Learning Blog
Safeguarding Legislation and Guidance
Written by Lizzie Learn
On 25th Mar 2025
Safeguarding legislation
The child protection system in the UK is the responsibility of the government of each of the UK’s four nations: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Each government is responsible for passing legislation, publishing guidance and establishing policy frameworks. Relevant legislation and statutory guidance includes:
In England
- Children Act 1989
- Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003
- Children Act 2004
- Children and Young Persons Act 2008
- Children and Families Act 2014
- Children and Social Work Act 2017
- Working Together to Safeguard Children
- Keeping Children Safe in Education
- Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (2024-2025)
In Scotland
- Children (Scotland) Act 1995
- The Age of Legal Capacity (Scotland) Act 1991
- Scottish Government. Children and Young People’s (Scotland) Act 2014
- Scottish Government. Child Protection Guidance for health professionals. Edinburgh: Scottish Government 2013
- Protecting children and young people Framework of Standards 2004
- Scottish Government 2017 Getting it right for every child
- National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland (2021) updated 2023
In Wales
- Welsh Assembly Government 2007 Safeguarding Children - Working Together Under the Children Act 2004
- Protecting Children in Wales. Guidance for Arrangements for Multi-Agency Child Practice Reviews. Jan 2013
- Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014
- Violence Against Women Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015
- All Local Safeguarding Children Boards in Wales.
- Keeping Learners Safe (2023)
In Northern Ireland
- Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995
- Protection of Children & Vulnerable Adults (NI) Order (2003)
- The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007
- Safeguarding Board Act (Northern Ireland) 2011
- Department of Health 2008 Standards for Child Protection Services
- Department of Health (2017). Cooperating to Safeguard Children. Belfast: Department of Health
- Department of Health 2018 Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland Procedures Manual
UK-wide
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