How Unconscious Bias Can Affect Safeguarding Decisions

In safeguarding, these assumptions can influence whose behaviour we notice, whose account we find credible, how seriously we interpret a concern and what support we believe someone needs. 

As explored by the University of California, San Francisco, this form of bias develops throughout our childhood, and the very nature of it means we’re not aware of how it impacts our decisions and our perspectives. Biases can lead to assumptions about who is at risk. 

For example, staff might unintentionally overlook signs of distress in children from more affluent backgrounds, assuming they are less likely to be at risk compared to those from more challenged socio-economic backgrounds. This can result in certain groups not receiving the attention and support they need. Biases can affect how concerns are addressed. If staff hold unconscious biases against particular groups, they might either overreact to minor issues or under-react to serious concerns based on stereotypes. This can lead to inconsistent safeguarding practices and potentially put people at greater risk. 

Biases can also influence which people are offered support and how that support is delivered. Individuals from minority groups might not receive appropriate cultural or linguistic support if biases lead to assumptions about their needs or the relevance of their cultural background in safeguarding scenarios. 

Where might unconscious bias influence safeguarding?

Bias may affect:

• which changes in behaviour we notice or dismiss
• whose account we instinctively find credible
• whether we interpret behaviour as concerning, challenging or simply unfamiliar
• how quickly we respond to or escalate a concern
• the assumptions we make about someone’s identity, family circumstances or support needs
• how consistently safeguarding procedures are applied

Recognising this does not mean that professional judgement is unreliable, but that we must acknowledge how our judgement can be influenced by factors beyond the information directly in front of us.

Mitigating the Impact of Unconscious Bias:

• Training and Awareness: Incorporate unconscious bias training into regular safeguarding training sessions. Supporting staff to recognise and reflect on their own biases is a vital first step in reducing their impact.
• Diverse Teams: Encourage diversity within teams to bring a range of perspectives and reduce the impact of individual biases. A diverse team is more likely to identify and address biases collectively.
• Inclusive Policies: Review and revise safeguarding policies to ensure they are inclusive and considerate of all potential biases. Policies should explicitly state the importance of equitable treatment.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Regularly monitor and evaluate safeguarding practices to identify any patterns of bias. This can involve collecting data on who is receiving support and how concerns are being handled, then using this data to inform improvements.
• Encourage Open Dialogue: Develop an organisational culture where staff feel comfortable discussing and challenging biases. Promote open dialogue about how biases might be affecting safeguarding practices and what can be done to address them.

Addressing unconscious bias is not about eliminating every instinctive response or questioning every decision indefinitely, but it should allow us to create opportunities to pause and challenge our assumptions, and ensure that safeguarding decisions are based as far as possible on evidence and not stereotypes.

Our newly updated Understanding & Reducing Unconscious Bias eLearning course explores how bias develops, where it can influence workplace decisions and what individuals and organisations can do to reduce its impact. It includes more engaging interactive activities, practical opportunities for reflection and examples that help learners apply the ideas to their own work.

You can also explore our upcoming live safeguarding courses for further support in developing confident, fair and effective safeguarding practice.