1.1 Introduction
The revised Managing Safeguarding Concerns and Allegations Code of Practice (2025) brings about a change in terms of Core Groups to better reflect their purpose. Core Groups are now known as Safeguarding Case Management Groups (SCMG), and their purpose is to:
- Identify and manage risk.
- Share ideas and discussion to ensure the correct processes are followed.
- Consider what support needs to be offered to the complainant or the respondent, and if there are others who need safeguarding.
- Conduct a reflective exercise to consider the organisational or culture factors which impacted the case.
This good practice advice seeks to embed a culture of self-declaration by members of SCMGs. It provides advice for Chairs of SCMGs to identify, prevent and manage conflicts of interest.
1.2 Why are conflicts of interest important?
Conflicts of interest can and will be present when any group of people come together to make a decision. They can lead to decisions being made that are not in the best interest of the complainant or respondent, are unsafe, or are open to challenge. Ensuring these conflicts are identified and prevented or mitigated, is important for ensuring that decisions are safe and fair to all those involved. Within the context of a SCMG, perceived or actual conflicts of interests may:
- Compromise an individual’s judgment, decisions, or actions;
- Lead to risk not being fully assessed or adequately managed;
- Result in the correct level and type of support not being offered;
- Result in breaches of Safeguarding Code of Practice Requirements or Guidance; or
- Erode trust and confidence in the SCMG process
1.3 What are conflicts of interest?
For the purposes of this good practice advice, conflicts of interest include situations of perceived, potential or actual risk that the judgement, decision-making or commitment of a member of a SCMG has been or may be affected by secondary issues. These can include, but are not limited to:
- A relationship with or to a respondent, witness, complainant, or victim/survivor where they are not the complainant, which may be:
- Familial
- Social
- Professional
- Through membership of another or closely linked organisation
- Having knowledge of the case and potentially being a witness for any criminal prosecution or other legal investigation(s).
People in these situations may be conflicted, or perceived to be conflicted, because:
- Their relationship with one of the parties may lead to a perception (or an actuality) that their loyalty will over-ride impartial decision making, in favour of the person they know;
- They may be providing pastoral or spiritual support to one of the parties, making it difficult for them to be impartial and to juggle the different sets of boundaries required by each role;
- They may be the line manager and may be required to initiate discipline proceedings, or their own conduct/capability may be called into question.
A member of a SCMG should be regarded as having a perceived conflict of interest if a fair-minded person in possession of the material (relevant) facts would consider that there was a real possibility that the member’s personal interests or loyalties could prevent the member from acting objectively, fairly, and impartially.
This does not necessarily mean that a member should be treated as having an actual conflict of interest without further exploration, as the person alleging the existence of a conflict may have an incorrect understanding of the relevant facts or might have an unreasonable view of what properly amounts to a conflict of interest. In addition, there are circumstances where conflicts of interest are unavoidable, therefore having processes in place to identify, manage and record these are crucial.
Notwithstanding the above, any actual or perceived conflicts can undermine confidence in the fairness and transparency of the work of the SCMG and must therefore be addressed promptly.