↵What is Safeguarding?
‘Everyone who works with children has a responsibility for keeping them safe. No single practitioner can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances and, if children and families are to receive the right help at the right time, everyone who comes
into contact with them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action.’ Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018)
Safeguarding is
- protecting children from maltreatment;
- preventing impairment of children's mental and physical health or development;
- ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and
- taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
What is Child Protection?
‘Child protection refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.’ Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018)
Working Together to Safeguard Children sets out the statutory functions under the Children Acts of 1989 and 2004 that places duties in relation to children in need and children suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm.
Childcare providers may be the first people to notice possible signs of abuse and neglect so it is important that all providers feel confident in knowing what to look out for and what to do if they have concerns.