All Health Services Professionals
Health Service Professionals have a major role in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. This may be as a strategic function including the management of performance of Trusts; at an operational management level in promoting policies to meet the objective, or; at a clinical, practitioner or, administrative level where contact with children and their families may take place.
All professionals are referred to " National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services (2004)". Professionals are also referred to paragraphs 2.27 to 2.42 of “Working Together to Safeguard Children" as revised in 2006
All Health Professionals working directly with children will ensure that safeguarding and promoting their welfare forms an integral part of all stages of the care they offer
Other health professionals who come into contact with children, parents and carers in the course of their work must be aware of their responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. This is important even when health professionals do not work directly with a child, but with their parent, carer or other significant adult.
The duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children is a statutory duty set out in the Children Act 2004 Section 11. Statutory Guidance to this section of this Act is contained in the document library of these procedures. Chapter 5 is particularly relevant.
Health Professionals are referred to “Responding to Domestic Abuse: A Handbook for Health Professionals (2005) Information about this is available at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/12/66/19/04126619.pdf