Working together to safeguard children

Statutory guidance on multi-agency working to help, support and protect children.

This statutory guidance sets out key roles for individuals, organisations and agencies to deliver effective arrangements for help, support, safeguarding, and protection. It should be read and followed by leaders, managers and frontline practitioners of all organisations and agencies.

This guidance covers:

• the legislative requirements that apply to individuals, organisations and agencies
• a framework for the three local safeguarding partners (the local authority, an ICB for an area, any part of which falls within the local authority area, and the Chief Constable for police for a police area, any part of which falls within the local authority area) to make arrangements to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of local children, including identifying and responding to their needs
• the framework for the two child death review partners (the local authority and any ICB for an area, any part of which falls within the local authority area) to make arrangements to review all deaths of children normally resident in the local area, and if they consider it appropriate, for those not normally resident in the area

This guidance applies to all organisations and agencies in England who have functions relating to children. Specifically, this guidance applies to all local authorities, ICBs, police and all other organisations and relevant agencies (as set out in chapter 4). It applies, in its entirety, to all early education and childcare settings, schools, colleges and other education providers.