Practice Guidance
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026
Working together to safeguard children 2026: statutory guidance
The statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children has been updated as part of an ongoing commitment to strengthen multi-agency help, support and protection. Following a substantive revision in 2023, the latest targeted update includes:
- Aligning with Families First Partnership Programme reforms, including clarifying that Family Help now brings together Targeted Early Help and Section 17 support into a single, more seamless offer
- Reinforcing expectations for multi-agency child protection
- Strengthening responses to child sexual abuse, domestic abuse and the safeguarding of babies, unborn children and children in any care arrangement, including those who are looked after
- Streamlining the chapter on learning from serious safeguarding incidents to provide clearer direction on when and how incidents should be notified and reviewed
- A stronger focus on anti-racist, anti-discriminatory and culturally informed practice.
Please also see:
Alongside the update to Working Together, the Children’s Social Care National Framework has also been revised. The 2026 revisions to the National Framework make the guidance shorter, more useable, setting clear expectations for practice whilst retaining the existing principles, outcomes and enablers.
Graded Care Profile 2 guidance for all agencies.
Blackpool Safeguarding Children Partnership has introduced the NSPCC Graded Care Profile 2 (GCP2) tool to assess the quality of care a child is receiving where there is known or suspected neglect.
Guidance and FAQs
Procedure and pathway for Bruising & Injuries to Babies & Children
This multi-agency guidance provides clear procedures for professionals responding to bruising or injuries in babies and children. The document outlines safeguarding pathways, professional responsibilities, and processes for assessment, information sharing, and decision-making to help ensure children are protected from harm and receive the right support at the right time.
The guidance has been recently refreshed in response to learning from Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews, strengthening partnership approaches to recognising, assessing and responding to potential non-accidental injuries and safeguarding concerns.