Understanding Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023

Guide for Parents, Carers & Families

What is Working Together to Safeguard Children?

Working Together to Safeguard Children  is a statutory guidance document issued by the UK government. It outlines the responsibilities of various organisations, including local authorities, health services (Integrated care boards), police, and other relevant agencies, including schools and community groups such as youth groups, sports clubs and faith groups, in keeping children safe and helping ensure their wellbeing.

Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023) applies to all children from those who are unborn up to the age of 18, regardless of whether they live with their families, live in care, or independently. The document has been updated from its previous version (2018), this was first published in 1999 and has had multiple updates of which this is one.

What is Working Together 2023?

The guidance has laid the foundations and principals for multi-agency cooperation in relation to children and has sought to enhance the protection and support provided to children and their families.

This review is pivotal in delivering the proposals set out in Children’s Social Care: Stable Homes Built on Love, which is the government response to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care published in 2022.

This guide aims to provide a clear and concise overview for parents, carers, and families helping you understand Working Together and what it means you.  It covers the changes that aim to enhance the protection and support provided to children, young people, and families and how to access more information should it be required.

From the guidance, it is hoped that you can have an understanding of how organisations supporting children and families both work together in partnership with each other as well as with children and families to help make sure that they are happy, healthy, safe and achieving.

What does Working Together say?

The Working Together guidance has several core principles that have remained consistent since its initial publication.These are designed to ensure that children are kept safe, and their welfare is promoted, with a specific section detailing key principles for working with families. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children includes:

Working with Parents and Carers

This section makes clear that it is vital for professionals to work with families in partnership.  For them to be clear on what is happening, how and when and what they can expect from those they are working with, and in turn what is expected of them. The principles make clear the importance of building trusting relationships and ensuring the child’s voice and what is best for them is central to any decisions made. As a result of the guidance families can expect that practitioners should identify and build on their strengths and will consider their life experiences and how they may impact how they may think, feel and behave in relation to working with others.  Families will be communicated to clearly and consistently and should receive information with language being inclusive and accessible, respectful, concise and jargon free to suit each family’s individual needs. Workers should seek regular feedback from family networks, and children, to improve their ways of working and consistently review their own practice.

Legal Framework

There are legalrequirements that apply to individuals, organisations, and agencies involved in making sure children are kept safe. The requirements are there to ensure that all those involved with child welfare agree and follow the same standards to enable all children to have the best outcomes, and in line with the outcomes set out in the Children’s Social Care National Framework.

Multi-Agency Working

The importance of agencies (as stated above) working together and communicating well, to ensure that children and families receive coordinated and consistent support, reducing any gaps in services. Making sure that children, young people, and their families are heard.

Sharing Information

The necessity of timely and effective information sharing among all practitioners to safeguard children. This allows for quicker and more informed decision-making processes, leading to faster interventions and support when needed. 

Early Help and Prevention and Family /Network Focus

Focussing onidentifying and addressing worries at an earlier stage, before they escalate, ensuring that families can make their own decisions and sustain long term change. Making sure that any support provided is tailored to the child and family’s needs and individual circumstances, to promote wellbeing and development.

Encouraging the involvement of extended family members and other network support in safeguarding processes, knowing, and understanding children’s needs, helping to keep children safe and within their environment whenever possible. Having a network for additional help and understanding.

Conclusion

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 aims to ensure that children are protected from harm and that their welfare is promoted through a collaborative, multi-agency approach. For families, this means receiving timely, respectful, and effective support, being involved in decision-making processes, and having their voices heard and respected in the safeguarding system.

Where can I go to get further Information?

Parents and Carers can keep up to date with changes via the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (NYSCP) website. The Parents & Carers section can be accessed here NYSCP (safeguardingchildren.co.uk) where there is further information and support resources.

For more detailed information, you can refer to the full guidance document available online here Working together to safeguard children 2023: statutory guidance (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Updated 25 September 2024