6. Sharing your concerns if you suspect possible abuse

6.1. Duty to refer

Staff may become aware of suspected or likely abuse by:

• Their own observations or concerns.
• Being told by another person that they have concerns about a child or adult at risk.
• The child or adult tells them, either verbally or through play or behaviour.
• The abuser tells them.

Even if there is not direct contact with the child, young person or adult at risk, staff may become concerned because of difficulties experienced by the other adults in the relationship, e.g.

• Domestic violence incidents
• Mental health issues
• Substance and alcohol abuse incidents

Although staff may be unsure as to whether to share or refer their concern, there is a duty on staff to respond to all concerns about children or adults at risk where they may be at risk of significant harm. Guidance on recognising signs of abuse in children, young people and adults at risk can be found in Appendix C. Details of other safeguarding issues that staff need to be aware of as they go about their duties are included in Appendix D.

If in doubt, guidance on the most appropriate and effective way of providing or obtaining help can be through the MASH professional consultation line, information can be found here Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) » Suffolk Safeguarding Partnership (suffolksp.org.uk)

6.2. Confidentiality

Sometimes, it is only when information from several sources has been shared and combined that it becomes clear that a child is at risk. Personal information about children, adults at risk and their families will usually be confidential and should not be disclosed to a third party without the consent of the subject. However, the law allows for the disclosure of confidential information where this is necessary to safeguard a child or children in the public interest.

Disclosure of confidential information must be justifiable in each case, according to the particular facts of the case and must be limited to those people who need to know in order to take appropriate action.

Supervision and support for staff

All staff reporting concerns will be supported by an appropriate individual to help deal with any significant emotional demands they may face. Confidentiality will be maintained, and information only shared with appropriate people or agencies.

6.3. Referral procedures

If appropriate:

1. Make a careful note of the injuries or behaviours which have caused concern.
2. Listen carefully to anything the child or adult tells you. If you have observed an injury, you may ask how the injury happened. You may also want to repeat back to the person what they have said to ensure that you have understood correctly. You should encourage the person to explain their distress without pressuring them to discuss or disclose more than they want, need or are able to; you might want to inform them of their right to talk to an independent person, for example social services, about any possible abuse. This is of particular importance where the allegation concerns a council employee.
3. Never promise confidentiality, instead tell the child, young person or adult at risk that you may have to pass on information they disclose. However, you should reassure the person that they have done the right thing in telling someone and that the events they describe are not their fault.
4. Remember, your role is to note and pass information on accurately, not to conduct the early stages of an investigation.
5. If there is still concern, e.g., if the explanation for an injury is inconsistent with the signs you have observed, make a careful note of what you have heard and observed, sign, date it and note the time.
6. If your concern has arisen from something you have observed, you should in the ideal scenario obtain consent to make a referral from the child or young person’s parent(s) or carer(s) or the adult’s carer. However, if you feel that this may put the child, young person or adult in danger, it can be made without.
7. If necessary, you should discuss your concerns with one of the following – contact via MS teams or email:

Alex Heys Alex.heys@eastsuffolk.gov.uk
Samantha Shimmon Samantha.shimmon@eastsuffolk.gov.uk
Fern Lincoln Fern.lincoln@eastsuffolk.gov.uk

If you cannot get hold of any of these people, it is still important that the referral is made. You can ask advice about making a safeguarding referral by calling the MASH professional consultation line on 0345 6061499, this operates Mon-Fri 9-5. You can complete a multi agency referral form using the Suffolk Children and Young People’s Portal/Suffolk Adult Care Portal Concerned? » Suffolk Safeguarding Partnership (suffolksp.org.uk) – this enables you to send information securely to the MASH (Multi-agency safeguarding hub).

If you are unable to access the portal, you can telephone Customer First on 0800 808 4005. If the matter is urgent because a child, young person or vulnerable adult is in immediate danger, phone 999.

If you are concerned an adult is at significant risk of harm due to self-neglect or hoarding please see the referral information on the dedicated Self-Neglect and Hoarding page. Following all referrals please complete an internal DASH form to enable records to be maintained about all referrals by East Suffolk Council.

The council will only keep records of the safeguarding referrals it makes to the MASH for six months, if no further investigation is required. Thereafter they will be deleted.

Where an employee, volunteer or councillor is dissatisfied with how a professional in a partner agency has dealt with their concerns, they may raise these by using the Suffolk Safeguarding Partnership Escalation Policy.

The first step when considering escalating concerns should be to discuss the matter with the Council’s designated Safeguarding Officers. However, the first key principle in any dispute should be that it is everyone’s professional responsibility to problem solve and come to an agreed resolution at the earliest opportunity, always keeping in mind the child’s or adult at risk’s safety and welfare.