1. Purpose
This policy sets out how the Practice identifies, records and responds to child and adult safeguarding concerns in a dental setting.
It covers dental neglect, domestic abuse, adults at risk, staff allegations, referral routing, staff training and record-keeping.
2. Sources to verify before adoption
- GDC guidance on child protection and vulnerable adults: https://www.gdc-uk.org/standards-guidance/standards-and-guidance/gdc-guidance-for-dental-professionals/guidance-on-child-protection-and-vulnerable-adults
- GDC Standards for the Dental Team: https://standards.gdc-uk.org/
- Children Act 1989, section 47: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/41/section/47
- Care Act 2014, section 42: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/23/section/42
- Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/31/contents
- GOV.UK multi-agency statutory guidance on female genital mutilation: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/multi-agency-statutory-guidance-on-female-genital-mutilation
- Working Together to Safeguard Children, current GOV.UK guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2
3. Scope
This policy applies to:
- children and young people attending the Practice
- adults with care and support needs who may be at risk of abuse or neglect
- family members, carers and visitors where their behaviour raises concern
- all staff, associates, locums, trainees and contractors
- concerns identified during treatment, reception contact, telephone contact, online messages or home-care communication
4. Definitions and duty
The Practice has a duty to act when staff suspect that a child or adult may be at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation.
Staff do not investigate safeguarding concerns themselves. They record what they saw, heard or were told, and follow the Practice referral pathway.
The Practice verifies local referral routes with the local safeguarding children partnership, local authority adult safeguarding team, Local Authority Designated Officer and police before adopting this policy.
5. Dental neglect indicators in children
Dental neglect may be one sign of wider neglect. Staff consider safeguarding action where patterns include:
- repeated untreated pain or infection
- repeated missed urgent dental appointments
- poor oral hygiene inconsistent with the child's age and support needs
- failure to complete agreed treatment where the consequence is significant harm or likely significant harm
- carer refusal or delay where the child is in pain or function is affected
- visible injury, fearfulness or explanation inconsistent with presentation
Staff record the clinical facts, the conversation and the action taken. Staff avoid judgemental language.
6. Domestic abuse disclosure pathway
Dental staff may see signs of domestic abuse during chairside conversations or examination.
When a patient discloses abuse, or staff suspect abuse, staff:
- speak to the patient alone where safe and appropriate
- do not confront the alleged abuser
- record the patient's words as closely as possible
- record visible injuries factually
- ask whether the patient is safe to leave
- follow the Practice referral pathway
- call emergency services if there is immediate risk
- consider child safeguarding if children are exposed to domestic abuse
The Practice keeps local domestic abuse referral contacts with this policy.
7. Adult-at-risk indicators visible during dental treatment
Staff consider adult safeguarding where they identify:
- unexplained injuries or repeated injury patterns
- poor hygiene or untreated oral disease linked to possible neglect
- fearfulness, coercion or a companion answering for the patient
- signs that the patient cannot access medication, food, hygiene or appointments
- pressure about money, treatment cost or payment from another person
- concerns about capacity, undue influence or forced decision-making
- disclosure of abuse, neglect or exploitation
The Practice records the concern and follows the local authority adult safeguarding route where the threshold appears met.
8. Referral routing
The Practice keeps a live referral sheet with:
- local authority children's safeguarding contact or MASH
- local authority adult safeguarding contact
- Local Authority Designated Officer for allegations involving staff or people in a position of trust
- police contact for immediate risk or suspected crime
- NHS safeguarding lead contact where the Practice holds an NHS contract
- out-of-hours safeguarding contact
- FGM mandatory-reporting route for known cases in under-18s where the duty applies
Staff call emergency services immediately where there is immediate danger.
9. Staff allegations
Where a safeguarding allegation involves a member of staff, associate, locum, trainee or contractor, the Registered Manager:
- makes the person safe from further contact with the patient where needed
- preserves records
- contacts the Local Authority Designated Officer where the allegation concerns a child
- contacts the local authority adult safeguarding team where the allegation concerns an adult at risk
- considers police referral where a crime may have been committed
- considers CQC notification and GDC referral where required
- records the management decision and advice received
No staff member investigates an allegation about themselves.
10. Training cadence
The Practice maps safeguarding training to staff role.
Verivius default levels are:
- Level 1: all staff, including reception and administrative staff
- Level 2: staff with direct patient contact
- Level 3: safeguarding lead, Registered Manager and clinicians with responsibility for assessing and acting on higher-risk concerns
The Practice verifies exact training levels, frequency and provider requirements against local safeguarding partnership guidance, NHS contract requirements where applicable and current professional guidance before adoption.
11. Recording requirements
Safeguarding records include:
- date and time
- patient name and date of birth
- staff member recording
- facts observed
- words used by the patient or carer, where relevant
- body map or clinical notes where injury is visible and within clinical scope
- immediate action taken
- advice received
- referral made
- reference number
- follow-up action owner
- date for review
Records are factual, contemporaneous and stored securely. Access is limited to staff who need it for safeguarding or governance purposes.
12. Governance and audit
The Registered Manager reviews safeguarding records at least quarterly, or more often where risk requires it.
The review checks:
- concerns were recorded promptly
- referrals were made to the right route
- staff allegations were escalated outside the Practice
- actions were completed
- training records are current
- learning was shared with staff without breaching confidentiality
Review cadence: annual or on regulatory change, whichever sooner. Owner: Registered Manager.