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Child protection and safeguarding

As child health professionals, child protection plays a role in everything we do. It is about protecting individual children identified as suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect. Safeguarding is a broader issue, and covers how we ensure children grow up in a safe environment.

Child Protection Companion

Your handbook on all forms of child abuse. It looks across the whole range of medical and social interactions: from examination, to identification, to referral, to court.
Access the Companion on the PCO UK website

Child Protection Evidence

Resource based on the latest evidence to inform clinical practice, procedures and professional and expert opinion in the legal system.
Access Child Protection Evidence

Educational opportunities in safeguarding

We help give doctors the competencies they need to protect children from abuse. Try our free eLearning programmes or book on to a face-to-face course.
About these educational opportunities

Evidence on fractures

Child Protection Evidence is a resource available for clinicians across the UK and internationally to inform clinical practice. It comprises systematic reviews that evaluate the latest literature.

Review on abusive and non-abusive fractures
All evidence statements

Guidance about refugee and unaccompanied asylum seeking CYP

How can we best support the needs of this group of vulnerable children and young people? Our resource supports paediatricians in the assessment and management of these children. It looks at the asylum processes in the UK, including access to healthcare, and provides key practice considerations.
Read guidance

Looked after children

This term typically denotes children cared for by Government, though exact definitions vary between the four nations. More than 93,000 children in the UK are in care, 70,000 in England. They are vulnerable to health inequalities, and exhibit significantly higher rates of mental health issues, emotional disorders (anxiety and depression), hyperactivity and autistic spectrum disorder conditions.
Access resources

Child protection standing committee

The Child Protection Standing Committee is responsible for championing the safeguarding agenda for children and young people. The committee advises on matters relating to child protection – preventing violence, exploitation and abuse against children.
About the committee

Latest courses

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Course

Safeguarding Children and Young People

21 June 2018

London

The course is suitable for all professionals working within the safeguarding arena. It will be an interactive day with plenty of discussion which should enable delegates to develop a skill base which will enhance their understanding of the complexities of safeguarding throughout a child’s life.

Latest news in child protection

All news

Some resources in safeguarding

All resources in safeguarding
Resource

Child protection and the anaesthetist

This document - published by Royal College of Anaesthetists in partnership with the RCPCH, Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland, and Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists of Great Britain - aims to assist anaesthetists and theatre personnel where safeguarding concerns are rais...