CYSCP
Child protection and safeguarding
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. Every single person who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023, usually referred to as just "Working Together", is statutory guidance produced by the government which outlines how practitioners working with children, young people and families should work together in order to ensure that children and young people remain safe from harm.
The aim of Working Together to Safeguard Children is to:
- protect children from maltreatment
- prevent impairment of children's health or development
- ensure that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
- take action to enable all children to have the best outcomes
Our child protection procedures aim to support safeguarding practice and provide a consistent approach to safeguarding children and young people.
Child protection and children in care
Our child protection and children in care documents have been agreed by the CYSCP as a framework for joint agency working in safeguarding children within the City of York. They are based on the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023, research and good practice.
Staff who are, or may be, involved in safeguarding children need to have a working knowledge of these documents and to refer to relevant sections as needed.
These documents are subject to ongoing review and updates to ensure compliance with statutory guidance, and may change.
- Child protection resources
- Children in care health check
- Children's and Families’ Service Procedures Manual
- Complaints
Child protection resources
- CYSCP Procedure for Child Protection Conferences and Core Group Meetings
- Child Protection Medical Assessment Procedure
- Child Protection Medical Assessment Flowchart
- Child Protection Child Sexual Abuse Medical Assessments
- Child Protection Conference Narrated PowerPoint Presentation - this presentation explains more about Child Protection and what professionals should expect during these meetings.
- Child Protection Agency Report Form
If you need to submit reports for Initial Child Protection Conferences (ICPCs) or Review Child Protection Conferences (RCPCs), send these to email: [email protected].
Information for parents and carers
- Child Protection Medical Leaflet - Information for Patients and Carers
- Parent’s Guide to Child Protection Conference
Information for children and young people
Speak Up, the York Children's Rights and Advocacy Service have produced information on Advocacy and the Child Protection Process for parents aged under 18.
See further information for children and young people from CYSCP.
Children in care health check
The North Yorkshire Council Your health check worries video is useful if you're working with a child or young person who may be worried or have concerns regarding their health check.
The Speak Up website also has useful health and wellbeing information.
Children's and Families’ Service Procedures Manual
City of York Children and Families’ Service Procedures Manual contains the policies, procedures and guidance for City of York Children's Social Care, and can be accessed by anyone within the City of York Council Children and Families Service.
All policies available are listed in the contents section.
There is also a Forms Library which contains forms, leaflets and documents used for the purposes of conducting procedures contained in the Procedure Manual.
Complaints
Professional concerns and disputes can arise at any stage of the child protection process and can lead to ineffective multi-agency working or in rare cases dangerous practice.
If you have any concerns over the handling of any aspect of child protection, please follow the process laid down in the CYSCP Guidance on Resolution of Disputes.