WEEKLY BULLETIN · 18–23 OCTOBER 2026
When trust creates space to talk about safety
A young person may share a concern in an ordinary moment: during a journey, an activity or a conversation that did not begin with safeguarding in mind. The relationship makes it possible to listen; the safeguarding process determines what happens next.
The value of consistent contact
TWMAD mentors spend time with young people in settings where conversation can develop naturally. A shared activity can lower the pressure of a formal meeting. Over time, a young person may feel able to describe something that is troubling them, or a mentor may notice a change in how they present.
Recent mentoring reports have reminded us that safeguarding information can emerge in this way. We are not sharing a young person’s circumstances or the substance of a disclosure here. The lesson is about the importance of being available to listen, recognising the concern and ensuring it reaches the people responsible for responding.
What a mentor’s role involves
Build trust
Show up consistently, listen without judgement and give the young person time and space to speak.
Recognise and record
Take concerns seriously, avoid leading questions and record what was seen or said factually.
Share through the right route
Follow safeguarding procedures promptly so the safeguarding lead and relevant partners can assess and act.
A complementary view of a young person’s life
Schools, social workers, carers and other professionals each see different parts of a young person’s experience. Mentors can add another perspective through regular, relationship-led contact in the community. When a concern is shared or observed, that perspective needs to be connected to the wider safeguarding picture—not held within the mentoring relationship.
Being trusted with a concern is not, on its own, an outcome. What matters is responding appropriately, sharing information through the agreed route and continuing to support the young person alongside the professionals responsible for their care.
Why this matters to commissioners and partners
Relationship-led support can create opportunities for concerns to be heard outside formal appointments. TWMAD’s value lies in pairing that access with clear reporting, safeguarding oversight and joined-up working, so information can contribute to the right response.
Discuss support for a young person
TWMAD works with schools, councils, care services and families. If a young person could benefit from consistent mentoring alongside existing support, we can discuss an appropriate approach.
This bulletin draws on anonymised themes from mentoring reports. It does not describe an identifiable young person, reproduce a disclosure or make a claim about an individual safeguarding outcome.