Showcase Magazine Summer 2025 - Flipbook - Page 6
SAFEGUARDING
Designated Safeguarding Officer:
Ellen Roberts
07715 658036
DISGUISED
COMPLIANCE
Disguised compliance describes when parents or
carers appear to engage with professionals to reduce
concern or delay intervention, without making real
changes to improve the child9s safety. It's a common
theme in Serious Case Reviews and is linked to
missed opportunities to protect children.
One key concern is that it shifts focus away from the
child9s experience. Professionals may concentrate on
adult behaviours rather than assessing whether the
child9s situation is actually improving. Research shows
it often plays a role in cases of prolonged neglect or
abuse.
While
sometimes
manipulative,
disguised
compliance can also result from fear, past negative
experiences, lack of understanding, or wider issues
such as poverty, mental health problems, substance
misuse, domestic abuse, or communication barriers.
Examples of Disguised Compliance:
Partial or selective engagement – attending some
appointments but not others, or engaging only
when under pressure.
Superficial agreement – saying the right things in
meetings but failing to follow through.
Short-term changes – making temporary
improvements (e.g., cleaning the home before a
visit) that are not sustained.
Shifting blame – blaming professionals, other
family members, or external circumstances.
Withholding information – omitting key facts or
avoiding difficult conversations to manipulate the
narrative.
Controlling access – restricting professional
access to the child or home environment.
Best Practice for Professionals:
Stay Child-Focused
Ask: What is life like for this child?
Observe and engage with the child directly
wherever possible.
Use Chronologies and Supervision
Document patterns over time to spot repeated
cycles of short-lived improvement followed by
relapse.
Supervision and multi-agency discussion are key
to challenging assumptions.
Practice Professional Curiosity
Explore rather than accept surface-level
explanations.
Ask open-ended questions and follow up on
inconsistencies.
Challenge and Clarify
Be clear and honest about what needs to change
and why.
Avoid jargon and ensure expectations are
understood by the family.
Assess the Quality, Not Just Quantity, of
Engagement
Engagement is not just about attendance –
assess whether there is actual change.
Avoid 'Start Again Syndrome'
Don9t reset the assessment every time a family reengages – take history into account.
Further Reading and Resources:
NSPCC Learning from Case Reviews: Disguised
Compliance
NSPCC 8Why Language Matters9 Article: Is
Disguised Compliance Problematic?
Working Together to Safeguard Children (HM
Government, 2023)
Brandon et al. (2020) Complexity and Challenge: A
Triennial Analysis of SCRs 2014–2017
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Showcase Training 6