Safeguarding children

Parental Learning Disability and Children's Needs - 2008

Child Protection, Domestic Violence and Parental Substance Misuse - 2008

Keeping Children Safe - September 2008
The Government has launched a 12-month child sexual offender disclosure pilot, Keeping Children Safe. A briefing has been sent to key stakeholders.

Safeguarding Children In Whom Illness Is Fabricated or Induced - March 2008

Safeguarding children who may have been trafficked - December 2007

Statement on the duties of doctors and other professionals in investigations of child abuse - July 2007

Safeguarding children from abuse linked to a belief in spirit possession - May 2007

Section 11 of the Children Act 2004 places a statutory duty on key people and bodies to make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Revised Statutory guidance on the duty was issued in April 2007.

Schools and further education providers have an equivalent duty through the Education Act 2002, and must have regard to the statutory guidance, Safeguarding Children in Education, issued in September 2004.

Local authorities and key local partners will need to address the following specific areas:

Working Together to Safeguard Children
We have now published an updated version of this guidance, which sets out how to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
Local safeguarding children boards (LSCBs)
Every local area now needs to have an LSCB in place. Guidance on local safeguarding children boards was
published earlier in the year and now forms chapter 3 of Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Vetting and Barring Scheme
Following the Bichard Inquiry Report, we are planning the introduction of a new scheme involving the new Independent Safeguarding Authority for vetting people whose jobs will bring them into contact with children and vulnerable adults.
What to do if You're Worried a Child is Being Abused
This document provides best practice guidance for those who work with children in order to safeguard their welfare.
Missing children notifications
The Department for Children, Schools and Families holds a list of all the designated managers in local authorities in England who are responsible for ensuring that missing children notifications are dealt with properly. The list can be used to notify local authorities about children who have gone missing from their local authority area.
Private fostering
New private fostering guidance and the national minimum standards for private fostering came into force on 1 July 2005.
Looked-after children
Partners will need to review support for looked-after children in light of the duty to promote their educational achievement as well as safeguarding and promoting their welfare.
Child death review procedures
The child death review procedures will become mandatory in April 2008. In this section you can find further details and information on the work underway to support implementation including resources.

Partners will also need to consider the statutory guidance on the role of the director of children's services and the lead member, as well as the rest of the interlocking Children Act guidance.

Documents
Statutory Guidance on making arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children under section 11 of the Children Act 2004

Making Safeguarding Everyone's Business - The Government's Response to the Second Joint Chief Inspectors' Report on Arrangements to Safeguard Children

Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education Statutory Guidance

Protocol for Managing Serious Incidents