April Newsletter

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 describes the national multi-agency practice standards for child protection. These practice standards are for all practitioners working in services and settings who come into contact with children who may be suffering or have suffered significant harm within or outside the home. The term practitioner in this context refers to individuals who work with children and their families in any capacity, including a range of professionals, such as qualified social workers and those who work for the statutory safeguarding partners or in education settings.

Local safeguarding partners need to ensure all practitioners are supported to be able to achieve these child protection standards through:

• an unrelenting focus on protection and the best outcomes for children
• creating learning cultures in which practitioners stay up to date as new evidence of best practice emerges
• creating an environment in which it is safe to challenge, including assumptions that relate to ethnicity, sex, disability, and sexuality
• supporting practitioners with effective supervision as determined by their regulatory body in which they can critically reflect on their findings and strengthen their analysis
• helping practitioners to understand the impact of their decisions on the child and family

For more information please refer to Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 Page 80.

Guidance and local protocols

Did you know that you can find guidance and local protocols on our website?

Local protocols are developed in a multi-agency task and finish approach and reflect current legislation, accepted best practice and comply with the government guidance: Working Together to Safeguard Children. 

We have also identified guidance produced by other organisations, which practitioners should be aware of and utilise in their everyday practice. See our new External guidance section.

Make sure you check the website regularly for any updates.