Devon Safeguarding Digest – June 2025

Welcome to the Devon Safeguarding Digest. This regular update will help you stay up to speed with safeguarding news and local policy changes.

Devon mixed on social mobility

A new report by the Sutton Trust shows dramatic differences in children’s average prospects depending on where in England they are from.

 

Illustrated guide to Working Together

The Department for Education has released an illustrated guide to Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 aimed at children, young people, and their families. We have added a link to this to our legislation and statutory guidance page.

 

National Children’s Bureau holds summit on early years outcomes

The National Children’s Bureau held a summit with around 100 senior leaders in the early years sector that concluded that “The time is now for a compelling and unified vision to deliver real and sustainable change to improve the systems that enable young children and families to thrive.”

The summit focused on five themes:

  1. Access to high-quality, skilled, inclusive early education & childcare
  2. High-quality universal services that promote the early health & development
  3. The right support for parents to help their children develop and learn
  4. Nurturing good relationships and attachment with their child
  5. Addressing poverty in the early years

 

Church of England task and finish group to oversee safeguarding response

A task and finish group has been set up to oversee the Church’s response to last year’s Makin Report concerning historic abuse. The group includes both safeguarding experts and survivors of abuse.

 

National Audit Office publishes report on improving family court services for children

The National Audit Office’s report highlights the length of care proceedings and makes recommendations for MoJ, DfE, HMCTS, and Cafcass. Last year, the average duration of proceedings brought by local authorities to protect a child from harm was 36 weeks.

 

Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel new research

The national panel has published a report on learning from incidents where children have died or been seriously harmed because of abuse or neglect.


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