Concerns about children’s safety and welfare
If you have concerns about a child's safety or welfare, please follow your safeguarding procedures.
For advice call the professional consultation line on 01942 828300
To make a professional referral, please visit the Professional referrals - for children webpage.
Safeguarding information & links
Keeping children safe in education
Statutory guidance for schools and colleges on safeguarding children and safer recruitment. Early years setting must pay regard to this document.
Working together to safeguard children
Statutory guidance on multi-agency working to help, support and protect children
Wigan Safeguarding Partnership
Safeguarding policies, procedures and support for people working with children.
Wigan Safeguarding thresholds of need
Children, young people and their families have different levels of need, and these may change over time. There are four levels of need, and it is important to identify children and young people’s needs at the earliest possible opportunity to ensure they get the right help at the right time.
Injuries in non-mobile children
We take bruising or injuries in babies and infants who are not crawling, cruising or walking (non-mobile) seriously. A procedure has been developed detailing how professionals must respond to any case of bruising or injury in a non mobile child which brings together numerous agencies and professionals that should be involved.
Child abuse concerns
Guidance to help practitioners identify the signs of child abuse and neglect and understand what action to take
Safer working practices & Allegations
Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) are responsible for overseeing concerns and allegations against professionals or volunteers who work with children, particularly when there's a risk of harm or potential harm.
Operation Encompass
Operation Encompass is a police and education early information safeguarding partnership enabling schools and settings to offer immediate support to children experiencing domestic abuse.
Operation Encompass ensures that there is a simple telephone call or notification to a school’s/settings trained Designated Safeguarding Lead / Officer (known as key Adult) prior to the start of the next school day after an incident of police attended domestic abuse where there are children related to either of the adult parties involved.
Information is shared with a school’s/settings Key Adult (Designated Safeguarding Lead or Officer) prior to the start of the next school day after officers have attended a domestic abuse incident. This sharing of information enables appropriate support to be given, dependent upon the needs and wishes of the child.
To sign up to the Operation Encompass scheme or update your contact details please complete the Operation Encompass Form.
Before signing up to Encompass, the Governing Body/Owner and Senior Leadership Team must abide by the following:
- Endorse the Encompass Model and support the Key Adults in our school/nursery to fulfil the requirements of the Wigan Encompass Protocol.
- Promote and implement Wigan Encompass processes and use these in accordance with internal safeguarding children processes as well as those outlined in Wigan’s Safeguarding Partnership procedures.
- Recognise the sensitive nature of the information provided and ensure that this is stored and retained in accordance with the principles of data protection. Emails sent with notifications will be encrypted but it is the school/setting duty to ensure that information is stored in compliance with GDPR protocols and only accessible to relevant safeguarding staff.
- Ensure children are added to the ‘Capita Better start’ portal each term to support locating of children’s current setting. (Nursery settings only)
- Report any change of contact details to the relevant team.
- Complete the Online Key Adult Training (external link)
- Ensure policies are updated to reflect that you are involved with the Operation Encompass model to ensure parents are aware.
- Utilise the Teacher Helpline to support children as required - 0204 513 9990. Monday to Friday, 8am-1pm.
- Ensure the Wigan Domestic abuse service details are accessible for all families.
Safety and suitability of premises, environment and equipment
Risk Assessment
Managing risks and risk assessment at work.
Safer recruitment and suitable people
Safer recruitment consortium
Advice training and guidance for safer recruitment practices.
DBS Checker
Safeguarding Training & Qualifications Checker
Check if qualifications meet the requirements of the EYFS
Health & Safe Sleep
Health protection in children and young people settings, including education
A practical guide for staff on managing cases of infectious diseases in children and young people settings, including education.
Infection control in schools and other childcare settings
The guidance on infection control in schools and other childcare settings poster contains information specific to Northern Ireland. COVID-19 is now included under respiratory infections.
Wigan health protection team
Health protection is about protecting individuals, groups and populations from single cases of infectious disease, incidents and outbreaks, and non-infectious environmental hazards such as chemicals and radiation.
Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school
Statutory guidance about the support that pupils with medical conditions should receive at school
Ill health from animal contact at visitor attractions or open farms
Health and Safety England Guidance
Safe sleep guidance
Environmental Health and Food Premises Registration
E-Bug
A health education programme that aims to promote positive behaviour change among children and young people to support infection prevention and control efforts.
Essential Parent
Essential Parent is a digital information service offering expert, evidence-based professional written and video content for conception, pregnancy, birth, babies, toddlers, children and teenagers. To register, please contact the LEyEP team.
Safer food, better business
Food safety management procedures for small businesses.
Information & Record Keeping
GDPR Information
Guidance on information sharing for people who provide safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers.
Information Comissioner's Office
The UK's independent regulator for data protection and information rights law.
Early Help
Early Help is a system of support for children, young people, and families that aims to address challenges early, preventing problems from escalating and improving outcomes for all involved.