UPDATE:
The Department for Education has published the 2013 edition of the Working Together guidance. You can access our web-enabled version via the 'contents' tab at the top of this website.
Click here to continue reading the archived 2010 guidance.
This document sets out how organisations and individuals should work together to
safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
It 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, in organisations that:
- are responsible for commissioning or providing services to children, young
people, and adults who are parents/carers; or
- have a particular responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of
children.
Table 1 can be used as a guide to navigate the document. All practitioners and managers may be required to read chapters that are not listed as necessary under their job function
in particular circumstances.
Table 1: How to use this document
Practitioners |
Chapters it is
necessary to read |
Chapters it is
advisable to read |
| Those with a strategic and managerial
responsibility for commissioning and
delivering services for children and families |
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
6, 9, 10 |
| Operational managers within
organisations employing staff to work with
children and families, or with responsibility
for commissioning and delivering services |
1, 2 (relevant
section), 5 |
3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12 |
| Those with a particular responsibility for
safeguarding children, such as designated
health and education professionals, police,
social workers |
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10,
11 |
6, 9, 12 |
| Those who work regularly with children
and young people and adults who are
carers and who may be asked to contribute
to assessments of children in need |
1, 2 (relevant
section), 5, 11 |
6, 8, 9, 10, 12 |
| Others in contact with children and young
people and parents who are carers |
It is not necessary
for others to read
this document.
Instead read the
summary guide
What to do if you’re
worried a child is
being abused |
1, 2 (relevant
section), 5, 10 |
For more detail on which practitioners come under which group, see paragraph 4.30.
|
