Welcome to the Interagency Safeguarding Children Procedures of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Children Partnership Board (CPSCPB)

For the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Multi-Agency Safeguarding Adults Procedures click here

This contents list is sub divided into the following sections, each Section contains relevant Chapters/Procedures: (Click on the title to jump, or scroll down to the Section you require):

  1. Working with Children and Families
  2. Information Sharing and Confidentiality
  3. Recognition and Referral of Abuse and Neglect
  4. Response to Child Protection Referrals
  5. Child Protection Conferences
  6. The Child Protection Plan
  7. Complaints and Professional Disagreements
  8. Children in Specific Circumstances
  9. Risk Management of Known Offenders and Those who Pose a Risk
  10. Safe Workforce
  11. Child Death
  12. Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews
  13. Safeguarding Partnership Responsibilities
  14. Appendices

1. Working with Children and Families

1.1Threshold Document: Continuum of Help and Support
Cambridgeshire Threshold Document: Continuum of Help and SupportUpdated December 2024
Peterborough Threshold Document: Continuum of Help and SupportUpdated December 2024
1.2Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Early Help Strategy April 2021
1.3Lived Experience of the Child (Voice of the Child) Practice GuidanceUpdated February 2025
1.4Children and Families Moving Across Local Authority BoundariesUpdated January 2025

2. Information Sharing and Confidentiality

2.1Information Sharing
2.2

Overarching Tier 1 Children Safeguarding Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) for the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Safeguarding Partnership

May 2024

2.3

Tier 2 MASH Data Sharing Agreements

Tier 2 MASH Data Sharing Agreement for Cambridgeshire

April 2025

Tier 2 MASH Data Sharing Agreement for Peterborough

April 2025

2.4MASH Protocol

Cambridgeshire MASH Protocol

Peterborough MASH Protocol

2.5Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Information Sharing FrameworkApril 2022
2.6Whistleblowing

3. Recognition and Referral of Abuse and Neglect

3.1Recognising Abuse and Neglect
3.2Responding to concerns of Abuse and Neglect

4. Response to Child Protection Referrals

4.1Action taken when a child is referred to children’s social care – Under Review
4.2Immediate protection – Under Review
4.3Child and Family Assessment
4.4Strategy Discussions Under Review
4.5Section 47 Enquiries – Under Review
4.6Urgent or Emergency Situations where a Section 47 Enquiry has or will commence (Both Cross Border and Inter Hospital)

5. Child Protection Conferences

5.1Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Pre-Birth ProtocolUpdated November 2024
5.2Child Protection Conferences
5.3Working with Foreign Authorities: Child Protection Cases and Care Orders
5.4Complaints about a Child Protection Conference
5.5Flowchart: What Happens after the Child Protection Conference, including the Review Process

6. The Child Protection Plan

6.1Guidance for Core Group Members
6.2Child Protection Plans

7. Complaints and Professional Disagreements

7.1Resolving Professional Differences (Escalation) PolicyUpdated October 2023

8. Children in Specific Circumstances

8.1 Exploitation

8.1.1Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Child Exploitation Strategy 2021 – 2025Updated February 2021
8.1.2Safeguarding Children and Young People who may be affected by Gang Activity
8.1.3MET HUB Information GuideJanuary 2020

8.2 Children Living Away from Home / Missing

8.2.1Children Missing from Home or Care
Cambridgeshire Children Missing from Home or Care ProtocolUpdated March 2025
Peterborough Children Missing from Home ProtocolUpdated March 2025
8.2.2Policy and Procedure in respect of Private Fostering and Language Schools using Host Families within Cambridgeshire
8.2.3East of England Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) Safeguarding Protocol
8.2.4East of England Region Joint Protocol on Supervision Orders
8.2.5Looked After Children
8.2.6Joint Protocol for the assessment of Homeless 16 and 17 year olds in Cambridgeshire or Peterborough

8.3 Sexual Abuse / Activity

8.3.1Child Sexual Abuse Strategy Updated December 2023
8.3.2Guidance for Professionals Working with Sexually Active Young People Under the Age of 18Updated March 2023
8.3.3Children & Young People Displaying Sexually Harmful BehaviourMarch 2023
8.3.4Policy Document for the referral of Child and Children to SARCMay 2023
8.3.5Child Witnesses: Guidelines on Prosecuting Cases of Child Sexual Abuse, Crown Prosecution Service

8.4 Complex/Organised Abuse

8.4.1Children from Abroad, Trafficking and Modern Slavery
8.4.2Online Safeguarding StrategyUpdated June 2021
8.4.3Supporting Children and Young People Vulnerable to Violent Extremism

8.5 Children at Risk Because of Concern About a Parent or Carer or the Home Environment

8.5.1Neglect StrategyUpdated March 2025
8.5.2Children At Risk Where A Parent Has A Mental Health Problem
8.5.3Children of Parents who Misuse Substances
8.5.4Working with Uncooperative or Hostile Parents
8.5.5Practice Guidance for Safeguarding Children from Dangerous Dogs

8.6 Health & Hospitals

8.6.1Safeguarding Children with Disabilities
8.6.2

Fabricated or Induced Illness – Under Review

See also – Perplexing Presentation MASH enquiry process

Perplexing Presentations (PP) / Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII) in Children RCPCH guidance

8.6.3Self-harm and Suicidal Behaviour
8.6.4Supporting Schools and Colleges in responding to suicides in teenagers: A multi-agency guide for practitioners.Updated March 2023

8.7 Babies and Pregnancy

8.7.1Concealed Pregnancies
8.7.2Bruising In Pre-Mobile Babies: A Protocol for Assessment, Management And Referral By Professionals

8.8 Harmful Practices Linked to Faith or Culture

8.8.1Child Abuse Linked to Faith and Beliefs
8.8.2Breast Ironing
8.8.3Practice Guidance on Female Genital MutilationJuly 2019
8.8.4Forced Marriage
8.8.5Honour Based Violence

8.9 Custodial Settings

8.9.1Advice Relating to Police Investigations
8.9.2Provision of Therapy for Child Witnesses Prior to a Criminal Trial

8.10 Safeguarding Children and Young People – General

8.10.1Bullying
8.10.2Working with Interpreters and others with Special Communication Skills
8.10.3Safeguarding children and young people within faith settings (NSPCC)
8.10.4Practice Guidance for the Effective Safeguarding of Children from Minority Ethnic, Cultural and Faith Communities, Groups and Families

9. Risk Management of Known Offenders and Those who Pose a Risk

9.1Managing Individuals who Pose a Risk of Harm to Children (Including MAPPA)
9.2Policy for the Education of Children with a Parent or Close Relative in Prison or at Risk of a Custodial Sentence
9.3Children Visiting Prisons
9.4Children Visiting Psychiatric Wards and Special Hospitals

10. Safe Workforce

10.1Managing Allegations or Serious Concerns in Respect of any Adult who Works or Volunteers with ChildrenUpdated March 2023
10.2Safe Recruitment, Selection and Supervision of Staff
10.3Guidance for safer working practice for those working with children and young people in education settings

11. Child Death

11.1Multi Agency Protocol for the Management of Unexpected Childhood Deaths
11.2Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP) Protocol and Terms of Reference for CDOP Partners
11.3Guidance for Coroners: supply information about the death of a child

12. Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews

12.1Guidance for Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews
12.2Guidance for completing CSPR Chronologies
12.3Practitioner Information Gathering Events

13. Safeguarding Partnership Responsibilities

13.1Organisational responsibilities
13.2Multi-Agency Safeguarding Arrangements
13.3Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Partnership Arrangements

14. Appendices

AWorking Together to Safeguard Children
BWhat to do if you’re worried a child is being abused
CInformation Sharing: Advice for people who provide safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers.
DKeeping children safe in education, DfE
ENICE Guidelines: Child maltreatment: when to suspect maltreatment in under 18s
FNICE Guidelines: Unintentional injuries in the home: interventions for under 15s
GNICE Guidance: Domestic violence and abuse
HNICE Guidance: Postnatal care
INICE Guidance: Transition from Children’s to Adults’ Services for Young People using Health or Social Care Services
JGeneral Medical Council: Protecting children and young people: The responsibilities of all doctors
KGeneral Medical Council: 0–18 years: guidance for all doctors
LMental Health Crisis Care Concordat- Improving Outcomes for People Experiencing Mental Health Crisis, HM Government (2014)
MPreventing and Tackling Bullying – Advice for Headteachers, Staff and Governing Bodies
NCyberbullying: Advice for headteachers and school staff
OProtecting children from radicalisation: the prevent duty
PRevised Prevent duty guidance: for England and Wales
QStatutory guidance framework: controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship
RCare of unaccompanied migrant children and child victims of modern slavery
SSexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges
TSafeguarding Children and Young People – Information Resource Pack for GPs and Practice Staff
UGuidance for Safeguarding Children in General Dental, Optical and Pharmaceutical Practice