What is a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in Health and Social Care?

Safeguarding is at the heart of health and social care in the UK. It means protecting the wellbeing and human rights of individuals, especially those who may be vulnerable. Within this setting, each organisation must have someone to oversee and manage safeguarding. This individual is called the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). The DSL plays a central part in keeping children, young people, and adults at risk safe from harm, abuse, and neglect.

What is the Role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead?

The DSL is the main point of contact for safeguarding in the organisation. They act as the expert on safeguarding policies and procedures. Their responsibility is to make sure everyone knows how to recognise, report, and respond to concerns. The DSL is not expected to know everything, but they must know where to find support, guidance, and how to access further help.

A DSL is often a senior member of staff. In some settings, there may be a team of safeguarding leads, but there is always one named DSL who takes the lead. Their authority allows them to act decisively and with confidence in difficult situations.

What are the Responsibilities of the Designated Safeguarding Lead?

A DSL’s main duty is to keep people safe. This role is varied and involves working with staff, service users, families, and external agencies.

Some daily tasks the DSL may undertake:

• Responding to safeguarding concerns raised by staff, visitors or service users
• Keeping clear, accurate records about safeguarding concerns and actions taken
• Referring cases to external agencies such as children’s social care, adult social care or the police
• Supporting staff with safeguarding issues or questions
• Providing safeguarding advice, training and updates within the organisation

Managing Referrals

The DSL is in charge of making formal safeguarding referrals. This means telling local authorities, social services or the police if there is a concern about someone’s safety. The DSL must judge when to escalate worries and follow national and local guidance.

Raising Awareness

The DSL must keep up to date with new safeguarding guidelines and best practice. They then share this knowledge with other staff, making sure training is delivered and everyone feels confident to act if they spot the signs of abuse or neglect.

Keeping Records

Detailed records protect service users and the organisation by showing what was noticed, decided and done. The DSL makes sure all notes are:

• Timely
• Accurate
• Confidential
• Stored securely

Working with Others

The DSL does not work in isolation. They interact regularly with colleagues, safeguarding leads from other organisations, parents, carers, advocacy services, social workers, police, and health professionals to offer a joined-up approach to safeguarding. This partnership protects individuals more effectively.

Safeguarding in Practice

The DSL is responsible for embedding a “safeguarding culture”. This means making sure safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, not just their own. Staff should feel comfortable raising concerns and confident they will be heard. Regular training, discussions and briefings help with this.

DSLs guide staff in identifying different types of abuse:

• Physical abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Neglect
• Financial abuse
• Discriminatory abuse
• Organisational abuse
• Domestic abuse

Each type of abuse has different warning signs and may need a different response.

Legal Background and Guidance

The DSL cannot work effectively without a clear understanding of the law:

• Children Act 1989 and 2004: Set out duties for protecting children and young people.
• Care Act 2014: Focuses on protecting adults at risk of abuse or neglect.
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018): Statutory guidance for all agencies working with children.
• Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE): Schools and colleges must follow this, and it includes how to appoint and support DSLs.
• Safeguarding Adults Protocols: Often issued by local safeguarding boards, giving rules for working with adults.

The DSL must follow these laws, policies and procedures.

Required Skills and Qualities

Not everyone can be a DSL. The role demands a range of personal qualities and professional skills.

Key characteristics of an effective DSL include:

• Confidence in making tough decisions
• Communication skills: explaining actions and concerns clearly to staff, service users, families and external agencies
• Organisation and attention to detail, especially in keeping records
• Maintaining confidentiality at all times
• Empathy and sensitivity to the needs of those at risk
• Understanding of diversity, equality and different cultural backgrounds

Training and Continuous Professional Development

DSLs must go through advanced safeguarding training. This covers the latest legislation, types of abuse, the impact of trauma, safe recruitment, safer working practice, whistleblowing, and how to share information with other agencies. The training is repeated at intervals, usually every two years.

DSLs also need ongoing professional development, so their confidence matches their responsibilities. Courses and seminars can include:

• Law updates
• Recognising less obvious forms of abuse (eg. modern slavery, online exploitation)
• Record keeping practice
• Working with families in challenging situations

Supporting Staff and Service Users

A DSL supports other staff by:

• Answering safeguarding questions and concerns
• Running training sessions to refresh staff knowledge
• Offering constructive feedback on practice
• Attending team meetings to discuss safeguarding openly

For service users, the DSL shows the organisation’s commitment to safety. When people know there is a trusted lead they can turn to, this builds confidence and helps promote a safe, welcoming environment.

Dealing with Disclosures

People may disclose abuse directly to the DSL, or to another member of staff who then informs the DSL. Disclosures are sensitive moments which need careful handling.

A DSL will:

• Listen calmly without making promises they cannot keep
• Reassure the person they have done the right thing by speaking up
• Record what is said in the person’s own words
• Share information only with those who need to know, following legal guidelines
• Use professional judgement to take next steps—this may include calling emergency services if there is immediate danger

Demands of the DSL

This role can be demanding. The DSL may encounter:

• Emotional strain from dealing with upsetting events
• Pressure from balancing responsibility for staff, service users, organisational reputation, and legal compliance
• Dilemmas when individuals do not want to be referred or families object to involvement by external agencies
• The need to stay impartial despite personal feelings

Support and supervision for the DSL are essential. They must also practise self-care to handle the emotional impact.

Supervision and Support for DSLs

Organisations should provide:

• Access to regular professional supervision with a senior colleague or external adviser
• Opportunities to debrief after distressing incidents
• Policies that protect the DSL from blame for following procedures correctly
• Time allocated during the working week for safeguarding work

DSLs in Different Settings

DSLs work in a range of environments:

• Hospitals
• GP surgeries
• Care homes
• Domiciliary care providers
• Supported living services
• Schools and colleges

Each setting has unique risks and safeguarding challenges. A DSL must be aware of the specific needs and policies in each. For example, working with adults with dementia in a care home may need different skills to supporting young people in a school.

Working with Local Safeguarding Boards

Each local authority has a safeguarding board or partnership for children and adults. The DSL acts as the organisation’s representative in meetings and investigations. These boards:

• Share information and intelligence
• Develop multi-agency strategies
• Learn from serious case reviews (detailed investigations after very serious incidents)

Good links with the board mean the DSL can access advice, raise awareness of wider issues, and contribute to community safeguarding.

Handling Information Sharing

DSLs manage sensitive information and must know when to share details and when not to.

• They only share with people who need to know to keep someone safe
• They balance privacy with the duty to protect
• Information is passed on securely, following the Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Promoting a Safeguarding Culture

Strong safeguarding will only happen if it runs through the whole organisation.

Steps DSLs might take include:

• Encouraging staff to report anything worrying, even if unsure
• Ensuring visible safeguarding policies on display and given to service users
• Leading regular safeguarding audits to spot gaps
• Handling complaints and feedback about safeguarding

An open culture creates trust and safety.

What Makes a Good DSL?

A good DSL is approachable, calm, reliable, organised and able to make difficult choices. They build strong relationships with staff and service users alike. Their presence reassures everyone that the organisation is safe and focused on protecting people at risk.

Qualities of an effective DSL:

• Confidence and clarity in communicating
• Staying calm under pressure
• Good judgement
• Clear, concise record-keeping
• Commitment to continuous learning
• Ability to manage confidentiality and professionalism

Final Thoughts

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is at the centre of safeguarding practice in health and social care. Their leadership, knowledge and compassion protect people at risk and guide staff through challenging situations. With a focus on prevention, intervention, and education, the DSL makes sure that every person is protected, respected, and given a voice. The role is demanding but offers the chance to make a real difference to lives every day.