What Is Safeguarding?

Safeguarding children - the action we take to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm - is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is:

• protecting children from maltreatment;
• preventing impairment of children's health or development;
• ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the
• provision of safe and effective care; and
• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Child protection is part of safeguarding and refers to the activity undertaken to protect children suffering from, or at risk of, significant harm (Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018).