Guidance for Individuals Working with Children and Young People - What to do if you are worried a child is being abused publication

The Department for Education and Skills has revised the guidance What to Do If You're Worried a Child is being Abused in light of the Every Child Matters Change for Children Agenda.

You can access the full document on the Every Child Matters website.

This document provides best practice guidance for those who work with children in order to safeguard their welfare. It also contains an appendix to help practitioners with the legal issues affecting the sharing of information.

The guidance also provides general information for anyone whose work brings them into contact with children and families, focusing particularly on those who work in social care, health, education and criminal justice services.

Addressing issues affecting each of these target audiences, the document outlines the following:

• What you should do if you have concerns about a child's welfare
  
• What will happen once you have informed someone about those concerns
  
• What further contribution you may be asked or expected to make to the processes of assessment, planning, working with children, and reviewing that work .

The guidance is accompanied with flowcharts following the procedure from referral, initial assessment, emergency action that might need to be taken, through to what happens after a strategy discussion and child protection review conference.

References to the relevant Government Guidance on safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children are also provided and a summary of the full guidance is available and can also be accessed on the Every Child Matters website.

Hard copies of the full document as well as the guidance can be obtained from:

DfES Publications
PO Box 5050
Sherwood park
Annesley
Nottingham NG15 0DJ

Telephone: 08456022260
Fax: 08456033360
Text phone: 08456055560