Working with children

This part of the website applies to you if you are a professional, working with or caring for children and young people, whether paid or unpaid in a Statutory Organisation or in private or voluntary sector organisation with responsibility for children in the Darlington locality.  It also includes a wide variety of people in a caring capacity, such as foster carers and child minders.

If you work with children who need protection or additional help and support, you can find important information on these pages which includes a wide range of policies, procedures, guidance, templates and briefing notes to support effective multi-agency working.

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023

On 15 December 2023, the government published it Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 Statutory Guidance.  The guidance sets out what organisations and agencies who have functions relating to children must and should do to help, protect and promote the welfare of all children and young people under the age of 18 in England. 

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 [external link]

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 Summary of changes [external link]

The new edition of Working Together is central to delivering on the strategy set out in Stable homes, built on love (2023) [external link] which outlines the Government's commitment to support every child group in a safe, stable and loving home.

Glossary of terms

A glossary of terms for safeguarding children and a glossary of terms for acronyms used in Child and Adult Safeguarding is available to support practitioners:

• Acronym glossary of terms [pdf document] 
• Glossary of terms for safeguarding children [pdf document]