Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children

Working Together sets out how organisations and individuals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in accordance with the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004.

Part 1 of the document is issued as statutory guidance. Practitioners and agencies will have different responsibilities under different areas of the guidance and should consult the preface for a fuller explanation of their statutory duties.

CHANGE TO STATUTORY GUIDANCE

On 10 June, Tim Loughton MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families announced a change to the statutory guidance set out in Chapter 8 of this document relating to Serious Case Reviews (SCRs). Local Safeguarding Boards should publish overview reports of all new SCRs initiated on or after 10 June 2010, together with the executive summary; neither document should contain identifying details.

A letter to local authorities and their Board partners on Local Safeguarding Children Boards has been issued and provides guidance under section 16(2) of the Children Act 2004. This letter should be read in conjunction with Chapter 8.

Working Together is addressed to practitioners and front line managers who have particular responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and to senior and operational managers. Part 2 of the document is issued as non-statutory practice guidance.