How and When to Report Safeguarding Concerns

When a safeguarding concern arises about a child, knowing what to do (and doing it promptly) can be the difference between harm being prevented and harm continuing or worsening. In far too many serious case reviews and child safeguarding practice reviews, the evidence has shown that concerns were noticed but not acted upon, that referrals were made too late, or that information was held in silos rather than shared between the agencies best placed to act. Understanding the reporting process is, therefore, not only procedurally important – it is ethically vital.

This guide focuses on England. Different arrangements apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where the legislative frameworks and local structures differ, though the underlying principles are broadly similar.

The Role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead

In every registered childcare setting, school and further education college, there must be a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) who has lead responsibility for the setting’s safeguarding arrangements. In practice, this means being the first point of contact for concerns raised by staff, volunteers or others; maintaining records of all safeguarding concerns; deciding whether and how to make referrals to children’s services; liaising with the local authority, police and other agencies; and ensuring staff receive training and supervision.

DSLs must have appropriate training (updated every two years) and should understand local thresholds for referral. The DSL role cannot be delegated to someone without the appropriate authority and training. When a DSL is absent, a named deputy should be available to fulfil their functions. Critically, the existence of a DSL does not mean that other staff can abdicate their personal safeguarding responsibilities: any member of staff who is concerned about a child should report it to the DSL, but if they believe the DSL is not acting appropriately, they should go directly to children’s services or the police.

Thresholds: The Graduated Response

Not every safeguarding concern requires an immediate referral to children’s services. The statutory framework describes a graduated response based on the level and nature of need, typically represented as a four-level triangle:

• Universal provision: services available to all children and families, such as health visiting, early years provision and school
• Targeted early help: support for children and families whose needs cannot be met through universal services alone, such as family support workers, parenting programmes and CAMHS
• Specialist intervention: input from children’s social care for children with complex or serious needs
• Child protection: the formal statutory response when a child is at risk of, or has suffered, significant harm

In practice, the decision about which level of response is appropriate is rarely simple, and thresholds vary between local authorities. The Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 guidance provides a framework for threshold decisions but acknowledges that professional judgement is required. DSLs should be familiar with the local threshold document published by their local safeguarding partnership and should not hesitate to seek advice from the local authority if they are uncertain about the appropriate level of response.

Making a Referral to Children’s Services

When a concern meets the threshold for referral (that is, when a child is considered to be at risk of significant harm, or may require additional help that cannot be provided through early help alone) a referral should be made to the local authority children’s services. This is typically done by telephone initially, followed by a written referral within 24 hours. The referral should include factual information about the child and family, the nature of the concern, what the child has said (using their own words), what action has been taken so far and any relevant context.

The local authority must acknowledge receipt of a referral within one working day and decide on the next steps, including whether to conduct an initial assessment, provide early help or take no further action. If no further action is taken and the DSL disagrees with this decision, they can escalate their concern through the local authority’s escalation procedures.

Section 47 Enquiries and Child Protection Conferences

When the local authority has reason to suspect that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm, it has a statutory duty to undertake enquiries under section 47 of the Children Act 1989. Section 47 enquiries involve investigation by social workers, often in conjunction with the police, and may include interviews with the child, the parents and relevant professionals. The police become involved where there is suspected criminal behaviour.

If the section 47 enquiry concludes that there is a continuing risk of significant harm, an Initial Child Protection Conference (ICPC) will be convened, bringing together all the professionals involved with the child and, usually, the family. The conference assesses the risk and decides whether to place the child on a Child Protection Plan (formerly known as being put on the Child Protection Register). A Child Protection Plan sets out the specific actions required to protect the child and is reviewed at regular conferences.

The LADO: Allegations Against Professionals

When an allegation is made against a professional, volunteer or member of staff who works with children (that they have behaved in a way that has harmed a child, may have harmed a child, or is unsuitable to work with children) the referral must go to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), not directly to children’s services. The LADO is responsible for overseeing and managing allegations against those who work with children, coordinating the response between employers, the police and, where necessary, the DBS.

This process is entirely distinct from the standard child protection process and reflects the particular complexities of an allegation in a professional context. Employers must not investigate allegations themselves before speaking to the LADO. The LADO provides advice on how to proceed, whether a strategy discussion is needed and what action the employer should take in the interim, including whether the individual should be suspended pending investigation.

Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hubs

Most local authorities in England operate Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASH), which bring together professionals from children’s social care, police, health, education and other agencies in a single, co-located team to receive and triage safeguarding referrals. When a referral is made to the MASH, professionals from different agencies can quickly share information and make a coordinated assessment of the risk level and the appropriate response, without the delays caused by agencies working in parallel silos.

The MASH model has significantly improved the timeliness and quality of decision-making following referrals in local authorities where it operates. For settings making a referral, the key practical implication is that a single phone call to the MASH (usually via a published duty number) will initiate a multi-agency response. Settings should keep a note of the name of the social worker they spoke to, the time of the call and the outcome of the initial discussion.

For related guidance, see also our articles on safeguarding requirements under the EYFS, the Childcare Act 2006, SEND and safeguarding vulnerabilities and how Ofsted inspects childcare.