The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Partnership Board recognises that the COVID-19 virus is putting increasing pressure on all services providing support to children, young people, adults at risk and families. In this changing landscape safeguarding continues to be a priority, however we recognise that we will all have to develop ways of doing things differently.
Government guidance may change over the coming days and weeks so please make sure you are kept informed and up to date with any new advice or guidance being produced, and adjust your ways of working as appropriate. We will update this page as more information is made available.
As practitioners we need to consider how we can maintain appropriate contact with the children, young people, adults at risk and families we work with, provide support at this difficult time as well as maintain business as usual as much as possible.
Please follow your own agency’s contingency plans for providing services, however in what may be challenging circumstances we would remind practitioners to:
- Speak to families regarding any difficulties they may be experiencing due to spending more time together than usual, and signpost to where they can receive additional support. Help them to regulate their stress responses and recognise the emotional impact this is having on society.
- Remain vigilant for the signs and indicators of abuse, including neglect and domestic violence, and raise any safeguarding concerns in line with your agency’s procedures.
- If you are using alternative methods such as social media and technology to keep in contact with children, young people and families, remember to do this in line with your agency’s policies and in a safe and appropriate manner.
