Devon Safeguarding Digest: October 2026
Welcome to the Devon Safeguarding Digest. This regular update will help you stay up to speed with safeguarding news and local policy changes.
Planned council mergers paused pending review
The various council changes which had been planned to come into place by April 2028 have been paused by the government pending further review. It remains unclear what will come of the intended local government reorganisation.
Younger children living with neglect to be focus of joint targeted area inspections
From Autumn 2026, a new round of thematic joint targeted area inspections (JTAIs) will focus on younger children living with neglect. Inspectors will look at how children’s social care, the police, probation services and relevant health services in a local area work together to:
- respond to children who are at risk of, or are living with, neglect, at the point of identification
- assess, plan and make decisions in response to notifications and referrals about children who are at risk of, or are living with, neglect
- protect, support and care for children who are at risk of, or are living with, neglect
- prevent children from experiencing neglect
Inspectors will also evaluate how local agencies work with education and early years providers, as well as the voluntary and community sector, to identify and respond to children living with neglect. They will assess how effectively children’s family networks are involved and supported, enabling them to safely help protect children at risk of, or already living with, neglect.
This round of inspections will focus on unborn children and children aged 0 to 11 who are living with neglect, reflecting the profound and life-lasting impact that neglect can have in the earliest years of a child’s life.
Children’s Crime Survey results published
The online survey was based on a sample of 10–15-year-olds in England & Wales and asked them about their experiences in the previous 12 months.
Some commonly reported experiences included:
- 69% saw or heard about a fight or other physical violence between their peers.
- 25% thought it was very or quite likely that people carry weapons in their local area.
- 37% saw violent or criminal content online; the most common type was fights or other physical violence between people or groups of people (34%).
- 48% of those aged 13-15 saw a lot or a fair amount of hateful content online targeted at people with certain characteristics.
‘Harder to be young’ today
Professor Peter Fonagy, chair of the ongoing independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, told the BBC that there has been a real rise in mental distress among children and young people, with anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders the most common.
Economic and employment uncertainty and social media have created a ‘very toxic’ environment for young people. ‘To the person who says it’s a snowflake generation, just try living 24 hours as a 16-year-old.’
The review is expected to publish its final report soon.
The interim report of the review can be read here.
DfE plans to tackle misogyny in schools
The Education Secretary announced support for a new whole-school approach to tackle harmful attitudes and influences around misogyny among children and young people. This will include practical guides, teacher training and parent support.
The overall aim is to create a culture of respect and belonging in schools, embed positive attitudes, and help young people build healthy relationships, challenge harmful attitudes, and develop the skills they need to navigate an increasingly complex online and offline world.
New digital toolkit to strengthen use of children’s information
The Children’s Information Project has developed a toolkit which supports teams to build a comprehensive picture of children’s needs, trajectories and outcomes. It ensures the diverse voices of children, young people, parents and carers are heard clearly within information systems, valuing their lived experiences just as much as quantitative data.