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Safeguarding and child protection

What does safeguarding mean?

  • Safeguarding means protecting children and taking action when a child or young person is at risk of abuse, neglect or sexual exploitation. Protecting children and young people is everyone’s responsibility.

If you have a safeguarding concern, contact the Children and Families Contact Team for further information and advice.

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Safeguarding and child protection

The Children and Young People Disability Service is part of the Children's Safeguarding and Social Work division and provides a social care service to support children with complex needs and their families. In most cases there are no concerns about the child’s safety or the standard of care parents are providing.

However, sometimes the team may have concerns that parents are not able to meet their child’s needs or that the child may be at risk of harm. In these cases, the team may need to take action under the law to make sure the child is safe and well-cared for. This may be because:

  • Parents are not able to meet the child’s needs and may need extra help and support to develop parenting skills in order to provide a good standard of care to the child.
  • The child is at risk of harm, abuse or neglect and social workers have a legal duty to take action under child protection laws.
  • The child needs to be looked after by Camden either because:
    • they have no parent to care for them
    • their parents are unable to care for them
    • the standard of care at home is putting them at risk of harm.

If the Children and Young People Disability Service is working with a family for either of these reasons, the child will have a separate child in need, child protection or care plan as well as a short breaks plan which will set out what actions need to be taken to meet their needs and keep them safe.

If you have a safeguarding concern, contact the Children and Families Contact Team for further information and advice.

What is abuse and neglect?

  • Abuse can be physical, such as being hit, or emotional, such as being constantly threatened and shouted at. A child or young person who is being forced into sexual activity is being sexually abused.
  • Neglect can be lack of everyday care such as being kept clean and properly fed.
  • Abuse and neglect can cause long-term damage to a child or young person and are always wrong.

Are you worried about a child?

  • If you are worried about a child or young person, please contact the Children and Families Contact Team

  • If you believe a child is in immediate danger you should call the police on 999.

  • If you do not feel comfortable about telling us, or you are not sure if you are right, you can also speak to a teacher, health visitor, doctor or the NSPCC. The most important thing is to tell someone who can help.
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