Your Duty of Care in Safeguarding: A Complete Guide

Your Duty of Care in Safeguarding Recognising, Reporting, and Recording Concerns

Safeguarding isn’t just a job for social workers or care professionals; it’s a shared responsibility that affects anyone working with children, young people, or vulnerable adults. Whether you’re in education, healthcare, voluntary work, or simply part of a community, your actions—or inactions—can have lasting consequences. That’s why understanding your duty of care is not just important; it’s essential.

Here’s something to consider: in the UK alone, there are over 400,000 children classed as ‘in need’ each year, and a significant number of safeguarding concerns go unreported; not because people don’t care, but because they don’t know what to look for or what to do next. Sometimes, the warning signs are subtle. Other times, people assume someone else will step in. Unfortunately, that delay can make all the difference.

This article breaks down exactly what your responsibilities are when safeguarding concerns arise. From recognising the early warning signs to knowing how and when to report them, we’ll also explore why some people hesitate to act, what happens if concerns involve a colleague or professional, and how to record and refer information correctly.

If you’ve ever felt unsure about what counts as a safeguarding concern or feared that your report might not be taken seriously, you’re not alone. This guide will give you the clarity and confidence to do the right thing when it matters most.

“According to a British Journal of Social Work study (2014), effective safeguarding requires balancing professional judgment with procedural duties, especially when applying the duty of care in complex, multi-agency settings”

Your Responsibilities

Knowing your responsibilities is essential when reporting a concern. There are situations when it extends beyond your employment duties and you have legal responsibilities. This is known as the Duty of Care. You have an obligation to voice your concerns and provide information to someone who can take appropriate action since you have direct contact with adults who are at risk. You can share this information with the following people:

Reporting this information is crucial so that the appropriate authorities can collaborate to protect the adult who is at risk.

It’s also critical to understand that determining what qualifies as abuse or neglect is not your responsibility. Furthermore, you have no authority to determine what assistance is required. It is entirely your responsibility to communicate your concerns so that the proper action can be taken.

What Needs Reporting

Usually, something we have seen, heard, or seen leads us to voice a safeguarding concern. In accordance with your company’s adult safeguarding policy and procedures, you should disclose any safeguarding concerns. Any information you know regarding your concerns must be carefully documented when you voice them. We have to disclose this information, which could consist of:

What reasons you have for concern, such as physical signs like bruising, or changes in behaviour
An allegation of abuse against somebody, such as a member of staff
An account of how and when this abuse has taken place

This information must be accurate, timely, factual, and readable when it is recorded. By reporting this information, the appropriate actions are being done by the appropriate individuals to safeguard the vulnerable adult as soon as feasible.

When to Report a Concern

Any potential safeguarding issues must be reported right away. Don’t wait for an issue to arise. A vulnerable adult may suffer more harm if a concern is not voiced right away.

What to Report

We have the option to voice our concerns orally or in writing. In accordance with any existing safeguarding policies, we should likewise adhere to this. As is well known, it’s critical to document any detail pertaining to a safeguarding concern, including symptoms and indicators. Regarding the safeguarding concerns, you must also accurately disclose what you did and why. This record serves as an example of our decision-making process. Among the items we have to report are:

The date and time the disclosure was made, or when you were informed/witnessed the abuse.
Who was involved and any witnesses
What happened, or what you’ve been told in the adult’s own words
Any injuries witnessed
The views and wishes of the vulnerable adult
Any action and decisions that may have been made regarding the disclosure
The physical appearance and behaviour of the adult
Any other information, such as the history of incidents that coincide with the current concern

Who to Report to

When we do voice our concerns, it is crucial that we do so to the right person or authorities. Who you report to may also depend on the situation. Your supervisor, safeguarding manager, or the individual in charge of safeguarding concerns should be notified of your concern. On the other hand, if the adult is thought to be in imminent danger, it might be required to report them directly to:

The victim must be consulted before any action is taken, and we are aware of their desires and the results they hope to achieve. When doing these actions, we must always act in the vulnerable adult’s best interest and refrain from doing anything that could put them in danger.

Why Don't Some People Take Action

It takes bravery to voice concerns. A lot of people do little to protect issues. This is because they are afraid of how their accusations may turn out. This could lead to victimisation at work or possibly termination. Superiors may put pressure on some employees to drop a complaint. Another worry is that the accusation you think is true might not be.

It’s critical that we shouldn’t be ashamed to voice our concerns, despite these worries. You can always voice your concerns to an outside agency if you don’t think you can do so within your own organisation. You can even voice your concerns without being identified.

If the Report isn't Taken Seriously

Sometimes our issues are not adequately handled when we voice them. If the issue has not been resolved after exhausting all workplace policies and processes, we might need to think about voicing our concerns outside the company.

Occasionally, our superiors may dismiss our worries, believing that they are not as significant as we are. It’s possible that some employers wish to hide the truth.

If The Concerns are about a Professional

We must voice our concerns when we witness other professionals engaging in risky work practices or failing to exercise due care. If you feel that a service user’s safety, care, or dignity are in danger, you have a professional obligation to take immediate action. This is sometimes referred to as whistleblowing.

Whistleblowing regulations and company processes should still be followed when reporting a concern about a professional.

By doing this, you may be confident that the right person is hearing about your issues and can act right away. Taking prompt action can stop any issues from getting worse.

You still have the obligation to voice your concerns and take action, regardless of what they are about or who they are about. Making sure the service user is safely and properly removed from any risk of harm is the most crucial thing.

Recording Information

To make sure the right procedures are followed when we raise concerns, it is essential to record information. You are responsible for the things you do or don’t do. For this reason, when documenting information, it’s essential that it

Factual – Make sure what you document is fact, and not an assumption.

Timely – Ensure your date and time the events in which you document.

Accurate – Make sure you document specifics. For example, when documenting something you’ve been told, ensure that you make a word for word account of what you are told and by whom.

Defensible – Ensure that you document any decisions and actions that you have carried out.

This may include capacity assessments made and best interest decisions.

Reporting your concerns in detail aids in supplying the proof required to address issues. If you don’t have it, your worries might not be taken seriously, which could be a contributing reason to problems.

Referral Information

Internally, issues are not always resolved. This can happen when the issues aren’t given enough attention or when they call for quick response. Raising concerns internally could result in a delay when prompt action is needed, putting a vulnerable adult at danger of more harm. Here’s where we bring in outside organisations. In certain cases, if it is thought that a crime has been committed, the police may be called. We can also submit our concerns to Adult Social Care Services when an inquiry is required.

The adult must meet the requirements for an adult at risk before we can refer them for adult safeguarding. We must determine if they have the mental capacity to consent to a referral; if not, you may recommend them in “their best interest.”

Following any local referral procedure, we must make the decision to make a referral as detailed as feasible once it has been finalised. It is imperative that we:

Carefully outline the alleged abuse
Include details of friends and family who may be able to assist
Inform of any communication difficulties the adult may have
Indicate any concerns about the adults capacity to understand the safeguarding process

After a Referral

Following this recommendation, each local authority is required to make sure that, if they suspect an adult in their community is being abused or neglected, an investigation is conducted. From a straightforward discussion with the adult to a comprehensive multi-agency action plan, these enquiries can take many forms. The wishes and well-being of the individual are prioritised throughout this procedure. They also involve the adult in every decision-making whenever feasible.

Adult Social Cares Decision

A meeting between the vulnerable adult and those who are worried should be chaired after an investigation has started. In this meeting, they will talk about:

What harm is being experienced
Who is responsible for the harm being caused
What can be done to prevent this harm
How to keep the individual safe in the future

An adult who will be attending the meeting will be briefed by a social worker on the topics that will be covered. The adult is entitled to

Attend or not attend the meeting
Agree or disagree with any suggestions made
Have their views put on record

This meeting’s goal is to determine the best course of action for addressing the issues brought up and protecting the person from harm in the future. They might determine that implementing a protection plan is essential. The completion of the investigation and the development of the Protection Plan shouldn’t be delayed.

Protection Plans

An agreed-upon set of steps intended to assist and manage the risk of abuse and neglect for an adult with care and support needs is known as a protection plan. The person at the core of the plan, along with any supportive friends and family, agrees on such plans.

Formalising the steps taken to safeguard the individual is the aim of protection plans. Additionally, to aid the grownup in their recuperation from abuse and neglect.

The plans are made specifically to an individual’s needs, and they are person-centred and outcome-focused. The plans set out:

What steps are taken to ensure future safety for the individual
What support and treatments may be given
How to support the individual through any action they take to seek justice
Any on-going risk management strategy as appropriate
Any action that will be taken against the person or organisation that has caused the concern

The local government will be in charge of carrying out the Protection Plan. This strategy will be reviewed and monitored by a lead professional.

Since the strategy will be reviewed based on the conditions and level of risk, there are no deadlines. By going over the strategy, the lead expert can assess its efficacy and determine whether the intended results are being achieved. This individual is typically the local authority’s Responsible Manager.

The Protection Plan should specify the tasks and responsibilities of each participant as well as who is involved in the plan.

Closing a Protection Plan

In the event that the Protection Plan is deemed unnecessary after a review, it may be closed. When the adult is no longer in danger of abuse or neglect, or when the level of risk has been sufficiently decreased to allow for situational monitoring by a single agency process, we consider the plan no longer necessary.

The local government should be consulted when closing a protection plan. Additionally, the choices made regarding the plan’s conclusion ought to be documented.

When the Protection Plan is concluded, feedback on the outcomes should be shared with the following agencies/ individuals as appropriate:

The adult at the centre of the plan
The representative of the adult
Those who raised the initial concern
Anybody else who has been involved in the Process

Conclusion

Safeguarding is not a matter of ticking boxes; it’s about real people, real risks, and making the right decisions when it counts. Whether you’re spotting the early signs of harm or reporting a serious allegation, your actions could influence the course of someone’s life.

Having a clear understanding of when and how to raise concerns, who to report to, and what information to record ensures that vulnerable adults are not left unprotected. It also means you’re fulfilling your legal and moral duty in a way that’s responsible, respectful, and accountable.

Remember, safeguarding doesn’t stop at raising the alarm; it continues through proper documentation, timely referrals, and following the outcomes, including any Protection Plans put in place. Each step matters, and everyone involved plays a part in keeping adults safe from harm.

Staying informed and confident in your role can make all the difference. And while you might not always see the impact of your intervention, knowing you acted could mean someone else gets the chance to feel safe, heard, and supported.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is duty of care in safeguarding?

Duty of care in safeguarding refers to your legal and moral responsibility to protect others from harm. This includes recognising signs of abuse, reporting concerns appropriately, and recording incidents accurately.

Why is recognising safeguarding concerns important?

Recognising safeguarding concerns early can prevent further harm. It helps protect children and vulnerable adults by ensuring they get the support and intervention they need.

How should I report a safeguarding concern?

You should report a safeguarding concern to your designated safeguarding lead or manager immediately. If the individual is in immediate danger, contact emergency services without delay.

What are the signs of abuse or neglect to look out for?

Common signs include unexplained injuries, sudden behavioural changes, withdrawal, fearfulness, poor hygiene, or reluctance to speak around certain individuals. Emotional, physical, sexual, and financial signs may also occur.

What does it mean to record a safeguarding concern?

Recording a safeguarding concern means writing down what you’ve seen, heard, or been told in clear, factual detail. This record supports investigations and ensures accountability in safeguarding procedures.

When should I report a safeguarding concern?

You should report a concern as soon as you recognise signs of abuse or receive a disclosure. Delays can increase the risk to the person involved and hinder effective safeguarding action.

What happens after I report a safeguarding issue?

Once reported, the designated safeguarding person will assess the risk, gather further information if needed, and contact external authorities such as social services if required.