8.1 Preface and Introduction

1. Introduction

Sheffield's children should be able to grow up in circumstances where they feel safe and supported to reach their optimal outcomes in childhood, their teenage years and into adulthood.

To achieve this agencies and practitioners need to work together to promote children's welfare and prevent them from suffering harm.

These procedures provide a framework that all practitioners in Sheffield should follow in order to safeguard children and promote their welfare in both the home and the community. These procedures apply to all practitioners coming into contact or receiving information about children. Practitioners should ensure they are familiar with these procedures and adhere to them in all their work with children and families

These procedures apply to all children and young people below the age of eighteen.

2. Purpose

Sheffield Children Safeguarding Partnership has developed these procedures for local use in line with the guidance 'Working Together to Safeguard Children, issued by HM Government.

These procedures reflect the principles contained within the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by the UK Government in 1991. They are consistent with the Children Act 1989 and Children Act 2004, which provide a comprehensive framework for the care and protection of children, and with the Human Rights Act 1998.

Where Child Protection Procedures are to be implemented, all the needs of the child should be considered. All children deserve the opportunity to achieve their full potential. There are five outcomes that are key to children's wellbeing:

• Stay safe;
• Be healthy;
• Enjoy and achieve;
• Make a positive contribution;
• Achieve economic well-being.

These procedures are based closely upon research findings, experience and critical scrutiny of practice. They should form part of statutory agencies' quality assurance mechanisms in line with Section 11 of the Children Act 2004.

Sheffield Safeguarding Partnership for Children and Young People will update these procedures, as required.

In exceptional circumstances Sheffield Safeguarding Partnership for Children and Young People will consider requests to suspend application of parts of these procedures, as part of research proposals from agencies undertaking new ways of working with children. Any research proposal accepted will be subject to formal review by the Partnership.