Safeguarding children is our responsibility and the action we take to promote and ensure the welfare of children to protect them from harm. It’s everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play.
All organisations that work with or come into contact with children and young people should have safeguarding policies and procedures in place, to ensure that every child, regardless of their age, disability, gender identification, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, has a right to equal protection from harm.
Safeguarding is the action taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.
Safeguarding means:
- Protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
- Preventing harm to children’s health or development
- Ensuring children grow up with safe and effective care
- Taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.
Child protection is part of the safeguarding process. It focuses on protecting individual children identified as suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. This includes child protection procedures which detail how to respond to concerns about a child.
For children who need additional help, every day matters. The actions taken by professionals to meet the needs of these children as early as possible can be critical to their future.
We have a duty of care, to share appropriate information in a timely way and to discuss any concerns about an individual child with colleagues including a child’s GP, health visitor or school nurse, and local authority children’s social care if we have any concerns about a child’s safety.
If you suspect a child is in danger and you are, you can contact your local social services department.
Ealing Children’s Integrated Response Service
Telephone: 020 8825 8000
Hammersmith and Fulham Children’s Social Care
Telephone: 020 8753 6600
Email: familyservices@lbhf.gov.uk
Hounslow Children’s Social Care
Telephone: 020 8583 3300