Working Together to Safeguard Children

Working Together to Safeguard Children

Description: "This document sets out how all agencies and professionals should work together to promote children's welfare and protect them from abuse and neglect. It is addressed to those who work in the health and education services, the police, social services, the probation service, and others whose work brings them into contact with children and families. It is relevant to those working in the statutory, voluntary and independent sectors.

The document:

describes how actions to safeguard children fit within the wider context of support to children and families;

summarises some of the lessons learned from research and experience to date on the nature and impact of abuse and neglect, and how best to operate child protection processes;

sets out the role and responsibilities of different agencies and practitioners;

outlines the way in which joint working arrangements should be agreed, implemented and reviewed through the mechanism of Area Child Protection Committees;

sets out the processes which should be followed when there are concerns about a child, and the action which should be taken to safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are suffering, or at risk of suffering, significant harm; l provides guidance on child protection in specific circumstances, including children living away from home;

outlines some important principles which should be followed in work with children and families;

sets out the processes which should be followed if a tragedy occurs, in order to learn lessons and make any necessary improvements in practice to safeguard children; and

discusses the importance of multi-agency training, and considers training requirements for effective child protection.
The Role of Guidance
This document is intended to provide a national framework within which agencies and professionals at local level - individually and jointly - draw up and agree upon their own more detailed ways of working together.

Processes and procedures are never ends in themselves, but should always be used as a means of bringing about better outcomes for children. No guidance can, or shouldattempt to, offer a detailed prescription for working with each child and family. Work with children and families where there are concerns about a child’s welfare is sensitive and difficult. Good practice calls for effective co-operation between different agencies and professionals; sensitive work with parents and carers in the best interest of the child; and the careful exercise of professional judgement, based on thorough assessment and critical analysis of the available information. To help with the process of assessment, this guidance is complemented by the document, the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families.

The Status and Content of this Guidance
This guidance is prepared and issued jointly by the Department of Health, the Home Office and the Department for Education. It replaces the previous version of Working Together Under the Children Act 1989, which was published in 1991.

It reflects the principles contained within the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by the UK Government in 1991. It also takes account the European Convention of Human Rights, in particular Articles 6 and 8. It further takes account of other relevant legislation at the time of publication, but is particularly informed by the requirements of the Children Act 1989, which provides a compre-hensive framework for the care and protection of children.

The Children Act 1989 places two specific duties on agencies to co-operate in the interests of vulnerable children:

Section 27 provides that a local authority may request help from:

any local authority;

any local education authority;

any local housing authority;

any health authority, Special Health Authority or National Health Service Trust; and

any person authorised by the Secretary of State

in exercising the local authority's functions under Part III of the Act. This part of the Act places a duty on local authorities to provide support and services for children in need, including children looked after by the local authority and those in secure accommodation. The authority whose help is requested in these circumstances has a duty to comply with the request, provided it is compatible with its other duties and functions.
Section 47 places a duty on:

any local authority;

any local education authority;

any housing authority;

any health authority, Special Health Authority or National Health Service Trust; and

any person authorised by the Secretary of State

to help a local authority with its enquiries in cases where there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm. This document is issued under Section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970, which requires local authorities in their social services functions to act under the general guidance of the Secretary of State. As such, this document does not have the full force of statute, but should be complied with unless local circumstances indicate exceptional reasons which justify a variation."

Free download in PDF format - 128 pages

Help with PDF files

http://www.doh.gov.uk/