Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. For services to be effective, each individual and organisation should play their full part.

Safeguarding begins with preventive activity which enables children and young people to grow up safely and securely. It includes support to families and early intervention to meet the needs of children and young people and continues through to Child Protection, which refers specifically to the activity that is undertaken to protect individual children and young people who are suffering or are likely to suffer significant harm.

• The primary responsibility for safeguarding children rests with their parents
• Some parents cannot ensure that their children are safe from danger in the home and free from risk from others
• It may be necessary for statutory agencies to intervene to ensure that the child or young person is adequately protected
• Safeguarding children depends on effective information sharing, collaboration and understanding between families, agencies and professionals

How to contact us

Single Point Entry (SPOE, Referral Gateway) Team

• Telephone: 0300 1234 333 or 028 9442 4459

Any person wishing to make a referral regarding safeguarding outside normal working hours (Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm) should contact:

Regional Emergency Social Work Service – Out of Hours

• Telephone: 028 9504 9999

How to access the service

When there is a concern, a referral should be made to the Single Point Entry (SPOE, Referral Gateway) Team.

Useful resources

For guidance on online safety and privacy settings:

• NSPCC and o2
• Get Safe Online 
• Internet Matters
• UK Safer Internet Centre

For more information on the social networking sites like Snapchat, MeowChat and Instagram:

• Connect Safely – Parent Guides
• Transl8it – Translate slang used in texting and online
• Net Aware – What is Meow Chat?

Signs of child sexual exploitation:

• Barnardo’s – Spot the Signs

How to discuss online safety with your children:

• The Family Online Safety Institute

Resources to show children to explain online safety:

• BBC – Stay Safe

What do I do if I am worried about my child sending explicit photos?

Contact the Gateway Team

• Telephone: 0300 1234 333 (Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm)

Regional Emergency Social Work Service

• Telephone: 028 9504 9999

For more info:

• Safer Internet – A parent’s guide to sexting
• Think U Know – Has your child sent a nude selfie?
• NSPCC – Sexting: Advice for parents