Reporting to charity regulators

It is a requirement for trustees to report any serious concerns to the Charity Regulator for your nation. Across the four UK nations, there are different terminology and processes:

• In England and Wales, it is known as ‘Reporting Serious Incidents’.
• In Northern Ireland it is known as ‘Serious Incident Reporting'.
• In Scotland it is known as ‘Raising a Concern’.

In all UK nations, regulators need to know if concerns have been raised about the charity, people have been harmed through their interaction with the charity, or there is a significant risk to the charity’s reputation. 

In terms of safeguarding these would include any allegation of abuse suffered by a beneficiary as a result of the actions (or lack of actions) of employees or others in connection with the charity. Trustees have a duty of care to the charity which require them to raise concerns with the regulator.

What should be reported?

Examples of safeguarding issues that should be reported include: 

• When a beneficiary of your charity has suffered abuse or serious harm or is being abused or mistreated by someone connected with your charity. 
• Any incident of abuse or mistreatment that is connected with the activities of your charity. 
• Where allegations have been made that abuse may have happened, regardless of when it may have taken place. 
• You have grounds to suspect that abuse may have occurred. 
• Any criminal activity that has taken place within or involving the charity. 
• A serious allegation of abuse against a worker in a partner organisation. 
• Any serious non-compliance which could result in harm or damage to public trust and confidence in the charity and / or in the sector. 

Serious concerns also include not having adequate safeguarding policies in place and failure to carry out relevant criminal record checks on workers and trustees. Serious failings in safeguarding practice in partner organisations could also be included.  

In making a report, you should also think about: 

• You may have a duty to refer to your Disclosure Body 
• You may need to notify your insurance provider. 
• There needs to be transparent HR and disciplinary processes. 
• Understand that any such report is not a poor reflection of the charity. 

Where and who to report to? 

Where you submit your reports to will depend upon the regulator your charity is registered with. If your charity is registered with multiple regulators you will need to make multiple reports as per the reporting process for each regulator.