Definitions

The Safeguarding Hub & Cumbria Safeguarding Children Partnership (CSCP) defines a child as anyone aged under 18 and this includes unborn children. 

• A ‘contact’ is defined as any report made by anyone into the Safeguarding Hub by whatever means and is entered onto the Early Help Module (EHM)
• A ‘referral’ is defined as any contact that is assessed as requiring specialist safeguarding services and is entered onto ICS 
• Statutory Social Work for children is defined here as services for a child or children who are more vulnerable, where: 
  • They are at risk of significant harm or have suffered significant harm
  • A child is in need
• Significant harm is defined here as the threshold that justifies compulsory intervention in family life and the best interest of the children. Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Emotional Abuse and Neglect are categories of significant harm. Harm is defined as the ill treatment or impairment of health and development. It was defined in the Adoption and Children Act 2002 that it may also include impairment suffered from seeing or hearing the ill treatment of another “Where there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm.” In Working Together (2018) it states that, the local authority shall make enquiries as they consider necessary to enable them to decide whether they should take any action to safeguard or promote a child’s welfare. A strategy discussion with Police, Health and Education and any other agency identified as required, should be held in order to determine the required next steps
• Child in Need is ‘a child who is unlikely to achieve or maintain a satisfactory level of health or development without provision of services or a disabled child’ (S.17 Childrens Act, 1989)