Amendments

In December 2024, this link was updated.

This chapter was refreshed in December 2024.

This chapter was updated in December 2024 in line with changes from the updated Working Together to Safeguard Children.

This chapter was added in December 2024.

In December 2024, this chapter was updated in line with the Online Safety Act 2023.

This chapter was refreshed in December 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in December 2024.

This chapter was added in December 2024.

In December 2024, a link to Education Supply Chains - A Better Hiring Toolkit was added.

This chapter was updated in December 2024. New information on Non-Fatal Strangulation was added. Definitions were also updated in line with revised Working Together to Safeguard Children which now uses the statutory definition of domestic abuse in Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

In December 2024, a new Section 8, Other Harmful Practices was added. The Health and Care Act 2022 has made it illegal to carry out, offer or aid and abet virginity testing or hymenoplasty in any part of the UK. It is also illegal for UK nationals and residents to do these things outside the UK. Information was also added on Breast Flattening which is an offence as set out in CPS So-Called Honour-Based Abuse Legal Guidance. A new Section 12.1, NHS Data Sharing was also added.

This chapter was refreshed in December 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in December 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in December 2024.

In December 2024, this chapter was amended in line with the revised Working Together to Safeguard Children.

In December 2024, definitions were updated in line with revised Working Together to Safeguard Children.

This chapter was updated in December 2024 with new guidance from Working Together to Safeguard Children around the purpose and function of Child Protection Conferences and the role of the Lead Practitioner.

In December 2024, a link to BASW Age Assessment Practice Guidance was added in Section 1.2.1, Age Assessment. A link to Operation Innerste Process: Caseworker Guidance was added in Further Information. Links to sources of further information were also updated.

In June 2024, this chapter was refreshed throughout.

In June 2024, the Procedure for Multi-Agency Professional Challenge and Escalation was updated.

This chapter was added in June 2024.

This chapter was added in June 2024.

In June 2024, a new subsection was added to include information from the Ofsted Framework Joint Targeted Area Inspections of the Multi-agency Response to Serious Youth Violence. See Section 2, Serious Violence Duty - Principles.

This chapter was refreshed in June 2024 and additional links were added into Further Information.

In June 2024, this chapter was refreshed throughout.

In June 2024, this guidance was updated.

In June 2024, this chapter was amended to include information on Identifying Suspected Perpetrators of Modern Slavery - see Section 2.3, Indicators.