How to record a safeguarding concern (with examples)

A concern that is only mentioned in a corridor can be forgotten. A written record stays, and the DSL can read it next week, next term, or hand it to the next DSL.

The English statutory guidance, Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) 2026, says all concerns, discussions and decisions should be recorded in writing, with the reasons. It also lists poor record keeping as an example of poor practice. KCSIE is written for schools in England, but many international schools use it as a model.

The International Task Force on Child Protection (ITFCP) makes the same point. Its 2025 briefing says that seeing patterns over time is key to spotting and responding to concerns.

Follow your school's child protection procedure. Tell the DSL straight away, and always on the same day, then write the record. If a child is in immediate danger, call your local emergency services.

The ITFCP briefing recommends a form or template, so that every member of staff includes the same basic details.

Use the list below as a base. Finish with your signature, or your login if you use a digital system, and add your full name and role as well.

• Your full name, role and relationship to the child
• The date and time you wrote the record
• The child's name, date of birth, age and class
• The date, time and place of what you saw or heard
• What the child said, in their own words, and what you saw
• Who else was there or saw it
• What you did next and who you told

Write the words as the child said them, inside quotation marks. Keep the slang, the swear words and the child's own names for body parts. The ITFCP briefing says this matters most when a child refers to a part of their body, because you should never guess what a child means.

Do not swap in adult words. If a child says "Mum shouts and I hide", write that. Do not change it to "emotional abuse".

Record your own questions too. Open questions such as "Can you tell me more?" are safe, but leading ones such as "Did he hurt you?" put words into the child's mouth.

NSPCC Learning advises adults to let the child set the pace and to reflect back the child's own words. For the conversation itself, see how to respond when a child discloses abuse.

If the child speaks a language other than English, write the words in that language if you can, add a translation, and say who translated. If you are unsure of a word, write what you remember and say so. Do not fill the gaps.

A good record keeps what happened apart from what you think about it. KCSIE 2026 asks for records that are clear and factual, and that show the difference between an observed concern, a professional opinion and past information.

An opinion can go in the record when it is marked as an opinion and the facts behind it are written down. Leave out the items below.

Here is an example. A weak entry says "The child seems neglected". A useful entry says "The child arrived without lunch on Monday and Tuesday and said, 'Nobody buys food at home'".

• Guesses about why it happened or whether the child is telling the truth
• Labels such as "attention-seeking", "manipulative" or "difficult family"
• Medical or legal conclusions such as "abused" or "depressed"
• Soft or vague words that hide what happened
• Names of other children, unless they are part of what happened
• Explicit images or videos. Do not view, save or forward them; describe them and tell the DSL.
• Details of a concern about an adult (see low-level concerns). Note that a concern was raised and point to the separate record.

Tell the DSL in person if you can. A sentence such as "I have a safeguarding concern about a student and I need five minutes now" is enough to start.

Write the record the same day, while your memory is fresh. Listen first. If taking notes would stop the child talking, write it up straight afterwards.

Give the record two dates, one for the day it happened and one for the day you wrote it. The ITFCP briefing warns against giving the incident the date you entered the record.

Sign with your full name and role. If you made rough notes first, give them to the DSL and ask how your school keeps them.

The DSL reads your record and decides what happens next. The DSL then adds the actions taken, the decisions made, and the reasons for them.

This includes cases where the DSL decides not to refer. KCSIE 2026 says records should show when referrals were made to another agency and when they were not.

The ITFCP briefing says to add updates step by step and on time, and to name who took part in each decision. Good practice is to correct a mistake with a new, dated entry and leave the old one in place.

Read a few old records as a stranger would, and mark every line you cannot follow. A clear chronology depends on clear records.

Keep each child's concerns in one secure place, in a separate child protection file. KCSIE 2026 says only people who need to see the file should open it.

Retention periods differ by country. The ITFCP briefing notes that many data protection laws set specific retention periods and make exceptions for child protection records. Ask local counsel or the authorities what applies to you, and write the answer into your policy.

When a child leaves, plan how the file moves. KCSIE 2026 asks the DSL to send it separately from the main student file, in secure transit, and to get confirmation of receipt. Read more in moving schools and safeguarding records.

The ITFCP briefing suggests the safeguards below. Pick the ones that fit your system.

• Use a system with passwords and permission settings, or a locked folder with a short access list
• Turn on two-factor sign-in for everyone who can open records
• Decide whether concerns about adults need a more restricted place than student files
• Stop school devices from syncing to personal accounts
• Lock paper files in a cabinet, keep the keys apart, and shred paper when you dispose of it
• Hand paper reports straight to the DSL, ideally in a sealed, signed and dated envelope
• Remove access when someone no longer needs it, and plan a handover when the DSL leaves

Read your record once more before you hand it over, using the questions below.

If any answer is no, fix the record now. If you are unsure, ask the DSL, as KCSIE 2026 advises.

• Could a person who was not there understand what happened?
• Are the child's words in quotation marks, exactly as said?
• Are facts and opinions kept apart, with opinions marked?
• Does it show the date, time and place of the event, and the date you wrote it?
• Does it say what you did and who you told?
• Is it signed with your full name and role?
• Is it in the one secure place, with no copies in personal email or phone photos?