You may think that duty of care is the same as safeguarding as they’re both to do with protecting people from harm. The difference is that safeguarding is a set of guidelines, policies, procedures, and actions designed to keep people safe, whilst the duty of care is a paid carer’s legal responsibility – so, if you fail to ensure the safety of others or fail to promote their wellbeing, it could result in legal or disciplinary action being taken against you.