Working Together to Safeguard Children Consultation

The Department for Education (DfE) has launched a consultation on changes to Working Together to Safeguard Children.

Working Together to Safeguard Children is the multi-agency statutory guidance that sets out expectations for the system that provides help, support and protection for children and their families. It applies at every level from senior leaders to those in direct practice with families, and across all agencies and organisations that come into contact with children. It gives practitioners clarity about what is required of them individually and how they need to work in partnership with each other to deliver effective services.

In February 2023, the government published Stable Homes, Built on Love, which set out plans to transform children’s social care, committing to support every child to grow up in a safe, stable and loving home.

Updating Working Together is central to delivering on the first phase of this transformation journey, implementing strengthened multi-agency working across the whole system of help, support and protection for children and their families, re-balancing the system towards help at an early point, and ensuring strong, effective and consistent child protection practice.

The consultation encourages all agencies at every level from senior leaders to those in direct practice with families to complete an online survey.

The consultation also wishes to hear from children and young people and care leavers up to the age of 25.

Please read the consultation document before responding to the corresponding questions in the survey.

The consultation closes on the 6th September 2023. Please make sure that you take part as your views help to make the necessary changes for the benefit of children and families.