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Safeguarding children procedures

Policies and procedures provide the framework within which an organisation and its staff / volunteers operate. They define what an organisation does and how it does it. Clear policies and procedures support effective decision making, providing guidelines on what staff / volunteers can and cannot do, what decisions they can make and what activities are appropriate.

All organisations working with children and young people and / or their parents and carers should have robust policies and procedures which will ensure that children and young people are safe, workers know and understand their roles and responsibilities and how to respond appropriately if they have concerns about a child or young person’s safety or welfare.

Ensuring that agencies and professionals work effectively together is essential when working with children and young people. There are two sets of policies and procedures which underpin multi-agency working, both of which must be consulted when considering how to work with others to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people:

    • Regional (agreed across Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth & Southampton)
    • Local (to support arrangements agreed in the city

Many of the topic pages on this site also have specific guidance for professionals and will link to the relevant procedures for that topic.

The Hampshire, IOW, Portsmouth and Southampton (HIPS) procedures provides overarching guidance and procedures on safeguarding issues which have been agreed by all four LSCPs. There is a process for local consultation in relation to the development or updating of regional policies and procedures. These should always be consulted in conjunction with agency procedures.

This manual has been developed to provide a set of chapters which comply with Working Together to Safeguard Children. The content is intended to be accessible to a wide range of staff from organisations that have responsibilities to identify children with unmet needs and/or at risk of abuse, and to keep them safe.

Where a local approach has been developed regarding a safeguarding issue in Portsmouth this is supported by local procedures which supplement those used across the region. These are highlighted on each of the relevant safeguarding issue pages and should be referred to by organisations or individual practitioners when working with children and young people.

Policies and procedures are frequently updated to ensure that they meet emerging requirements and challenges. It is important that this website is consulted on a regular basis to ensure practice and multi-agency working is guided by the most up to date procedures.

The HIPS Procedures Group regularly produces summaries to help you keep up to date with new and amended safeguarding policies. Please take the time to read these, make note of any changes that have been made, familiarise yourself with the situations when the policy may be applicable and share with colleagues in your settings.

The most recent Spotlight On briefings can be found here:

Most of the national statutory guidance produced in relation to Safeguarding Children can be found here

If you need a copy of a policy or procedure and you cannot find it, please email PSCP@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Worried about a child – If you are concerned that a child or young person has suffered harm, neglect or abuse, please contact

Portsmouth Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)

If a child is at immediate risk of harm, call the Police on 999