Safeguarding is about more than child protection. Child protection is specifically about protecting children and young people from suspected abuse and neglect. Safeguarding is much wider than child protection. It includes everything an organisation can do to keep children and young people safe, including minimising the risk of harm and accidents and taking action to tackle safety concerns.
In order to support voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector organisations to develop their safeguarding practices we have pulled together some resources that will offer you information around safeguarding, support you step by step in developing safeguarding policies and procedures and update you on things your organisation may need to know.
Safe Network
The Safe Network is jointly managed by the NSPCC and Children England, and was created as a result of the Government’s Staying Safe action plan. Safe network has been developed to support the voluntary sector so it has lots of sector specific guidance and advice. Below are a series of links for support:
• Who are the Safe Network and how do they help to keep children safe?
• Writing policies and procedures - guidance to develop your organisations safeguarding policy and procedures
• Templates to develop your policies and procedures - further guidance on safeguarding and some good practice templates
• Sample child protection policy statement
• All round checklist - check your organisation has the main safeguards in place to provide safe activities for children, young people and employees
Working Together to Safeguard Children
Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children - this document sets out how organisations and individuals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in accordance with the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004. It is important that all practitioners working to safeguard children and young people understand fully their responsibilities and duties as set out in primary legislation and associated regulations and guidance.
Manchester Safeguarding Children's Board
The Manchester Safeguarding Children’s Board website - provides useful information on new developments including:
• 2009 Guidelines for Reporting Referral Procedures
• Multi-agency Training
• Policies and Procedures
• Serious Case Review
• Private Fostering...what to do
• What is forced Marriage?
• Concerned about a child?
• 2005/09 Procedure for Dealing with Actual or Suspected Cases of Female Genital Mutilation
Other:
• Why the New Vetting and Barring Scheme? What is this scheme and why is it being implemented?
• Continuum of Need This is basically, a chart which sets out a few categories. Manchester Children's Services uses it to distinguish four basic levels of need which can be found when working with children, young people and families. It's a "continuum" because it's recognised that every situation will be different and will not fall neatly into one category or another. However, some kind of broad framework is obviously very helpful in planning services.
• The Charity Commission website also has some guidance on Safeguarding Children.
• Every Child Matters has produced some basic advice: 2006 What to do if you are worried a child is being abused - Summary.