Recognise, respond and report

This NCVO guide walks organisations through the three core stages of handling safeguarding concerns: recognising signs of harm and abuse, responding appropriately to disclosures, and fulfilling reporting responsibilities. It covers general principles for each stage — including when to share information without consent, how to support the person speaking up, and the importance of involving a designated safeguarding lead — whilst acknowledging that safeguarding situations are rarely clear-cut. The guide also outlines the different types of report an organisation may need to produce (internal, social services, police, Charity Commission) and signposts to external resources from NSPCC Learning, Ann Craft Trust, Gov.uk, and Actearly.uk. It is scoped to England and Wales contexts and notes that reporting requirements vary by local area, organisation type, and regulated-activity status.