Safeguarding
During 2021/22 there were 554 children in care in the borough of Rochdale.
All children deserve to grow up free from harm, in a stable and nurturing environment and with the same opportunities to succeed as every other child.
Our most vulnerable and disadvantaged children need more intensive support to have the same foundation others take for granted. We address the needs of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Rochdale borough and we work with other agencies and partners to provide effective, early help for these children.
What is safeguarding?
Safeguarding is broader than child protection and is about the action taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm. It’s an essential part of children’s health and it’s everyone’s responsibility.
Safeguarding includes:
- Protecting children from being treated badly
- Preventing damage to children’s health and development
- Ensuring that children grow up in safe environments
- Taking action to enable children to have the best outcomes possible
Statistics on safeguarding
- Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) – vulnerable young people profile - this profile from OHID presents data on vulnerable children and young people and includes information on the number of children in care, looked after children, new child protection cases and the percentage of children who are a cause for concern.
Safeguarding children in the Rochdale borough
- Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Children Partnership - the Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Children Partnership coordinates efforts in terms of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in the area. Their website contains annual board reports, local and national strategy documents and assessment tools.
Guidance on safeguarding
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) saf guarding guidance - NICE has produced a number of documents that are relevant to safeguarding including guidance on child abuse and neglect, domestic violence and abuse and child maltreatment.
- Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) - Rapid review of evidence on safeguarding - this rapid review from Public Health England (PHE) aims to update the evidence regarding safeguarding guidance, focusing on prevention and early intervention. It considers child abuse and neglect, child sexual abuse and exploitation, intimate partner violence, female genital mutilation and gang violence.
- Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) – Safeguarding Children - the SCIE website offers training and access to experts to support case reviews and audits for local children safeguarding boards or equivalent, care and health providers, police and case reviewers.