Recording Guidance

1.0 Introduction

Good record keeping is an integral part of safeguarding children within the Catholic Church; it should not be considered as an optional extra. There are many reasons why all those involved in safeguarding children should keep good records. These include: helping to improve accountability; showing how decisions relating to safeguarding children are made; supporting effective assessments, providing documentary evidence of actions taken and helping to identify risks, and demonstrating how those risks have been managed. Good Record Keeping also helps to safeguard the rights of all concerned.

Standard 2.4, in Safeguarding Children requires that “there is a process for recording incidents, allegations and suspicions, and referrals. These will be stored securely, so that confidential information is protected and complies with relevant legislation.”

Set out below are the primary reasons for recording, as well as the processes necessary to write and maintain accurate records. Also detailed are recommendations around information sharing and retention and storage of sensitive data.