information.
That’s where Research in Practice Brief Guides come in.
Brief Guides are short, accessible resources designed to help people with lived experience of care and support, and their carers, to understand important topics in adult social care. The aim of these guides is to support people to understand their rights and make informed choices.
They are written to help:
- People with care and support needs understand their rights and what to expect.
- Carers and family members feel informed and confident in supporting others.
- Everyone feel more included in decisions and conversations about care.
The guides are designed with accessibility in mind and aim to break down complicated terms, practices or systems in a way that makes sense to everyone.
Why Brief Guides matter
Everyone has the right to understand the support available to them – and to be part of the conversation. Brief Guides are a tool to help:
- Explain people’s rights and choices.
- Build adults and carers confidence when talking with professionals.
- Support people who may need guidance.
They can be printed, shared, or read online. People may use them to prepare for meetings or to help someone understand what’s happening in their care.
What is safeguarding adults?
We are pleased to share our latest Brief Guide that explores safeguarding adults.
Safeguarding remains a fundamental aspect of adult social care. This guide breaks down key principles under the Care Act 2014. It clarifies the six safeguarding principles, and highlights practical approaches to promoting safety, dignity and rights.
Highlights include:
- A clear explanation of what safeguarding adults means and why it matters.
- The types of abuse that people may experience.
- What people’s rights are if they feel unsafe or at risk.
- What to expect when things are working well.
- How people can be involved in decisions about their own safety.
- How different organisations work together to protect adults.
It also outlines the importance of Making Safeguarding Personal, which means adults should be listened to and supported to make choices about their own lives.
Explore our Brief Guides
We offer a range of Brief Guides, each focused on a different topic. Each guide is short, clear, and written to empower adults and carers. Topics include:
- Housing, wellbeing and adult social care. An overview of how where a person lives can impact on their wellbeing and how practitioners and adults with care and support needs can work together to achieve best outcomes.
- Assessment. This guide provides an overview of assessments under the Care Act 2014, including what an assessment involves and what to expect.
- Strengths-based practice. This guide explores the key principles of strengths-based practice and what to expect from it.
- Financial abuse. An exploration of financial abuse and the role of adult social care.
- Supervision. This guide explains the purpose of supervision, and how to tell if it is working well.
- Mental Health Act assessments. An overview of assessments under the Mental Health Act (1983). It outlines the importance of considering the least restrictive options, promoting wellbeing, and respecting the person’s rights and wishes.
Share your feedback
Have you used a Brief Guide? We'd love to hear your thoughts about:
- What topics we should focus on next.
- Suggestions on how to develop our Brief Guides further.
Please contact us to share your ideas. Your thoughts and experiences will support us to develop new Brief Guides.
Together, we can make sure that knowledge is not just available — but accessible and empowering for everyone.
What is safeguarding adults? Brief Guide
Safeguarding adults is about people and organisations working together to stop abuse and/or neglect happening to adults who are less able to protect themselves.
This open access Brief Guide explains some of the ways that people might be abused and what to do if you have concerns.
What is safeguarding adults? Brief Guide (2025)
Safeguarding adults is about people and organisations working together to stop abuse and/or neglect happening to adults who are less able to protect themselves. This Brief Guide explains some of the ways that people might be abused and what to do if you have concerns.
Housing, wellbeing and adult social care: Brief guide (2023)
This guide helps to explain why housing is important for wellbeing and independence, and how housing and social care services should work together. It explains some basic housing rights and options, and where people might go to get more information for different types of housing problems.
Assessment: Brief Guide (2023)
The purpose of an adult social care assessment is to ensure that you have the right information and support to achieve your individual outcomes. This Brief Guide explains what an assessment is and how it works, along with practical advice to help ensure that the assessment process is effective.
Strengths-based practice: Brief Guide (2020)
This brief guide provides an accessible and clear overview for people who are accessing adult social care services about strengths-based working and what they can expect from it.
Financial abuse: Brief Guide (2020)
Use accessible and clear information to support adults who may be at risk or victim of financial abuse, including the role and responsibilities of social care services.
Supervision: Brief Guide (2019)
Supervision is when one worker in adult social care is given responsibility to work with another colleague or group of colleagues. The aim of supervision is to promote the wellbeing of adults and carers who are receiving support. This Brief Guide explains what supervision is and provides practical advice for adults and carers about how they can have their voice heard throughout the supervision process.