Safeguarding children: where does the responsibility lie?

It is a common misconception that the role of safeguarding and protecting children is a job only for child protection professionals. In reality, the responsibility lies with all of us who come into contact with children and their families. It is estimated that over half a million children experience some sort of abuse in the UK every year (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), 2015).

There is often a lot of anxiety from professionals about their role in safeguarding children, accompanied by concerns around how to identify, react to, and act upon concerns for children's welfare. People may often be intimidated by the thought of getting involved in safeguarding procedures, and think that it is not in their role to intervene.