What should I do if someone reports abuse or poor practice to me?

• Stay calm.
• Reassure the person that has reported the concern to you has done the right thing.
• Keep an open mind.
• Listen carefully and take them seriously.
• Do not promise to keep secrets, inform the person that you will be most likely need to share this information with others.
• Only ask questions asking for clarity about information proved. Do not ask questions that may lead to a particular response. If needed to, try to ask questions that start “Tell me about”, “Explain to me” or “Describe”.
• Tell them what you will need to do next and who you will be sharing this information with.
• Record in writing what was said, using the persons own words where possible as soon as you can.