Welsh assembly launches guidelines for child protection committees

New child protection procedures aimed at
safeguarding children have been launched in Wales.

The
guidelines have been produced by the All Wales Area Child
Protection Committees (ACPCs) and are designed to provide a
consistent approach to safeguarding children.

They
outline five stages for child protection cases:referral,
assessment, strategy discussion, a strategy meeting where
appropriate, and a section 47 inquiry by police or social
services.

Welcoming the launch of the
procedures that will be used by all ACPCs across Wales, Jane Hutt,
minister for health and social services, said: “The Welsh
government places children’s issues among its top priorities, and a
key element in promoting children’s health and welfare is to have
robust and effective child protection procedures.

“Although it is now two years
since the Waterhouse Report was published, the messages contained
in it remain as strong as ever and we continue to work towards
implementing many of the recommendations.” She added that the
initiative for the new procedures had come from those working in
the field.

“It
was they who recognised and put into practice that one of the
fundamental ways of improving outcomes is for agencies to work
together,” she said.

Hutt
emphasised that the Welsh assembly would take the lead on child
protection where necessary, but stressed the importance of
collaborative working and innovative ideas across all sectors, and
the importance of common standards in child protection across
Wales.