Raising a concern
How to recognise, respond to, report and record safeguarding concerns.
If you have a concern about someone you trust or know well, including a colleague, it can be hard to believe and you may feel uncomfortable. You might worry about how it will affect your relationship, or you may find it difficult to believe what you are seeing/hearing. But it is important to take action.
Your role is not to decide if harm or abuse is happening; that is the role of other professionals, such as social workers, or the police. However, it is your responsibility to act if you have concerns that abuse or harm may be happening or are worried about something.
Key areas to be aware of when thinking about safeguarding are:
- recognise: the signs and indicators of possible harm and abuse - this includes knowing what abuse is, what to look out for, and the importance of being vigilant at all times
- respond: quickly and appropriately to possible concerns - this will include what needs to happen immediately, such as an emergency response, but also what to do next, to ensure the child is safe and supported
- report: your concerns to the DSL as soon as possible, following your setting’s safeguarding procedures - if you are a childminder, and therefore the DSL, you should report your concerns directly to the local statutory services
- record: all the details of your concern, including any actions you have taken and any conversations with parents - this may be paper based, or through an online system, but should follow your setting’s procedures
Raising a concern in a setting
If you have a direct disclosure, see something that worries you, or have any safeguarding concerns you must always pass these on to the DSL for your setting. If your concerns relate to the DSL, you should speak to the manager and/or whistleblow.
You should only share information on a need-to-know basis. This means that you only tell people who have a particular role in protecting the child, and only what is important for them to know. You should not tell any other people about it, such as your colleagues or friends. In an emergency, if this person or their deputy is not available, then you should report the concern directly yourself.
Raising a concern if you are not in a setting
If you don’t work in an organisation, for example, as a childminder and therefore act as your own DSL, you should report your concerns directly to local statutory services in the area where the child lives. You can find their contact details through the local authority webpage. The EYFS framework is clear that all early years professionals have a duty to follow the guidance of your Local Safeguarding Partnership.
What to do if a parent raises a concern with you
When a parent raises a concern, it is important you closely listen to what they’re saying. Parents, especially if they are upset or concerned, may not know the ‘correct’ words / phrases, so you need to really listen. For example, if a parent says they are not happy with the way a staff member has spoken or acted to a child it could be a safeguarding concern, even if the parent doesn’t use these words.
What happens after raising a concern
The DSL, or the relevant person, will consider the details of the concern. If they feel that it may meet the ‘threshold of harm’, they will contact the Local Authority Designated Officer, also known as the LADO.
The LADO is an experienced social worker who will advise what needs to happen next. In some cases, this will mean also notifying the police. The LADO’s role is to monitor the progress of each case and ensure it is dealt with quickly and fairly.
An investigation will be opened, and those responsible will decide what actions to take based on what is established. They will prioritise the welfare and safety of children and, in some cases, remove the adult from the home/setting while the investigation takes place.
Outcomes after raising a concern
No further action
It may be decided that there is no risk of harm and, therefore, no further action is needed at this point. If there are more concerns at a later date, these should still be passed on.
Early help
The concerns may indicate that the family need some additional support. In many cases, this will mean a referral to early help services. These vary in each area but include things such as parenting support groups, health services and services that help with developmental needs.
Assessment
Where there is a concern that a child may be at risk of significant harm, an assessment of the situation will take place. This is led by a social worker who will gather information about the family and speak with any professionals who know the family, such as nurseries, schools, health workers and the police.
Emergency intervention
There will be occasions when the situation needs a very quick response to ensure that a baby or child is safe. In these cases, there may be a response from the police, or a meeting led by children’s social care to agree what needs to happen to protect the baby or child.
In a very small number of cases, it may be decided that the baby or child is removed from the family’s care. This will only happen in the most serious cases.
If the concern relates to a member of staff, the steps taken by the DSL will be the same and it will be investigated as any other case would. The outcomes however will be focused on the provider and/or staff member, this could include improvements in the provider’s systems, suspension of staff members, or disqualification.