Safeguarding Children is ‘Everyone’s Responsibility’ and the overarching aim of safeguarding work is to ensure that children and young people are able to reach their potential and enter adulthood successfully. The purpose is to prevent impairment to their health and development and protect them from harm. We all need to help parents and carers keep children safe and well. Concerns about the safety and welfare of a child should always be shared.

The safeguarding children team are there to help and support practitioners since it is recognised that Child Protection work can be emotionally challenging. However it is not acceptable to do nothing if you have concerns about a child.

If you are worried about the well-being of a child, seek advice by

• First speaking to your manager or a senior practitioner
• You can alsocontact the Safeguarding Children Team 02392 816 740

Solent NHS Trust employs Safeguarding Children professionals who advise, train and support staff who have concerns about the welfare of a child. They also advise Solent NHS Trust and ensure that policies and procedures are in place to support best practice in relation to safeguarding of children and young people.

Solent NHS Trust employs Community Paediatricians who undertake medical assessments of children and young people at the request of health professionals, police and social care. 

If concerns remain, further discussion (without necessarily identifying the child and family in question) can also take place with another agency, such as Children's Social Care or the Police. A decision may then be made to refer the child to Children's Social Care for further assessment of risk of harm and the child's needs.The safeguarding children team can support a referral to children's socila care or the police as appropriate who are the two agencies who investigate whether a child or young person is at risk of 'significant harm' (Children Act 1998)

When you wish to make a referral due to concerns about a child you will need to complete an interagency referral form.

There are some important and useful documents and protocols that can support you in your work as a health professional. The links on our intranet page will take you to some of the documentation you may need when completing an interagency referral to children's social care, when you have assessed and have evidence that there is risk of significant harm to a child or need to complete a report for a child protection conference.

We offer a three layered approach to support all staff in their safeguiarding children respoonsibilities  -

1. Group supervision (which is being extended across all services) ;

2. Advice calls on the phone Monday - Friday 08.30 - 17.00 ; Portsmouth 02392 816740 OR Southampton 02380 716671 (we will respond to all calls within

    24 hrs if a message is left on our answerphones)

3. Safgeuarding surgeries where staff may bring complex or difficult casees for review and supervision.

We offer training across all service areas which can be accessed and booked online via Learning & Development website. We also offer bespoke training for services on request.

We will support staff at multi-agency meetings such as Child Protection conferences, Team around the Child/Family meetings.

We have a revised intranet page where you may access tools and policies to support you in your work.