Guidance and Resources
This section of our web site is aimed at professionals, people who work with children and families. This part of the website is here to help and assist professionals in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
If you are a professional with a serious concern about a child or young person that needs immediate protection contact Cumberland or Westmorland and Furness Safeguarding Hub, you will be asked to complete a single contact form. Where immediate protection is not required you will be expected to complete a single contact form, informed by an Early Help Assessment where possible, in the first instance.
For good practice notes and details for sharing confidential information, read our Information Sharing Protocol.
Allegations Against Staff (LADO)
If you have concerns regarding someone who works with a child including foster carers and volunteers these should be reported to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). This applies to all paid, unpaid, volunteers, casual, agency employees or anyone working in a self-employed capacity. These individuals are considered working/volunteering in positions of trust.
Child Deaths
How to report a child death and how the cases are reviewed by our Cumbria Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP).
Adoption in Cumbria
Cumbria Adoption provides adoption services for Cumberland Council and Westmorland & Furness Council.
Child Contact Advice for Families
The Safeguarding Hub is often contacted by parents and carers for information and advice around the following topics. Provided here is information and advice around child contact arrangements and where you can get further support on specific issues.
Find more about Child Contact Advice for Families
Child Exploitation (CE)
Request information that relates to exploitation of children for the purpose of identifying and managing risk.
Child Protection Conferences (CPC)
Find Child Protection Conference (CPC) Report Template and Guidance
Child Trafficking and Modern Slavery
Get advice on how to protect children from child trafficking and modern slavery.
Cumbria Multi-Agency Threshold Guidance
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 states that “the safeguarding partners should publish a threshold document, which sets out the local criteria for action in a way that is transparent, accessible and easily understood”.
Domestic Abuse
What to do if someone makes a disclosure of domestic abuse.
Find domestic abuse guidance and resources
Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health
Childhood and teenage years are when mental health is developed and patterns are set for the future. So a child with good mental health is much more likely to have good mental health as an adult, and to be able to take on adult responsibilities and fulfil their potential.
Find emotional wellbeing and mental health guidance and resources
Female Genital Mutilation
Female genital mutilation is a form of child abuse, it is essential that a referral into the Safeguarding Hub is made in accordance with the Multi-agency Threshold Guidance.
Harmful Sexual Behaviour
Resources, guidance and training to help you respond and prevent incidents of problematic sexual behaviour and harmful sexual behaviour.
Language That Cares
Language is a powerful tool for communication but sometimes the way that it is used creates stigma and barriers for understanding.
Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA)
The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (“CJA 2003”) provides for the establishment of Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (“MAPPA”) in each of the 42 criminal justice areas in England and Wales. These are designed to protect the public, including previous victims of crime, from serious harm by sexual and violent offenders.
Multi-Agency Scrutiny Activity
How we monitor multi-agency performance management and quality assurance.
Neglect
Guidance on how identify children and young people whose needs may be neglected by their care givers.
Online Safety
Tips and guidance for keeping children safe online.
Private Fostering
How to identify private fostering and who you need to contact
Signs of Safety
Both Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council are a Signs of Safety Local Authority. Working in a strength based, solution focused way, we place children and families in charge of their own lives and empower them to achieve long lasting sustainable safety, welling, and success.
Find more about Signs of Safety
Step Parent Adoption
When step-parents are taking day-to-day responsibility for step children, they may want to make their relationship with these children more formal. One way is through step-parent adoption.
Supervision Guidance
Supervision is a fundamental role that managers will undertake to support the development of their staff's skills and practices in work with children, young people and families and the safeguarding of those in their care.
Violent Extremism and Radicalisation - Prevent
With effect from 1st July 2015 the Counter Terrorism and Security Act gave specified authorities a legal duty to have "due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism".