Responding to disclosures

Responding to Disclosure

Some incidents of abuse only come to light because the abused person discloses

the information himself or herself.

The abused person may not understand that they are being abused and so not realise

the significance of what they are telling you. Some disclosures happen many years after

the abuse. There may be good reasons for this for example the person they were afraid

of has left the setting. Therefore, any delay in an individual reporting an incident should

not cast doubt on its truthfulness.

When someone discloses to you, remember you are not investigating.

Do:

· Stay calm and try not to show shock.

· Listen very carefully.

· Be sympathetic.

· Be aware of the possibility that medical evidence might be needed.

· Tell the person that:

o They did a good/right thing in telling you.

o You are treating the information seriously.

o It was not their fault.

· Explain that you must tell your Line Manager and, with their consent, the manager will

contact Adult Services, Health and/or Police. The manager will, in specific

circumstances, contact Adult & Community Services or Torbay Care Trust without their

consent but their wishes will be made clear throughout.

· If a referral is made but the vulnerable adult is reluctant to continue with an investigation,

record this and bring this to the attention of the Safeguarding Co-ordinator. This

will enable a discussion of how best to support and protect the vulnerable adult.

However, a professional case discussion will still need to take place and should be

recorded appropriately.

Do not:

· Press the person for more details.

· Promise to keep secrets (you can never keep this kind of information confidential).

· Pass on the information to anyone other than those with a legitimate “need to know”,

such as your Line Manager.

· Make promises you cannot keep (such as, "I will never let this happen to you again").

· Contact the alleged abuser.

· Be judgmental (for example, "Why didn’t you run away?").

· Gossip about abuse.

· Stop someone when they are telling you what has happened to them, as they may never

tell you again.

You must

· Make a note of what the person actually said, using his or her own words and phrases.

· Describe the circumstance in which the disclosure came about.

· Note the setting and anyone else who was there at the time.

· When there are cuts, bruises or other marks on the skin use a body map (see following

pages) to indicate their location, noting the colour of any bruising.

· Make sure the information you write is factual. You may wish to indicate your own

opinion or a third party’s information. If you do, ensure the separation is made very clear.

· Use a pen or biro with black ink so that the report can be photocopied. Try to keep your

writing clear.

· Sign and date the report, noting the time and location.

Be aware that your report may be needed later as part of a legal action or disciplinary

procedure