If you’re new to safeguarding and child protection, it can be difficult to know exactly what you need to do to keep children safe.
We’ve put together answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about safeguarding, along with links to relevant resources, guidance and training to help you understand your safeguarding role and responsibilities.
Everyone who works or volunteers with children and young people has a responsibility to keep them safe.
If you are self-employed and work with children and young people, you will be responsible for having a safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures.
If you work or volunteer for an organisation, you should be aware of your organisation’s safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures, know what to look out for and how to respond if you have a concern.
We have guidance and resources to help individuals and organisations with safeguarding and child protection, as well as recognising and responding to abuse.
Organisations should have someone who takes the lead on safeguarding and child protection. We call this role the nominated child protection lead, but they may also be called a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), “named person” for child protection, a child protection officer or safeguarding lead. Look at your organisation's child protection procedures to find out who your safeguarding lead is and how to contact them.
> Find out more about the nominated child protection role and responsibilities
A safeguarding issue or concern is anything that might impact on children and young people' safety and welfare, cause them harm, or put them at risk of harm. Sometimes, a child or young person might tell someone about (or disclose) abuse or neglect. You might also notice signs of abuse or see something that worries you. Safeguarding issues or concerns also include things that can increase the risk of harm – for example, not following safer recruitment practices, having inadequate supervision or not carrying out proper risk assessment for online and offline activities. You’ll find more information in our safeguarding concerns practice examples page.
If you think a child is in immediate danger, contact the police on 999. If you're worried about a child but they are not in immediate danger, you should share your concerns.
Children and young people may tell someone (or disclose) if they are experiencing abuse and neglect. They might do this by speaking out directly or by saying things that suggests something may be wrong. You might notice that a child is behaving in a way that is unusual for them or they might try to communicate with you another way, for example writing a letter or drawing a picture.
Sometimes, children and young people may not feel able to speak out, or they may not want to. And they may not even recognise that what is happening to them is abuse.
> Find out more about recognising and responding to abuse
You should also think more widely about how the child’s environment might put them at risk of harm. For example, you might have concerns about unsafe practices within an organisation or at an event you’re involved in, you might have noticed an adult behaving inappropriately around children, or you might have worries about the content children are viewing online.
> Find out more about contextual safeguarding concerns
> See our example online safety policy
It's really important that adults working or volunteering with children know what signs to look out for and how to respond appropriately if they are worried about a child.
If you think a child is in immediate danger, contact the police on 999. If you're worried about a child but they are not in immediate danger, you should share your concerns.
If you have a safeguarding concern you must take action.
If you think a child is in immediate danger, contact the police on 999. If you're worried about a child but they are not in immediate danger, you should share your concerns.
Each UK nation has specific legislation and statutory guidance for safeguarding children and child protection. This means that there are certain steps you should take to keep children and young people safe. Find out more about safeguarding and child protection in:
There is also guidance which applies in different settings. For example, schools and colleges or health and social care.
We have a range of safeguarding and child protection information and resources. And our training courses are designed to give you the knowledge, skills and confidence you need to help keep children safe. Our introductory online courses:
We also have advanced and specialist training, as well as training for schools and colleges.
If you're taking your first steps in safeguarding then we have a range of resources to help you.
From introductory courses to more advanced topics, our learning is designed to help you keep the children you work with safe.
