Risk identification: responding to the signs of risk
SAFEGUARDING RESPONSE
Contributing to the risk assessment
At Entry level, you are not expected to complete a full risk assessment or make final risk decisions.
Your role is to gather, organise and clearly document information that will help more senior or experienced colleagues assess the risk and decide what needs to happen next.
Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi.
With your basket and my basket, the people will thrive.
Firstly, gather information from a range of sources. Then focus on a set of key questions, to complete your findings that will inform the risk assessment.
Why do we need to source a range of information?
Safeguarding risk is rarely identified from a single source. It typically emerges by bringing together different pieces of information, noticing patterns, and sharing concerns with others.
At E2E entry level, your role is to notice, document, consult, and escalate appropriately — not to investigate or verify facts.
For your action
Common information sources
Listed below are common information sources, what they may reveal, and where you would usually access them.
Become familiar with these, and use them to inform the preliminary stages of the risk assessment.
Gather relevant information from these sources and start implementing this as part of your regular practice.
Document this information for your colleagues who are responsible for the full assessment.
In your role of informing (but not completing) the risk assessment, you should explore multiple sources of information, when identifying violence, abuse or neglect, or other harm, and safeguarding risk.
Document what you discover, as it will inform the risk assessment and resultant actions.
Key sources of information include:
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This can include:
What the person says.
What they choose not to say (avoidance, fear, minimising) .
Non‑verbal communication and emotional cues (body language, signs of fear, reluctance or distress – especially if they have someone else with them who might be the perpetuator of the abuse or harm).
Changes in mood, confidence, or sense of safety over time.
Details might be sketchy or incomplete.
Where to seek this information:
Safe, private, accessible conversations using the person’s preferred communication methods. -
This can include:
Physical indicators (e.g. injuries, signs of neglect)
Behavioural indicators (e.g. withdrawal, fear, sudden changes)
Environmental cues (e.g. living conditions, interactions with others)
Patterns you notice across time or with repeated contact.
Where / how you seek this information
During routine interactions, visits, or service delivery.
Through consistent, respectful engagement.
By documenting observations factually and promptly.
Observation isn’t investigation – it’s professional noticing and enables early awareness.
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This can include:
Previous safeguarding concerns or incidents.
Past disclosures or patterns of risk.
Known vulnerabilities, trauma history, or support needs.
Risk factors already identified by your organisation.
Where / how you seek this information
Your organisation’s case notes, client records, or databases.
Handover notes or formal documentation.
Only accessing information you are authorised to view.
Do not go hunting for information outside your role or permissions.
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This can include:
Observations others have made.
Professional judgement from more experienced staff.
Context you may not have been aware of (patterns, prior concerns, organisational knowledge).
Where / how you seek this information
Team discussions.
Clinical or professional supervision.
Conversations with your manager.
Internal safeguarding escalation pathways.
Consulting others helps identify patterns, offset biases, and supports safer decision‑making.
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This can include:
Known risks identified by other involved agencies.
Changes in behaviour or engagement across services.
Information relevant to safety planning.
Where / how you seek this information
Through approved information‑sharing processes.
Via your manager, safeguarding lead, or designated liaison people.
In line with legal, ethical, and organisational requirements.
You are not expected (or authorised) to initiate inter‑agency information sharing on your own, at entry level.
You must operate within your professional boundaries. -
This can include:
Current stressors (housing issues, financial pressure, illness, separation).
Dependency on others for care or support.
Isolation from whānau, community, or services.
Cultural, systemic, or accessibility barriers.
Where / how you seek this information
Through conversations with the person.
From existing records or known service context.
By reflecting on environmental and social conditions affecting safety.
Context helps explain why risk may be increasing or changing.
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This can include:
A persistent sense that something “isn’t right”.
Discomfort that remains even when facts are unclear.
Pattern recognition built from experience.
Where / how you use this
Document it carefully (e.g. “I am concerned because…”).
Test it by consulting with others.
Use it as a prompt for further support or escalation, not as proof.
Intuition should trigger consultation, not solo decision‑making.
Key questions, as your area of focus
Use the questions below to help you organise what you know. You do not need all the answers — partial information can still be important.
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What have you observed or been told?
What did the person say, show, or signal?
What have you noticed yourself (behaviour, injuries, interactions, changes)?
Are there specific incidents or ongoing concerns?
Write what you see and hear — not what you think it means.
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Is there immediate danger?
Could the person be harmed soon?
Is anyone else at risk (for example, children, other adults, carers)?
Does the situation feel urgent or unsafe right now?
If you believe there is immediate danger, escalate this to your manager and follow your organisation’s emergency procedures.
If a crime has been committed, call 111 and ask for the Police.
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Are there patterns, escalation, or vulnerabilities?
Is this a one‑off concern, or part of a pattern over time?
Does the risk seem static, escalating, immediate, or emerging?
Are there compounding factors such as disability, isolation, dependence on others for care, discrimination, poverty, or previous trauma?
Context helps others understand why risk may be increasing or harder to see.
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What should be shared — and with whom?
What information is personal, confidential, or sensitive?
Who needs to know in order to help keep the person safe?
What should be shared only through approved pathways?
Share only what is necessary, and always follow your organisation’s information‑sharing and safeguarding procedures.
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Once you have gathered and documented your observations and concerns, the next step is to share this information safely and appropriately, so the right people can assess the risk and decide what action is needed.
At entry level, your role is to inform and escalate - not to determine outcomes or act alone.
Key practice reminders
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You do not need certainty that harm is occurring, in order to act.
You are not expected to verify “the truth”. You should not rely on one source alone.
Document what you see, hear, and notice — and who you consult.
When in doubt, share concerns and seek guidance
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Follow your organisation’s safeguarding procedures.
Share concerns with your manager, supervisor, or safeguarding lead.
Use established escalation or referral processes
Provide clear, factual documentation to support decision‑making.
Sharing concerns early helps prevent harm and enables coordinated responses.
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Consult with more experienced colleagues.
Seek guidance if you are unsure about the level of risk.
Be open about what you know — and what you don’t know.
Be aware of unconscious biases and prejudices, and work actively to offset these.
Safeguarding is a shared responsibility. You are not expected to reach conclusions independently.
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If there is immediate danger, or you believe serious harm may occur:
Follow your organisation’s emergency or urgent response procedures.
Escalate immediately to your manager or appropriate emergency service.
Do not delay action while seeking certainty.
Safety always comes first.
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Good safeguarding practice includes:
Recording what information was shared and with whom.
Noting any advice given or actions agreed.
Following up if concerns persist, escalate, or change over time.
Risk can evolve — ongoing noticing and documentation matter.
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Stay in your lane.
Do not investigate, interrogate, or verify information.
Do not promise confidentiality.
Do not provide reassurance about outcomes you cannot control.
Instead, be clear and honest.
For example:
“I may need to share this information to help keep you safe.”
Key practice reminders
You do not need certainty that harm is occurring, in order to act.
You are not expected to verify “the truth”.
You should not rely on one source alone.
Document what you see, hear, and notice — and who you consult.
When in doubt, share concerns and seek guidance.
Putting people first
Always remember that a risk assessment contains very personal information. When preparing your input, always consider the:
purpose and legal basis for sharing information
sensitivity of personal information
potential impact on the individual.
You’ll find more information to guide you in the principles of Ethical decision-making.
Responding safely, as a safeguarding professional
When a situation of concern is raised with you:
Listen without judgement.
Take concerns seriously.
Prioritise immediate safety
If a crime has occurred, call 111 and ask for the Police
If you need an ambulance, call 111. Be ready to pass relevant information on to the ambulance staff, when they arrive.
If you’re not sure that the Police should be immediately called to the situation, contact 105 and ask for the Police or their Family Harm Team to talk to you or your manager first, to discuss the most appropriate response. (Follow your organisations' internal procedures.)
If you or other professionals are at risk of harm, remove yourself from the situation immediately, then call 111.
Do not investigate or interrogate.
Do not promise confidentiality.
Say:
“Thank you for talking with me about this, and trusting me with this information.”
“Your safety matters.”
“I may need to share this to help keep you safe.”
