Amendments

This chapter was refreshed in June 2024, and additional links added in Further Information.

This chapter was updated in June 2024 with new guidance from Working Together to Safeguard Children around purpose and function of Child Protection Conferences and the role of the Lead Practitioner.

This chapter was refreshed in June 2024, and additional links added in Further Information.

Minor amendments were made in June 2024.

In June 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

This chapter was updated in June 2024. A new Section 6, Non- Fatal Strangulation was added. Definitions were also updated in line with revised Working Together to Safeguard Children which now uses the statutory definition of domestic abuse in Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

In June 2024, this chapter was replaced with an updated document.

In June 2024, minor amendments were made to definitions in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children.

This chapter was updated in June 2024.

In June 2024, a new Section 8, Other Harmful Practices was added. The Health and Care Act 2022 has made it illegal to carry out, offer or aid and abet virginity testing or hymenoplasty in any part of the UK. It is also illegal for UK nationals and residents to do these things outside the UK. Information was also added on Breast Flattening which is an offence as set out in CPS So-Called Honour-Based Abuse Legal Guidance. Section 7, NHS Data Sharing was also refreshed and updated.

In June 2024, definitions were updated in line with revised Working Together to Safeguard Children.

This chapter was refreshed in June 2024.

In June 2024, a new Section 3, Safe Sleeping was added. Additional information was added into Section 4, Working with Fathers/Partners.

In June 2024, this chapter was amended to include information on Identifying Suspected Perpetrators of Modern Slavery to Section 2.3, Indicators. A link was also added in Section 1.2.1, Age Assessment to BASW Age Assessment Practice Guidance. In Further Information, a link was added to Operation Innerste Process: Caseworker Guidance.

This chapter was updated in December 2023. Information in relation to the National Age Assessment Board was added into Section 1.2.1, Age Assessments.

This chapter was refreshed in December 2023 and links to additional guidance were added into Further Information.

In December 2023, information in relation to Serious Violence Reduction Orders was added into Section 4, Protection and Action to be Taken.

In December 2023, a new subsection 'Principles' was added into Section 2, Serious Violence Duty to include information from the Ofsted Framework Joint Targeted Area Inspections of the Multi-agency Response to Serious Youth Violence. 

In June 2023, this chapter was refreshed and a new section on Resources and Support was added including those from the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse.

In June 2023, this chapter was updated to include information from the UK Social Work Practice in Safeguarding Disabled Children and Young People report.

In June 2023, this chapter was refreshed and additional information was added into Section 3, Indicators.

In June 2023, this chapter was refreshed with information added on the Serious Violence Duty, under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2002.

In June 2023, information was added into Section 5, National Guidance in Information Sharing in relation to the Serious Violence Duty.

In June 2023, this chapter was updated to reflect that the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 raised the age of marriage and civil partnership to 18 in England and Wales, with effect from 26 February 2023.

In June 2023, this chapter was updated to include information from Self-harm: Assessment, Management and Preventing Recurrence NICE Guidance.

In June 2023, this chapter was amended in line with revised Keeping Children Safe in Education. A new Section 2, The Difference Between an Allegation of Harm and a Concern was also added.

This chapter was refreshed in June 2023. Section 5.19, Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements was updated to include information on the extension of the duty to co-operate under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. A link to Matters of Concern, Safeguarding Concerns, Allegations and Complaints for Children in Custody – Youth Custody Service (Youth Justice Resource Hub) was added into Section 5.9, The Secure Estate for Children. A new Section 2, Serious Violence Duty was also added.

In June 2023, this chapter was amended in line with revised Keeping Children Safe in Education. Section 4.5, Application Form was updated to note that Keeping Children Safe in Education provides that schools and colleges should only accept copies of a curriculum vitae alongside an application form. A curriculum vitae on its own will not provide adequate information. Information in relation to online searches was added into Section 4.6, Scrutinising and Shortlisting.