Article published on 6 July 2026.

Devon Safeguarding Digest: July 2026

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

Rethinking domestic abuse in child protection: Strategic and Frontline Briefings

Research in Practice has produced a briefing for strategic leaders and another for frontline practitioners across children’s social care sharing learning on:

  • How intersecting inequalities shape families’ experiences of social care and how an intersectional understanding of domestic abuse violence (DVA) can be incorporated into service design and delivery.
  • How whole-person and whole-family approaches can improve outcomes for families and children.
  • How to develop evidence-informed responses to DVA across social care.

They are available to download on the Research in Practice website.

 

Church of England National Safeguarding Team publishes strategic review

Over 2025, accomplishments included:

  • Introducing a national safeguarding case management system to improve consistency and data sharing.
  • Completing independent safeguarding audits across dioceses and cathedrals.
  • Publishing a five-year safeguarding data review to inform decision-making.
  • Launching a Survivor Participation Framework to involve victims and survivors in shaping safeguarding work.
  • Delivering large-scale training programmes in safeguarding and domestic abuse awareness.
  • National initiatives such as the Redress Scheme and implementation of recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).

You can read the full Strategic Review here.

 

The Children’s Society on vaping

1 in 4 11–15-year-olds have tried vaping and nearly 1 in 10 secondary pupils currently vape. E-cigarettes are marketed to children. This is despite it being illegal to buy e-cigarettes if you are under 18 or if you are buying them on behalf of someone who is under 18.

The nicotine in e-cigarettes is addictive and can impair learning and concentration, and has been linked to an increased risk of anxiety and depression. Once dependent, young people may have withdrawal symptoms like irritability, difficulty focusing and trouble sleeping.

Provision of e-cigarettes to children is a known tool in child exploitation.

 

Cost of children’s social care at record high after more than a decade of cuts to early intervention

Research from the think tank PBE has found that local authorities in England spent a record £14.7bn on children’s services in 2024/25.

Spending on early help services has fallen by 40% since 2011. Over the same period, the number of children in care has surged by 25% to 82,000 – far outpacing child population growth of just 7%.

 

The Guardian explores youth unemployment

Around 1 million 16-24-year-olds are not in employment, education or training. The Guardian spoke to a number of young people from a range of backgrounds who have all been unemployed for over a year.


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