Skip to main content
The Pigeonhole safeguarding module provides a comprehensive system for recording, managing, and tracking safeguarding concerns within your setting. This guide covers all aspects of safeguarding management, from setting up DSL roles to managing records of concern and generating reports.

​
What is Safeguarding in Pigeonhole?

The safeguarding system allows designated staff members (Designated Safeguarding Leads and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads) to:
  • Record and track concerns about children or staff
  • Assign and manage actions taken in response to concerns
  • Maintain a complete audit trail of all safeguarding activity
  • Generate and securely share safeguarding histories
  • See which DSLs have read each concern
  • Close and sign off concerns, with signatures from one or more DSLs if your setting requires them
  • Communicate parent contact details and outcomes

​
Who Can Access Safeguarding?

Safeguarding records are visible to your DSL team only. Permissions are managed by the setting manager:
  • Safeguarding Lead: can view, edit, sign off and reopen all records of concern and actions. Also sets the sign-off rules and exclusions.
  • Deputy Safeguarding Lead: can view, edit, sign off and reopen all records of concern and actions, and can see the sign-off rules and exclusions, but can’t change them.
  • Manager: can’t see records of concern, actions or safeguarding histories. Managers manage the safeguarding categories and can raise concerns. A manager who needs safeguarding access must also be given the Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Safeguarding Lead role.
  • Staff: can raise concerns and view the actions assigned to them.
Managers don’t see safeguarding records by default. If your setting manager is also your Designated Safeguarding Lead, give them the Safeguarding Lead role on their staff profile.

​
Safeguarding Exclusions

A member of staff can be kept away from safeguarding records about a particular child or colleague, usually their own child or a relative who also works at your setting. They won’t see, be alerted about or be assigned actions on those concerns. Your Safeguarding Leads manage exclusions under Safeguarding → Settings. Nobody ever sees a concern about themselves, including Safeguarding Leads and deputies, so that needs no exclusion. See Sign-off Rules and Exclusions.

​
Safeguarding Guides

Records Of Concern List

Understanding the main safeguarding dashboard, filters, and status indicators.

Creating Records of Concern

Step-by-step guide to recording a new safeguarding concern with all field explanations.

Editing Records of Concern

Update an existing concern, generate a DSL summary, and change its status.

Managing Actions

How to add, track, and update actions taken in response to safeguarding concerns.

Safeguarding History

Viewing complete safeguarding histories and securely sharing them with other settings.

Closing and Sign-off

Seen by, signing a concern off, multi-signature sign-off, and reopening a concern.

Sign-off Rules and Exclusions

Set signature and sign-off rules, and keep staff away from records about their own children or relatives.