Logging a safeguarding concern

Record what you saw, what the child said and what you did, with a body map and case status.

Written byDaniel Broadhurst (Founder)|Published: 18 June 2026|
Ofsted Aligned

ℹ️Who this is for

Childminders and assistants who are worried about a child's welfare: something they saw, something a child said, or something that doesn't add up. Needs the Standard plan or a free trial. It takes about five minutes.

⚠️If a child is in immediate danger

Call 999 first. Write the record once the child is safe.

Video Walkthrough

This log is for concerns about a child's welfare. Accidents and incidents in your setting are recorded separately. What you write here may be used in a referral, so record it carefully.

1. Start a new concern

Open the Tools tab, choose Compliance Logs, then Safeguarding Log, and tap +.

2. Say what you saw

Choose the child, the date and time it happened, where it happened, and the category: Physical, Emotional, Neglect, Sexual or Other. The category starts on Physical, so check it.

In Nature of Concern, describe what you saw or were told. Stick to the facts, not what you think they mean.

3. Write down the child's words

In Voice of the Child, write what the child said, or how they reacted, as close to word for word as you can. Don't reword it, even if it doesn't match what an adult has told you.

4. Record what you did

In Action Taken, note what you did, such as talking to a parent or calling your local safeguarding team. Add who reported it and any witnesses.

5. Set the status

Choose Open, Investigating, Closed or Archived. Update it as the case moves on.

6. Mark any injury on the body map

Tap the body map where the injury is, choose its type and colour, and add its size.

7. Save it

Tap Save Securely. The concern appears at the top of your Safeguarding Log. Open it to see the Concern Details. To change it, tap the pencil and confirm.

⚠️Don't delete real concerns

Safeguarding records must normally be kept for 21 years and 3 months after the child leaves. When a concern is resolved, set it to Closed or Archived. Only delete a record made by mistake; you can restore it from

Business Settings → Recently Deleted

.

Why KinderStart does it this way

Separate fields for what you saw, what the child said and what you did stop important details getting lost when a concern is written up. A marked body map is clearer than "a bruise on her back".

What to do next

Next guide

Recording an accident report

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