Following are some helpful pointers in completing the above form:

1. As a registered body Sheddocksley Baptist Church SCIO is required to ensure that its duty of care towards its beneficiaries is carried out in line with legislation and the Church’s safeguarding policy at this point too.
   
   
2. Essential principles of recording the information received/disclosed/observed:
   1. Remember: do not investigate or ask any leading questions
   2. make notes within the first one hour of receiving the disclosure or observing the incident
   3. be clear and factual in your recording of the incident or disclosure
   4. avoid giving your opinion or feelings on the matter
   5. aim to record using the 4 W’s and 1 H: When, where, what, why and how
   6. do not share this information with anyone else except your safeguarding co-ordinator in the first instance and they will advise on who else will need to be informed, how and when.
   7. make use of the additional information section to add any other relevant information regarding the child/adult/ family that you may be aware of. This can include any historic concerns or observations.

3. What constitutes a safeguarding concern? – any incident that has caused or likely to cause significant harm to a child can be classed as a safeguarding concern. Abuse is classified under four different categories (with regards to children) as already stated within the safeguarding policy (physical, sexual, emotional, neglect). With regards to adults there are 6 further categorisations. Whilst it may be helpful to record a specific category in the above form, if possible, this may not always be the case. Therefore, it is important to seek advice from your safeguarding co-ordinator or thirtyone:eight at this stage.
   
   
4. Why do you need information regarding ‘other household members’? – It has been demonstrated as important to include information about significant adults in the household especially when concerns relate to children as this has been a recurrent risk factor in several serious case reviews.
   
   
5. Why is the view of the child/adult significant? It is important to give whatever detail is available of the child or adult’s explanation (or verbatim) of the matter to help ascertain if it is plausible and to help offer a context to the concern identified.
   
   
6. Passing information to the Safeguarding co-ordinator – Your safeguarding co-ordinator holds ultimate responsibility in responding to any safeguarding concerns within the church/organisation and therefore it is important that they have oversight of the actions being taken and make relevant and appropriate contact with statutory agencies if required. They will remain the most appropriate link between the organisation and external agencies.

Following are some helpful pointers in completing the above form:

1. As a registered body Sheddocksley Baptist Church SCIO is required to ensure that its duty of care towards its beneficiaries is carried out in line with legislation and the Church’s safeguarding policy at this point too.
   
   
2. Essential principles of recording the information received/disclosed/observed:
   1. Remember: do not investigate or ask any leading questions
   2. make notes within the first one hour of receiving the disclosure or observing the incident
   3. be clear and factual in your recording of the incident or disclosure
   4. avoid giving your opinion or feelings on the matter
   5. aim to record using the 4 W’s and 1 H: When, where, what, why and how
   6. do not share this information with anyone else except your safeguarding co-ordinator in the first instance and they will advise on who else will need to be informed, how and when.
   7. make use of the additional information section to add any other relevant information regarding the child/adult/ family that you may be aware of. This can include any historic concerns or observations.

3. What constitutes a safeguarding concern? – any incident that has caused or likely to cause significant harm to a child can be classed as a safeguarding concern. Abuse is classified under four different categories (with regards to children) as already stated within the safeguarding policy (physical, sexual, emotional, neglect). With regards to adults there are 6 further categorisations. Whilst it may be helpful to record a specific category in the above form, if possible, this may not always be the case. Therefore, it is important to seek advice from your safeguarding co-ordinator or thirtyone:eight at this stage.
   
   
4. Why do you need information regarding ‘other household members’? – It has been demonstrated as important to include information about significant adults in the household especially when concerns relate to children as this has been a recurrent risk factor in several serious case reviews.
   
   
5. Why is the view of the child/adult significant? It is important to give whatever detail is available of the child or adult’s explanation (or verbatim) of the matter to help ascertain if it is plausible and to help offer a context to the concern identified.
   
   
6. Passing information to the Safeguarding co-ordinator – Your safeguarding co-ordinator holds ultimate responsibility in responding to any safeguarding concerns within the church/organisation and therefore it is important that they have oversight of the actions being taken and make relevant and appropriate contact with statutory agencies if required. They will remain the most appropriate link between the organisation and external agencies.