Disclosure and Barring Service checks and self-disclosures - Guidance for managers April 2024

Dealing with a situation where you have safeguarding concerns

The Wales Safeguarding Procedures, Section 5 (Safeguarding Allegations / Concerns about practitioners and those in positions of trust) should be used in all cases in which it is alleged that a person who works or has contact with children or adults at risk has:

• Behaved in a way that has harmed or may have harmed a child or adult at risk
• May have committed a criminal offence against a child or adult at risk or that has a direct impact on the child or adult at risk
• Behaved towards a child, children or adults at risk in a way that indicates they are unsuitable to work with both children and adults

All Local authorities have identified managers who are accountable and responsible for allegations against professionals and those in positions of trust, known as the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). Responsibility for managing allegations made against professionals and those in a position of trust may be delegated to a Designated Officer for Safeguarding (DOS).

There are two Designated Officers for Safeguarding (DOS) in the Council:

Rebecca Robertshaw, Child Protection Coordinator childprotection@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Cathy Richards, Senior Safeguarding Manager (Adults) SCHAdultSafeguarding@carmarthenshire.gov.uk

You should inform the relevant Designated Officer for Safeguarding of your concerns at the very earliest opportunity and in all circumstances within no more than 24 hours after the concern has arisen (or next working day if out of office hours). You should clearly highlight that this is a safeguarding allegation/ concern in relation to an employee, volunteer, agency worker or school governor.

Please also inform your HR Business Partner.

Making a report

You should:

• Treat the matter seriously and keep an open mind
• Make a written record of the information (using where possible, the child’s / adult’s own words), including the time, date and place where the alleged incident took place, what was said and anyone else present
• Sign and date the written record
• Immediately report the matter to the Designated Officer for Safeguarding using the email addresses above.
• Where possible, send accompanying documentation such as the risk assessment clearly advising what safeguarding action has been taken to protect any children and adults at risk
• Where the Designated Officer for Safeguarding is the subject of the allegation, the information should be reported to a more Senior Manager and the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

You should NOT:

• Investigate or ask leading questions
• Make assumptions or offer alternative explanations
• Promise confidentiality - the person/persons should be advised that the concern will be shared on a 'need to know' basis

It must be noted that some allegations are so serious as to require immediate referral to the Police and the relevant Social Services care management team. The Wales Safeguarding Procedures are not in any way intended to impede the requirement for urgent or immediate responses to circumstances that are clearly serious.

A professional strategy discussion will determine whether the matter meets the threshold for progressing to a formal professional strategy meeting, which will be convened by the DOS. You may be invited to attend this meeting. This formal meeting will decide whether there are any disciplinary issues to be followed up and at what stage of the disciplinary procedure.

NOTE: For Schools, there is statutory guidance for handling allegations against teachers and other staff
Handling allegations of abuse against teachers and staff