Reflection Point

In order to make sure you are doing as much as you can to address all the points in the previous section regarding Active Listening, then you will need to think very carefully about how you are going to ensure you are able to make a comprehensive written record of the disclosure without taking the focus away from the child, young person or vulnerable adult themselves. Remember, their feelings of safety and wellbeing must be at the centre of your actions at all times. This isn’t going to happen if you are paying more attention to writing notes than actually listening to them.

Your Religious Life Group, the RLSS and the CSSA will have formal procedures for completing written reports and will have dedicated forms for you to use. The following advice concerns the approach you should take to completing these formal documents:

A step by step approach

• At the time of the disclosure only make very brief notes if this does not interfere with the intimacy or flow of the disclosure. Try to focus on who, when, where, what.
• Write up your notes as soon as possible after the disclosure. Ensure you record the place, date and time the conversation took place and who was present.
• Do not destroy your original notes.
• Record the actual words used; including any swear words or slang.
• Depending on the age of the person, you might want to go through your written record with them afterwards to ensure you have captured everything correctly. They may or may not wish to do this or they may wish to add their own written notes too. Be led by the wishes of the person disclosing.
• You can record observable things but not your interpretations or assumptions – keep it factual. So, you might record that ‘X was crying continually throughout the conversation’. However, you should avoid writing about emotional state, such as, ‘X was very distressed throughout the conversation’ as you may not know what distress looks like for X. Your observations may be shared with the person making the disclosure so you should be able to justify the reasoning for making any personal commentary. If a person is disclosing domestic abuse and they are wearing dirty, worn clothing and appear to have limited access to washing facilities etc this might be relevant information about their current situation.
• If you have seen bruising or an injury, use a body map to record details. Again ensure that the map is dated and attached to information relating to the person’s comments about the injury.
• Save and date any drawings or artwork that formed part of the disclosure. Ensure these are submitted with the written report.
• Submit written record to relevant safeguarding lead/regulatory body/local authority/police without delay. The Safeguarding Policy for your RLG will clearly state the procedure you should follow.

Reflection Point

Not all disclosures will be verbal or intentional but you will still need to write a competent written record of what has happened to warrant your belief that a disclosure has occurred.

In their research document, ‘Key messages from research on identifying and responding to disclosures of child sexual abuse’, the CSA discuss that when responding to disclosures, it is critical to understand the different ways in which children disclose according to four overlapping factors: mode of communication, intent, spontaneity and detail. These factors might play a critical role in what you are able to record in a written report of the disclosure.