Reporting a Safeguarding Concern to Your Child's School
When something happens in or around school — bullying, harmful contact through a class WhatsApp group, peer-on-peer concerns, classroom phone misuse, or worrying behaviour from another adult — the school has a legal duty to record and respond. This guide gives you a clear, unemotional email template plus the escalation routes if you do not get a response. Schools in England follow Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2025; the same principles apply across the UK.
Immediate danger — call 999
If a child is in immediate physical danger, call 999. Do not wait for the school to reply.
What to report
- •Who is involved — your child and, where known, any other children or adults
- •What has happened, in plain factual terms, without speculation
- •When it happened — the date, time, and how long it has been going on
- •Where it happened — classroom, corridor, playground, online group chat, journey to or from school
- •Who else saw or knows about it — staff, friends, witnesses
- •What evidence you have — screenshots, messages, photos, prior emails to school
- •What you would like the school to do — record, investigate, separate pupils, contact you back
How to report
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
When to use
As the first contact for any safeguarding or welfare concern at school
How to contact
Email the school office and ask for your message to be forwarded to the DSL. Every school must have a named DSL whose details appear in the safeguarding policy on the school website. Mark the email 'Safeguarding concern - for the attention of the DSL'.
What to expect
Under KCSIE 2025 the DSL must record the concern on the school's safeguarding system (e.g. CPOMS, MyConcern), assess it against statutory thresholds, and act within an appropriate timeframe. You should normally receive an acknowledgement within one to two school days.
Headteacher
When to use
If the DSL has not responded within a reasonable time, or if the concern involves the DSL
How to contact
Write directly to the headteacher (head@ or office address). Reference your previous email to the DSL, the date sent, and any reference number provided.
What to expect
The headteacher has overall responsibility for safeguarding in the school. They should ensure the concern is recorded and acted upon, and update you on next steps within a few working days.
Chair of Governors (or Academy Trust)
When to use
If neither the DSL nor the headteacher responds appropriately, or if you have lost confidence in school leadership's handling of the concern
How to contact
Email the chair of governors via the school office or, for academies, the CEO or trustees of the multi-academy trust. Contact details are on the school or trust website. Set out a clear timeline of what you reported, when, and what response (or lack of response) you received.
What to expect
Governors and trustees have a statutory safeguarding oversight role. They will normally acknowledge within ten working days and may instigate a formal complaints process or independent review.
Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
When to use
If your concern is about the behaviour of a member of staff or a volunteer towards a child
How to contact
Contact your local council's LADO. Search '[council name] LADO' or find contact details via the council's children's services pages. You do not need to go through the school first if your concern is about a staff member.
What to expect
The LADO will assess the allegation, advise the school, and decide whether police or children's services involvement is required. They coordinate the response and ensure the staff member's employer takes appropriate action.
Ofsted — whistleblowing line (England)
When to use
For unresolved serious safeguarding failures where the school is not acting and statutory routes have not worked
How to contact
Call Ofsted's whistleblowing hotline on 0300 123 3155 or email [email protected]. Set out clearly what has happened, what you have already done, and why you believe there is a systemic failure.
What to expect
Ofsted does not investigate individual cases but may bring forward an inspection or trigger a focused safeguarding inspection if there is evidence of systemic failure. Equivalent bodies in Wales (Estyn), Scotland (Education Scotland / Care Inspectorate) and Northern Ireland (ETI) operate similarly.
Evidence checklist
Gather this information before or during your report. Do not delay reporting while collecting evidence — but preserve what you can.
- Screenshots of any messages, group chats, or social media posts, with dates and senders visible
- A dated written timeline of incidents — first occurrence, escalation, and most recent event
- Names of any witnesses (other children, staff, parents) and what they saw or were told
- Copies of any previous emails or letters to the school about the same or related issue
- Any reference numbers from previous reports (police, NSPCC, school CPOMS)
- Photos of relevant items — broken belongings, notes passed, injuries (with date)
- Notes of any phone conversations with school staff, including who you spoke to and when
- Your child's account of what happened, written in their own words where possible
What to say
You do not need to use a script, but this template may help if you are nervous about making the call. Adapt it to your circumstances.
"Subject: Safeguarding concern - for the attention of the DSL\n\nDear [DSL name if known, otherwise Designated Safeguarding Lead],\n\nI am writing to raise a safeguarding concern about my child, [your child's name], who is in [year group] / [form or class].\n\nOn [date], [describe the incident in plain factual terms - who was involved, what happened, where, and how long it has been going on]. This was [witnessed by / disclosed by my child to / shared with me by another parent].\n\nI have attached the following evidence: [list - e.g. screenshots from the year group WhatsApp dated 14-16 May, a written note from my child describing what happened, a photo of the damaged blazer]. I have kept the originals.\n\nI would like to ask the school to:\n1. Record this concern on the school's safeguarding system.\n2. Speak to my child sensitively and to any witnesses.\n3. Let me know what steps will be taken to keep my child safe at school, and the timescale for those steps.\n4. Confirm in writing the name of the staff member dealing with this concern and how I can contact them.\n\nI am happy to meet in person or speak by phone if that is more helpful. My contact number is [number].\n\nThank you for your help.\n\nYours sincerely,\n[Your name]\nParent / carer of [your child's name], [year group]"
What happens next
The DSL should acknowledge your email within one to two school days, log the concern on the school's safeguarding system, and decide whether the matter is dealt with internally (under the behaviour or anti-bullying policy) or referred externally to children's services, the LADO, or police. For routine concerns you should expect an update within five to ten working days. If you have not had a substantive response in that time, escalate in writing to the headteacher, then the chair of governors or academy trust, then the local authority's complaints route, and finally Ofsted (England), Estyn (Wales), Education Scotland, or ETI (Northern Ireland). Keep a dated record of each step.
What not to do
- ✗Do not post about the incident or name other children on social media — it can prejudice an investigation and may expose you to legal risk
- ✗Do not confront the other child's parents directly before the school has had a chance to investigate
- ✗Do not delete the original messages, posts, or photos from your child's device before screenshots have been made and saved elsewhere
- ✗Do not interrogate your child about exact wording — record what they tell you in their own words and leave detailed questioning to trained staff
- ✗Do not make threats to involve the press or social media in your initial email — keep the tone factual and let the process work first
Frequently asked questions
What if the school says it happened outside school so it is not their problem?
KCSIE 2025 is clear that schools must respond to safeguarding concerns affecting their pupils even where the incident took place outside school, including online and in the holidays. Quote KCSIE Part 1 in your follow-up if needed. If the school refuses, escalate to the headteacher, then the governors or trust, and you can also report directly to children's services and police.
Can I ask to see what the school has recorded about my child?
Yes. Under UK GDPR you can make a subject access request to the school for records held about your child. The school must respond within one calendar month. Ask the school for their data protection officer or write to office@ marked 'Subject Access Request - [child's name and year group]'. Some safeguarding records may be redacted to protect third parties.
How long should I wait before escalating?
For an acknowledgement, one to two school days is reasonable. For a substantive update on what action is being taken, five to ten working days is the usual benchmark. Urgent risks — for example a child being threatened or hurt — should be acted on the same day, and if they are not you should escalate immediately to the headteacher and consider contacting children's services or 101 yourself.
The DSL is the person I am worried about — what do I do?
Bypass the school entirely and contact the LADO at your local authority. The LADO handles concerns about anyone in a position of trust, including school staff. You can also call NSPCC (0808 800 5000) or the police on 101 for advice. Do not feel obliged to discuss the concern with the DSL before contacting the LADO.
Sources and further information
- Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 — Department for Education
- NSPCC Learning — Safeguarding in Schools — NSPCC Learning
- Ofsted — Complain About a School or Childcare Provider — Ofsted / UK Government
- ICO — Your Right of Access (Subject Access Requests) — Information Commissioner's Office
This guidance is for informational purposes. It is not a substitute for emergency services or professional safeguarding support. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999 (UK) or 911 (US) now.
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Last reviewed: 2026-05-17. This page provides general educational information, not legal or professional safeguarding advice. UK helplines and legislation may change — verify current details with the relevant organisation.