Recording concerns, chronology and the child's own words

Recording is part of safeguarding, not administration done afterwards. Clear notes help the next practitioner, manager or agency understand what happened and decide what must happen now. Poor records can make serious concerns harder to recognise.

Staff should record what was seen, what was heard, the child’s own words where possible, what action was taken, who was told and any remaining immediate safety questions. Chronology matters because patterns and escalation are visible across time.

What factual recording should include

• Time and place: when and where the concern arose.
• The child's words: use exact wording where possible.
• Observed behaviour: tears, shaking, silence, injury, avoidance or fear.
• Action taken: comfort, first aid, supervision, calls, notifications or emergency help.
• People informed: manager, social worker, police, health or other relevant professional.
• Outstanding concern: what still needs to happen next.

If the next worker cannot tell what happened and what matters now, the record is not finished yet.