arriers to telling someone because of their vulnerability, disability, sex, ethnicity, and/or sexual orientation • listening carefully to the child, reflecting back, using the child’s language, being non-judgemental, being clear about boundaries and how the report will be progressed, not asking leading questions and only prompting the child where necessary with open questions – where, when, what, etc. It is important to note that whilst leading questions should be avoided, staff can ask children if they have been harmed and what the nature of that harm was • considering the best way to make a record of the report. Best practice is to wait until the end of the report and immediately write up a thorough summary. This allows the staff member to devote their full attention to the child and to listen to what they are saying. It may be appropriate to make notes during the report (especially if a second member of staff is present). However, if making notes, staff should be conscious of the need to remain engaged with the child and not appear distracted by the note taking. Either way, it is essential a written record is made 121 • only recording the facts as the child presents them. The notes should not reflect the personal opinion of the note taker. Schools and colleges should be aware that notes of such reports could become part of a statutory assessment by local authority children’s social care and/or part of a criminal investigation, and • informing the designated safeguarding lead (or a deputy), as soon as practically possible, if the designated safeguarding lead (or a deputy) is not involved in the initial report. Considering confidentiality and anonymity Confidentiality 475. Staff taking a report should never promise confidentiality as it is very likely that it will be i