This article is for Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs).
Before actioning a Safeguarding Concern or Behaviour Incident record, ensure its details are:
- Correct: Verify the details are accurate and factual.
- Complete: Confirm all fields are completed and no relevant details are missing.
- Up to date: Check the record is current and includes updates, replies, or referrals if it is still open.
- Relevant: Ensure all descriptions, categories and information are relevant to the record. For example, a Behaviour Incident record should focus on the student’s behaviour.
Review the record
- Sign in to Record Manager and find the record.
- Display the record:
- From the Dashboard: Select View Record
- From the student’s Chronology: Select Details
- Check the details that the reporter provided when they created the record.
- Action the record.
Tips for reviewing a record's details
- Date and time: Check the record’s date and time, as they indicate if the record is recent or if it’s been waiting for further action for some time.
- Submitted by: Check the name of the staff member or DSL who created the record. For old records, reassign actions to another staff member if the original reporter is no longer available.
- Verbally Informed a DSL?: Check whether the reporter informed a DSL. A ‘Yes’ indicates compliance with ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ guidance for urgent concerns.
- Other Students Involved: Check that the students included in this field are key participants. For example, in a bullying case, the victim and perpetrator should be listed here, while witnesses should be included in the Details field. This field appears only if the record includes multiple students.
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Type: Check that the Record Type is correct.
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Behaviour Incident: Incidents or actions related to a student’s behaviour.
- Safeguarding Concern: Concerns about the student’s safety and wellbeing.
- General Note: General or additional information about the child. See Review a General Note.
- Referral: The record has been passed on to a local authority or other parties for further assessment, action or support.
- Update: An update which outlines any activity, communication, or support done to address the record.
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Behaviour Incident: Incidents or actions related to a student’s behaviour.
- Category: Check that the record is assigned to the correct category and edit it if necessary. See Category definitions.
- Title: Check that the title matches the record’s details. You can’t change a record’s title, but an effective one summarises the record and indicates its urgency or seriousness.
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Status: Check if the record’s status is Unread or Open. If the record’s status is:
- Unread: Select Mark as Read to inform the reporter that you’ve read the record.
- Open: Select Mark as Closed if the record is sufficiently addressed and needs no further action, or leave the record Open if further action is being taken on the record.
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Important Information: Check if the record involves:
- Child Protection or Serious Safeguarding concerns.
- Physical intervention requirements.
- An Early Help Assessment.
You can edit this optional field by selecting Edit next to Categories.
- Details: Read the description of the record carefully. This section should outline what occurred, including observations and events witnessed by the reporter. If needed, include the names of participants who had minor involvement, such as other students and staff who witnessed the event.
- Body map: If the Details field mentions any injuries such as bruises, cuts, or bumps, check that these injuries are marked on the body map. If the reporter did not include a body map, add an update to the record and include a body map with the injuries marked.
Next steps
After finding the record, you can:
- Review the record’s details.
- Refer the record for further assessment or support.
- Close the record if it has been resolved.
- Mark the record as Read to let the reporter know you’ve read it.
- Add an update to the record. See how to update a Safeguarding Concern or Behaviour Incident.
- Edit the record’s Category or additional information.
- View the student’s combined body map.
- Delete the record if it was created in error or upon the request of local authorities.