Whistleblowing
All organisations working with children should be responsive to concerns raised by staff about another person’s practice or behaviour. It is important that all professionals have the confidence to come forward to speak or act if they are unhappy with anything and that they will be supported by the organisation to do this.
Whistleblowing occurs when a person raises a concern about dangerous, illegal activity or any wrong doing within their organisation, such as:
- Potentially vital information about health and safety risks
- Possible fraud
- Harm of children or vulnerable adults
- Concerns about someone’s behaviour
It is essential that these issues are addressed immediately, so, ‘blowing the whistle’ as early as possible is important in order to prevent further harm being done.
What should professionals do?
- Each agency should have their own policy on whistleblowing that you can refer to
- Every situation is different so it is advisable to seek advice before blowing the whistle, from someone independent to your allegation
Links
– Government guidance on whistle blowing for employees
– NSPCC Whistleblowing Advice Line