Safeguarding Concern
Guidance for responding to a disclosure, observation, allegation or other concern about the safety or wellbeing of an athlete.
Do not wait for an online form.
If you believe a child or another person is at immediate risk of serious harm, act to make the situation safe where possible, contact emergency services when required and inform the appropriate Designated Safeguarding Lead or senior manager immediately.
Respond Calmly
Your role is to listen, reassure appropriately, record and report — not to investigate.
Listen
Stay calm, take what is being said seriously and allow the person to explain in their own words.
Reassure
Explain that they have done the right thing by speaking up, without making promises you cannot keep.
Record
Record factual information and exact words where possible as soon as reasonably practical.
Report
Pass the concern promptly to the appropriate safeguarding lead through the academy's secure process.
What Staff Should & Should Not Do
✓ Do
- Listen calmly.
- Take the concern seriously.
- Use open, minimal questions only where genuinely necessary to understand what is being said.
- Record what you observed or were told.
- Use exact words where possible.
- Note the date, time and people present.
- Escalate promptly.
- Keep the information confidential and share only with those who need to know.
✕ Do Not
- Promise secrecy.
- Conduct your own investigation.
- Ask leading questions.
- Challenge or confront an alleged person yourself.
- Contact parents automatically before speaking to the safeguarding lead.
- Discuss the concern casually with colleagues.
- Add safeguarding details to general WhatsApp groups.
- Delay reporting because you are unsure whether the concern is “serious enough”.
Information to Record
Only include information relevant to the concern.
Date & Time
When the disclosure, observation or incident took place and when it was reported to you.
People Present
Record who was present during the disclosure or incident.
Exact Words
Where possible, record the person's own wording rather than paraphrasing or interpreting it.
What You Observed
Record factual behaviour, marks, injuries or other observations without adding assumptions.
Your Response
Record what you said or did immediately after the concern was raised.
Who You Informed
Record the safeguarding lead or senior person the information was passed to and when.
Should I Contact the Parent?
Ready to Record the Concern?
Open the academy's secure Safeguarding & Behaviour Record. Select the record type that most accurately reflects the concern, such as Safeguarding Concern, Disclosure or Welfare Concern.