Safeguarding Enquiries and Escalation

Aim of the Course

This course aims to help frontline health and social care workers understand their responsibilities when safeguarding concerns are raised, referred, considered and escalated.

It develops the knowledge required to:

1. Recognise information that may constitute a safeguarding concern
2. Respond safely to a disclosure
3. Take proportionate immediate action
4. Report concerns through the correct procedure
5. Understand the purpose of a safeguarding enquiry
6. Support person-led safeguarding
7. Share relevant information lawfully
8. Escalate when risks remain unresolved
9. Cooperate appropriately with authorised enquiries

Scope of the Course

This course is suitable for healthcare assistants, care assistants, support workers, senior carers and similar frontline staff working with adults in care homes, supported living, domiciliary care and related services in England.

It provides role-appropriate awareness. It does not qualify learners to:

1. Decide whether the statutory section 42 criteria are met
2. Lead a safeguarding enquiry without authorisation and competence
3. Interview an alleged perpetrator or conduct a criminal investigation
4. Promise secrecy or a particular safeguarding outcome
5. Determine guilt or disciplinary responsibility
6. Search personal property or seize potential evidence
7. Share confidential information without a lawful and proportionate reason

Learners must follow their organisation’s safeguarding policy, the relevant local Safeguarding Adults Board procedures and instructions from authorised professionals.

What This Course Covers

The course covers:

1. Safeguarding concerns, referrals and enquiries
2. The section 42 criteria
3. The six safeguarding principles
4. Making Safeguarding Personal
5. Responding to disclosures
6. Immediate protection and emergency action
7. Accurate reporting and referral
8. Consent, capacity and information sharing
9. Preserving evidence
10. Roles within a safeguarding enquiry
11. Working with other agencies
12. Professional challenge and escalation
13. Allegations involving workers or people in positions of trust
14. Recording, confidentiality and defensible decision-making
15. Organisational learning following safeguarding concerns

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, learners should be able to:

1. Explain the meaning and purpose of adult safeguarding.
2. Distinguish a safeguarding concern, referral and enquiry.
3. Describe the three section 42 criteria.
4. Explain the local authority’s responsibility for deciding how an enquiry should proceed.
5. Identify concerns requiring safeguarding consideration.
6. Describe the six safeguarding principles.
7. Explain the meaning of Making Safeguarding Personal.
8. Respond appropriately when an adult discloses abuse or neglect.
9. Avoid leading questions, promises of secrecy and independent investigation.
10. Take proportionate action when someone is in immediate danger.
11. Recognise when emergency services may be required.
12. Report and refer concerns without avoidable delay.
13. Record observations, disclosures and actions factually.
14. Preserve potential evidence within personal competence.
15. Explain how consent and mental capacity affect safeguarding decisions.
16. Recognise circumstances in which information may need to be shared without consent.
17. Protect confidential information from unnecessary disclosure.
18. Describe the possible roles of partner agencies in an enquiry.
19. Cooperate appropriately with an authorised safeguarding enquiry.
20. Escalate concerns when risk remains or the response is inadequate.
21. Recognise allegations involving people in positions of trust.
22. Identify repeated concerns that may indicate organisational abuse.
23. Contribute to safeguarding plans and organisational learning.
24. Work within personal competence and local safeguarding procedures.

Further Reading and References

1. Legislation: Section 42 of the Care Act 2014 establishes the local authority’s duty to make enquiries, or arrange for them to be made, when the statutory criteria are met. Read section 42 of the Care Act 2014
2. Statutory guidance: Chapter 14 of the Care and Support Statutory Guidance explains adult safeguarding responsibilities, enquiries, information sharing, advocacy and multi-agency working. Read the Care and Support Statutory Guidance
3. Regulatory requirement: CQC’s guidance on Regulation 13 explains how registered providers must protect service users from abuse and improper treatment. Read CQC Regulation 13 guidance
4. Practice guidance: The Local Government Association provides guidance on safeguarding concerns and safeguarding enquiries, including thresholds, accountability and professional discussion. Read the LGA safeguarding enquiries guidance

Important practice point: Reporting a safeguarding concern is not the same as proving abuse. Frontline workers should report reasonable concerns promptly and must not delay action while attempting to investigate the matter themselves.