Procedures, Guidance and Advice
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We all have a personal responsibility to notice when a child or young person may be being abused and pass on our concerns to someone who can act to protect them. Read our leaflet on your duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children (pdf 155kb).
For information on the guidance to be aware of and contact numbers for each agency's safeguarding advisor, download know your procedures to safeguard children (pdf 104kb).
Southwark's child protection procedures
The Southwark safeguarding children board (SSCB) agrees local child protection procedures. Everyone who works with children must know and follow national guidance and their own organisation's child protection policy and procedures.
Access the government's advice for everyone on what to do if you are worried about a child or ask for a copy in your local library.
In Southwark we follow the London child protection procedures. These give more detailed advice about how local services should work to protect children. You can read the London child protection procedures (pdf 165kb) on the London safeguarding children board website.
These procedures are based on
Further information on safeguarding children can be found on the Every Child Matters website.
A key aspect is information sharing. Guidance for workers can be viewed on the information sharing section.
Supporting the children of parents who need support
These joint service protocols give guidance on how services should work together to safeguard and support children whose parents or carers are affected by mental ill health, substance misuse, domestic violence or where the parent or carer has a disability.
If you would like copies, please contact the SSCB. Details are at the bottom of the page.
Training programme
The SSCB has a yearly training programme. The courses are for workers from all agencies and focus on how agencies can work better together to safeguard children. All courses are free but we do make a charge if people book a place and fail to attend.
Our training page has further details.
Getting more help and advice
All agencies should have a designated or named person who can advise their colleagues on safeguarding children. For advice, contact the relevant designated adviser for your agency below. For referral of a child thought to be at risk of abuse or neglect contact the referral and assessment team at children's services, Tel 020 7525 1921 or 020 7525 5000 evenings and weekends.
Southwark Primary Care NHS Trust
Designated doctor (Paediatrician): 020 3049 8009
Designated nurse: 020 7525 0387
Named doctor (Paediatrician): 020 3049 8018
Named nurses: 07789 741518
Guy's and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust
Named doctor: 020 7188 4635
Named nurse: 020 7188 4653
Named midwife: 020 7188 2316
Kings College Hospital NHS Trust
Named doctor: 020 3299 3984
Named nurse: 020 3299 3319
Named midwife: 020 3299 4971
South London and Maudsley NHS Trust
Named doctor: 020 8690 1086
Named nurse: 020 3228 3483
Education
Each school has its own designated person for child protection. The Local Education Authority also has a lead officer for safeguarding. Tel: 020 7525 2696
Police
Metropolitan Police, child abuse investigation team (CAIT) Tel: 020 7230 3700
Children's Social Care
If your agency does not have it's own guidance or specialist child protection advisor, contact the
Social Care Duty Team
Tel: 020 7525 1921
Out of hours Tel: 020 7525 5000 or the
Duty Child Protection Coordinator (for all agencies)
Tel: 020 7525 3297
If you think a child is in immediate danger contact the police on 999
Contact
Southwark safeguarding children board (SSCB)
Tel: 020 7525 3306
Fax: 020 7525 3328
sscb@southwark.gov.uk
Mabel Goldwin House
49 Grange Walk
London
SE1 3DY
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