Is a Child in Immediate Danger?
If a child is in immediate danger or there is an emergency:
Call 999.
If you believe a crime has occurred but there is no immediate emergency, you can contact the police on 101.
If you are worried that a child may be at risk of abuse or neglect, contact the children's social care team at the child's local council.
GOV.UK – Report Child AbuseImportant – Safeguarding Law Differs Across the UK
The detailed statutory processes in this guide primarily explain the system in England.
The current main English statutory guidance is:
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026.
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate safeguarding laws, guidance and procedures. Official links for all four nations are included later on this page.
Everyone Has a Role in Safeguarding
Everyone has a role in safeguarding children, including:
- Parents and carers
- Schools and education services
- Health professionals
- Social services
- Police and safeguarding agencies
- Community organisations
The main priority of safeguarding is always:
The Current England Framework
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 defines safeguarding broadly. It includes:
- Providing help and support as soon as problems emerge
- Protecting children from maltreatment inside or outside the home, including online
- Preventing impairment of children's physical or mental health or development
- Ensuring children grow up with safe and effective care
- Supporting children to remain with their birth family or wider family network where possible and in their best interests
- Taking action to help children achieve the best possible outcomes
What Is Safeguarding?
Safeguarding involves:
- Protecting children from abuse or neglect
- Preventing harm
- Supporting safe family environments
- Promoting children’s wellbeing
- Responding to concerns appropriately
- Ensuring children grow up safely and supported
Safeguarding is not only about responding to serious harm. Early support and intervention can help prevent situations from escalating further.
Safeguarding and Child Protection Are Related – But Not Identical
Safeguarding is the wider system of help, support, prevention and protection.
Child protection is a part of safeguarding and concerns specific children who are suspected to be suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm.
Important 2026 Safeguarding Update – England
The Department for Education published an updated Working Together to Safeguard Children framework on 18 March 2026.
The 2026 guidance strengthens areas including:
- Family Help
- Multi-agency child protection
- Support through family networks
- Domestic abuse
- Coercive control
- Child sexual abuse
- Teenage relationship abuse
- Online harm
- Group-based exploitation
- Direct work with children
- Anti-discriminatory and anti-racist safeguarding practice
- Information sharing
Types of Abuse & Harm
Physical Abuse
Causing physical harm through hitting, shaking, burning, or other violence.
Emotional Abuse
Persistent behaviour that harms a child’s emotional wellbeing, confidence, or development.
Sexual Abuse
Involving children in sexual activity, exploitation, or inappropriate sexual behaviour.
Neglect
Failing to meet a child’s basic needs such as:
- Food
- Shelter
- Supervision
- Medical care
- Emotional support
Abuse
Children can be affected directly or indirectly by:
- Violence
- Coercive control
- Threats
- Emotional abuse within the home
Online Harm
Including:
- Grooming
- Exploitation
- Cyberbullying
- Exposure to harmful content
Harm Can Also Take Place Outside the Family Home
Safeguarding professionals may also need to consider:
- Child criminal exploitation
- County lines exploitation
- Child sexual exploitation
- Modern slavery and trafficking
- Serious youth violence
- Peer-on-peer abuse
- Harm in teenage relationships
- Online exploitation
- Extremism and radicalisation
Signs a Child May Need Support
Signs may include:
- Sudden behavioural changes
- Anxiety or withdrawal
- Fearfulness
- Aggressive behaviour
- Poor attendance at school
- Unexplained injuries
- Neglect of hygiene or health
- Emotional distress
- Changes in eating or sleeping patterns
A single sign does not always mean abuse is occurring, but concerns should never be ignored.
You do not have to prove that abuse has occurred before reporting a genuine safeguarding concern.
Early Help & Family Support
Sometimes families need additional support before concerns become more serious.
Early help services may support families with:
- Parenting difficulties
- Mental health struggles
- Housing or financial pressures
- School attendance concerns
- Behavioural difficulties
- Family conflict
- Substance misuse
- Emotional wellbeing
Early support aims to strengthen families and improve outcomes for children.
Family Help – 2026
Working Together 2026 describes a more joined-up Family Help approach.
Targeted Family Help can include:
- Parenting support
- Mental-health support
- Domestic-abuse services
- Youth services
- Housing assistance
- Employment support
- Support for children with multiple or complex needs
Targeted Family Help is generally a voluntary approach requiring the family's consent to receive the support and services.
What Happens if a Safeguarding Concern Is Raised?
If someone is worried about a child’s safety or wellbeing, concerns may be reported to:
- Children’s social care
- Schools or safeguarding leads
- Police
- Health professionals
- NSPCC or safeguarding organisations
Professionals may:
- Gather information
- Speak with parents or carers
- Speak with the child where appropriate
- Assess risks and needs
- Contact other agencies
- Decide whether support or intervention is required
Safeguarding processes aim to protect children while supporting families wherever possible.
After a Referral to Children's Social Care
Under Working Together 2026, local protocols should support an initial decision about the next course of action within one working day of a referral.
Where a full Children's Social Care assessment is required, the assessment should normally be completed within 45 working days of the referral.
Support does not necessarily have to wait until the assessment has finished if needs are identified earlier.
Child in Need – Section 17 Children Act 1989
One possible outcome is support under section 17 of the Children Act 1989.
A Section 17 assessment looks at the child's needs, the family's circumstances and what services or support may be required.
Where services are needed, there may be a:
Child in Need Plan.
This can identify:
- The child's needs
- Services required
- Which organisation will provide support
- Actions expected from professionals
- Actions expected from parents or carers
- Measurable outcomes
- Review arrangements
Child Protection Processes
Where serious concerns exist, children’s services may begin formal child protection procedures.
This can include:
- Child in Need assessments
- Strategy discussions
- Section 47 enquiries
- Child protection conferences
- Safety planning
- Social worker involvement
- Multi-agency safeguarding meetings
- Child Protection Plans
The purpose is to assess risks and ensure children are protected from harm.
The Key Threshold – Significant Harm
Where there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm, a multi-agency strategy discussion should take place.
How the Child Protection Process Can Progress
Information is passed to Children's Social Care or another safeguarding agency.
Children's Social Care considers the information and decides what action is required.
A full assessment may consider the child's needs and family circumstances. The normal maximum assessment period is 45 working days.
Where there is reasonable cause to suspect significant harm, Children's Social Care, police, health and other relevant agencies should share information and plan next steps.
If the threshold is met, the local authority leads enquiries to decide what action is required to safeguard and promote the child's welfare.
If concerns of significant harm are substantiated and the child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, an initial Child Protection Conference may be convened.
If the conference decides the child requires continuing formal protection, an outline Child Protection Plan is prepared.
The plan, risks, progress and outcomes should be regularly reviewed.
Strategy Discussions
A strategy discussion is a formal multi-agency safeguarding process.
It should take place where there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm.
The discussion can involve:
- Children's Social Care
- Police
- Health professionals
- Education professionals
- Early-help practitioners
- Other agencies involved with the child
The purpose includes:
- Sharing and analysing information
- Considering the child's welfare
- Deciding whether Section 47 enquiries should begin
- Considering any criminal investigation
- Planning immediate safeguarding action
Section 47 Enquiries
Section 47 of the Children Act 1989 is a major child-protection provision.
A Section 47 enquiry is undertaken to decide:
whether action is required to safeguard and promote the welfare of a child suspected to be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm.
The local authority Children's Social Care service normally leads the assessment.
Other organisations may contribute, including:
- Police
- Health
- Schools and education
- Childcare providers
- Other relevant professionals
Police Outcome and Safeguarding Outcome Are Different
A police decision not to prosecute does not automatically mean that safeguarding concerns must end.
The criminal process and the child-protection process have different purposes and legal tests.
Child Protection Conferences
Following Section 47 enquiries, an initial Child Protection Conference can bring together:
- Family members
- The child where appropriate
- Social workers
- Police
- Health professionals
- Education professionals
- Other professionals involved with the child
- Supporters or advocates where appropriate
Current 2026 Timescale
Where a Child Protection Conference is required, it should normally take place within:
15 working days of the most recent strategy discussion
or the strategy discussion at which Section 47 enquiries were initiated where more than one discussion has taken place.
Parents and Carers Should Be Supported to Participate
Working Together says parents or carers should receive appropriate information about:
- The purpose of the conference
- Who will attend
- How they can participate
- Available advocacy
The guidance also recognises that families may bring an advocate, friend or supporter.
Child Protection Plans
If conference participants decide that a child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm, a Child Protection Plan may be required.
The plan should focus on:
- Keeping the child safe
- Reducing identified risks
- Meeting the child's needs
- Actions required from professionals
- Actions expected from parents or carers
- Support for the family
- How progress will be measured
Core Group
Where a child becomes subject to a Child Protection Plan, the core group should normally meet within:
10 working days of the initial Child Protection Conference.
Review Conferences
The first review should normally be held within:
3 months of the initial conference.
Further reviews should normally take place at intervals of no more than:
6 months
while the child remains subject to the plan.
Working Together With Professionals
Parents and carers are encouraged to:
- Engage positively with support services
- Attend meetings and appointments
- Communicate openly
- Focus on the child’s needs
- Seek support when struggling
Working cooperatively with professionals can help improve outcomes for children and families.
Cooperation Does Not Mean You Cannot Disagree
Parents can still:
- Correct factual errors
- Explain their view
- Provide relevant evidence
- Ask what concerns are being assessed
- Ask what changes professionals expect
- Ask how progress will be measured
- Ask when a plan will be reviewed
- Seek legal advice or advocacy
Disagreement can be expressed calmly and with a focus on the child's needs.
Keep Clear Safeguarding Records
Parents and carers may find it useful to keep:
- Letters
- Emails
- Meeting invitations
- Assessment documents
- Plans
- Reports
- School communications
- Medical information
- Police reference numbers
- Notes of appointments
- Copies of evidence provided
Where you make a personal note, distinguish:
- What you personally saw or heard
- What someone else told you
- Your own opinion or concern
Information Sharing in Safeguarding
Safeguarding frequently depends on professionals being able to combine information held by different organisations.
This can include information held by:
- Children's Social Care
- Police
- Schools
- Health services
- Housing services
- Other safeguarding agencies
Data Protection Does Not Automatically Prevent Safeguarding Information Sharing
UK data-protection law provides a framework for lawful information sharing.
Safeguarding information may be shared where there is an appropriate legal basis and sharing is necessary, proportionate and justified.
Consent is important in many situations, but it is not always necessary before safeguarding information can lawfully be shared.
Safeguarding & Family Court
Safeguarding concerns may also arise during:
- Child arrangement proceedings
- Family court cases
- Separation disputes
- Domestic abuse proceedings
The family court may receive or request safeguarding information from:
- CAFCASS
- Social services
- Police
- Schools or health professionals
The court’s main concern remains:
The best interests and safety of the child.
What Cafcass Does Before the First Hearing
In many private-law children cases Cafcass carries out safeguarding checks with:
- The police
- Relevant local authorities
A Cafcass Family Court Adviser will normally also speak separately with the adult parties.
Cafcass then provides the court with a:
Safeguarding Letter.
Cafcass says this is normally provided to the court at least 3 days before the first hearing.
If Cafcass Identifies Serious Concerns
Where Cafcass has concerns about a child's safety, it may:
- Advise the court about risk
- Prepare a risk assessment
- Refer safeguarding concerns to Children's Social Care
- Recommend further assessment
- Recommend a Section 7 report
Section 7 Welfare Reports
Where the Family Court needs more information about a child's welfare, it may order a report under:
Section 7 of the Children Act 1989.
The report may be prepared by:
- Cafcass
- A local authority
Depending on the court's directions, it may consider matters including:
- The child's circumstances
- Wishes and feelings where appropriate
- Safeguarding concerns
- Parenting arrangements
- Risk of harm
- Recommendations for the court
Abuse & Safeguarding
Children can be emotionally harmed by witnessing domestic abuse, even if they are not physically harmed directly.
Abuse may involve:
- Physical violence
- Coercive control
- Emotional abuse
- Financial abuse
- Threats or intimidation
No child or adult should remain in unsafe or abusive situations.
If you or your children are in immediate danger, call 999.
Children Can Be Victims of Domestic Abuse in Their Own Right
Section 3 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 recognises a child as a victim of domestic abuse where the child:
- Sees the abuse
- Hears the abuse
- Experiences the effects of the abuse
and is related to the victim or perpetrator in the way required by the Act.
Domestic Abuse Allegations in Child Arrangements Cases
Where domestic abuse is alleged, admitted or there is other reason to believe it may have occurred, the Family Court must consider the safeguarding implications.
Practice Direction 12J requires the court to consider:
- The nature of the allegations
- Whether disputed facts need to be determined
- The risk of harm to the child
- The safety of the parent with whom the child is living
- Whether interim contact would expose anyone to an unmanageable risk
- Whether direct or indirect contact can be safe and beneficial
The court may order a fact-finding hearing where necessary.
Read Practice Direction 12JOnline Safeguarding
Parents and carers should also consider:
- Online safety
- Social media risks
- Gaming communication
- Cyberbullying
- Online grooming
- Sharing personal information
Children should feel able to speak openly to trusted adults about online concerns.
Online Harm Can Be a Safeguarding Issue
Working Together 2026 specifically recognises that harm can occur online as well as inside or outside the child's home.
Online safeguarding concerns may include:
- Sexual grooming
- Sextortion
- Sexual exploitation
- Bullying
- Threats
- Harmful or age-inappropriate content
- Pressure to share intimate images
- Fraud or financial exploitation
- Radicalisation
Safeguarding in Schools & Colleges
Schools and colleges have statutory safeguarding duties.
They normally have a:
Designated Safeguarding Lead – DSL
who helps coordinate safeguarding responses.
August 2026 Position
Schools and colleges in England should continue using:
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025
until:
31 August 2026.
The new:
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026
comes into force on:
1 September 2026.
Does a Safeguarding Referral Mean a Child Will Be Removed?
A safeguarding referral, assessment, Child in Need Plan or even a Child Protection Plan does not automatically mean that a child will be removed from their family.
Safeguarding services may instead provide:
- Family support
- Child in Need support
- Safety planning
- Parenting assistance
- Family Help
- Child Protection planning
Where a local authority believes that court intervention is necessary, it may start care proceedings.
The Family Court can then consider orders such as:
- Interim Care Order
- Care Order
- Supervision Order
- Emergency Protection Order in appropriate urgent circumstances
The Court Decides Whether to Make a Care Order
A local authority can apply to court, but the court determines whether the statutory legal requirements for the order are met.
Care Proceedings
Where a local authority has serious concerns about the welfare or safety of a child, it may apply to the Family Court.
In care proceedings:
- The local authority has legal representation
- The parents are parties to the proceedings
- The child will normally have a Cafcass Children's Guardian
- The Guardian appoints a solicitor for the child
- The court considers evidence from the parties
- The judge decides what order, if any, should be made
Parents in Care Proceedings
Parents involved in qualifying care proceedings are normally entitled to legal representation through the legal-aid arrangements applying to public-law children proceedings.
If you receive a Letter Before Proceedings or court papers from a local authority, seek a family-law solicitor promptly.
What if You Disagree With Children's Services?
You can disagree with a professional assessment while continuing to cooperate with safeguarding processes.
Useful steps can include:
- Ask what specific concerns have been identified
- Ask which evidence supports those concerns
- Correct factual inaccuracies in writing
- Provide relevant documents or evidence
- Ask what support is being offered
- Ask what actions are expected of you
- Ask for review dates
- Keep copies of plans and assessments
- Seek advocacy
- Seek legal advice where necessary
Focus on Facts
Where you believe information is wrong, identify:
- The exact statement you dispute
- Why it is inaccurate
- What evidence supports your position
- Why correcting it matters to the child's assessment or plan
The Child's Voice
Children should be at the centre of safeguarding work.
Depending on age, understanding and circumstances, professionals should seek to understand:
- The child's wishes
- The child's feelings
- What the child says is happening
- What makes the child feel safe or unsafe
- The child's relationships
- The impact of the situation on the child
Where a child makes a safeguarding disclosure, listen calmly, avoid leading questions and report serious concerns through the appropriate safeguarding route.
Multi-Agency Safeguarding
Safeguarding is not the responsibility of Children's Social Care alone.
In England, the three statutory safeguarding partners are:
Local Authority
Including Children's Social Care and wider council safeguarding functions.
Integrated Care Board
Representing the statutory health safeguarding partnership.
Police
The Chief Constable / police service forms the third statutory safeguarding partner.
Education, childcare, voluntary organisations and other agencies also play important safeguarding roles.
How to Report a Safeguarding Concern
Immediate Danger
Call:
999
Non-Emergency Police Concern
Call:
101
Children's Social Care
Contact the children's social care team at the child's local council.
Find the Correct CouncilSupport & Safeguarding Services
Safeguarding & Child Protection
Family Support Services
Family Court & Mediation Support
Key Official Safeguarding Sources – England
Working Together 2026
The main statutory multi-agency safeguarding guidance for England.
Open Official GuidanceChildren Act 1989 – Section 47
Legal framework for enquiries where significant harm is suspected.
Read Section 47Children Act 1989 – Care Order Threshold
Section 31 contains the threshold provisions relevant to care and supervision orders.
Read Section 31Information Sharing
Government advice for safeguarding practitioners.
Official Information Sharing GuidanceChildren's Social Care
Official government collection of children's social care, safeguarding and statutory guidance.
Children's Social Care CollectionKeeping Children Safe in Education
Statutory safeguarding guidance for schools and colleges.
Official Education Safeguarding GuidanceSafeguarding Across the UK
Wales
Wales has a separate statutory safeguarding framework and Welsh safeguarding procedures.
GOV.WALES Safeguarding GuidanceScotland
Scotland uses its National Child Protection Guidance and the wider Getting It Right For Every Child – GIRFEC – framework.
Scottish Child Protection GuidanceNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland has its own safeguarding policy framework.
Northern Ireland Safeguarding GuidanceKey Things to Remember
- Safeguarding is wider than child protection.
- Early support can help prevent problems escalating.
- A safeguarding referral does not automatically mean a child will be removed.
- Family Help can provide support before formal child-protection intervention is required.
- Section 17 relates to children in need.
- Section 47 relates to concerns about actual or likely significant harm.
- A strategy discussion is a multi-agency process.
- A Child Protection Conference considers whether continuing formal protection is required.
- Parents and carers should be supported to participate in safeguarding processes where appropriate.
- Parents can correct factual errors and provide evidence.
- The child's voice and experience should remain central.
- Police decisions and safeguarding decisions are not the same thing.
- Data-protection law does not automatically prevent necessary safeguarding information sharing.
- Domestic abuse can harm children even where violence is not directed physically at them.
- Online harm is a safeguarding issue.
- In Family Court cases Cafcass can carry out police and local-authority safeguarding checks.
- If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
Final Message
Safeguarding is about protecting children, supporting families, and ensuring every child has the opportunity to grow up safely, securely, and free from harm.
Early support, positive communication, and working together with professionals can help families overcome difficulties and improve outcomes for children.
Effective safeguarding should combine:
Early Help • Evidence • Listening to Children • Family Support • Professional Accountability • Protection From Harm
Right First Time UK
This Right First Time UK page provides general safeguarding information and signposting only. It is not legal advice, social-work advice, medical advice or an emergency safeguarding service.
If a child is in immediate danger call 999.
The detailed Section 17, Section 47, Family Help, strategy discussion, Child Protection Conference and Child Protection Plan information on this page primarily reflects the safeguarding framework in England.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 replaced the previous 2023 edition and should be checked for the most current statutory requirements.
Local safeguarding partnerships may operate additional local procedures and thresholds consistent with the national framework.
A safeguarding concern, referral, assessment or Child Protection Plan does not automatically mean a child will be removed from their family. Court orders involving children must satisfy the relevant statutory legal tests.
Where information on a professional report or assessment appears incorrect, concerns should be raised accurately, calmly and with supporting evidence where possible.
The Family Court, Children's Social Care, police and criminal courts have different functions and may apply different legal tests.
Court rules, safeguarding guidance and statutory frameworks can change. Always use the linked official sources for current requirements.
Page checked: 28 August 2026.