The current child protection system is based on the Children Act , which was introduced in an effort to reform and clarify the existing plethora of laws affecting children. The Children Act gave every child the right to protection from abuse and exploitation and the right to inquiries to safeguard their welfare.
Its central tenet was that children are usually best looked after within their family. The act came into force in England and Wales in and - with some differences - in Northern Ireland in The cardinal principle of the Act is that the welfare of the child is paramount when an issue concerning the upbringing of a child has to be decided by a court under this legislation. This means that it is more important than either parent's views or the views of any other adult involved in the child's life.
A court must also ascertain the wishes and feelings of the child and shall not make an Order unless this is 'better for the child than making no Order at all'. These cookies enable core website functionality, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences. Google Analytics cookies help us to understand your experience of the website and do not store any personal data. Click here for a full list of Google Analytics cookies used on this site. Third-Party cookies are set by our partners and help us to improve your experience of the website.
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Accept All Settings. Our use of cookies. Google Analytics Cookies. The Department of Health in Northern Ireland published an update to the statutory guidance Cooperating to safeguard children and young people Department of Health, An updated version of Working together to safeguard children Department for Education, was published for England , replacing Local safeguarding children boards LSCBs with safeguarding partner arrangements.
The Domestic Abuse Scotland Act made it a statutory aggravation for domestic abuse to involve or affect a child this includes a child hearing, seeing or being present during an abusive incident. The Wales Safeguarding Procedures were published to provide guidance on safeguarding children and adults who are at risk of abuse and neglect Wales Safeguarding Procedures Project Board, The Crown Prosecution Service CPS recognised breast flattening the practice of using hard or heated objects to suppress or reverse the growth of breasts as a form of child abuse in England and Wales CPS, The conditions created by the coronavirus COVID pandemic meant that everyone working with children and families had to adapt the way they keep children safe.
Governments in all four UK nations published a range of safeguarding and child protection guidance during the pandemic. This abolishes the defence of reasonable corporal punishment of a child. The Welsh Government introduced the Children Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment Wales Act , which will abolish the defence of reasonable punishment from The Disclosure Scotland Act received royal assent in July This aimed to improve the system for checking the criminal history of people who work with children in Scotland.
Stay up-to-date with new developments in child protection in the UK with our weekly current awareness email newsletter. Sign up today. Our series of factsheets pulls together the most up-to-date statistics on children who are the subject to child protection plan or on a child protection register for each of the UK nations.
Our Information Service can provide you with reading lists of publications tailored to your needs. Find research, guidance, summaries of case reviews and resources in the UK's largest collection of child protection publications. Our annual report compiles and analyses the most robust and up-to-date child protection data that exists across the 4 nations in the UK.
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Full Price:. Our Food Allergy Awareness training includes everything you need to know to comply with Natasha's Law. Home Resources What is the Children Act? What is the Children Act ? Why was the Children Act introduced? Children Act Summary There are ten key parts to the Children Act , each focusing on a different aspect of child welfare and safety. Part 1: Introduction The introduction of the Children Act explains the key principles of the legislation.
Part 2: Orders With Respect To Children In Family Proceedings This section outlines the different legal orders which can be issued in regards to who a child is going to live with or spend time with, and when they are going to live or spend time with this person. Part 3: Local Authority Support for Children and Families This section of the safeguarding legislation outlines what the responsibilities of local authorities are concerning children and their welfare who live in their area.
Part 4: Care and Supervision This section outlines the legal care and supervision orders that can be given by the court in certain circumstances where a child may be at risk of harm. Part 5: Protection of Children This section of the welfare legislation is particularly important, as it gives a local authority the legal duty to investigate any cases where a child is believed to be at risk of harm.
Part 6: Community Homes Under part 6 of the Children Act , all local authorities must have community homes that are available for any child who needs looking after in the absence of a suitable figure of parental responsibility. Part 7: Voluntary Homes and Voluntary Organisations Instead of being placed in a community home by the local authority, a child can also be placed in a voluntary home or with a voluntary organisation.
Part 9: Private Arrangements for Fostering Children The Children Act describes a privately fostered child as someone who is cared for and given accommodation by someone who is not a parent, relative, or someone who has legal parental responsibility for them. Part Child Minding and Day Care for Young Children The final important section of the Children Act outlines what steps the local authority must take when registering childminders and those who work in day-care centres, to protect the children that are under their care.
These amendments included: Creating the post of Children's Commissioner for England to promote and protect the rights of children in the area Giving local authorities a duty of appointing members of their services who are responsible for ensuring legislation is followed and who will be held accountable if they are found to be failing Giving local authorities the duty of partnering with other local safeguarding agencies and services with the intent of improving the wellbeing of all children in their area Ensuring that services such as the police and healthcare providers had systems in place that considered the safety and wellbeing of children who were involved in their work Why was the Children Act Introduced?
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