About us
The Child Protection Portal is your essential resource on child protection and safeguarding, whether you are involved with child protection as a child health professional, allied health professional, social worker, solicitor or barrister.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) plays a unique and vital role in championing the safeguarding agenda for children and young people.
Child protection is about protecting individual children identified as suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect. Safeguarding is a broader issue, and covers how we ensure children grow up in a safe environment.
Key statistics
48% of children on child protection plans are on them because of neglect
1 in 5 children have experienced severe maltreatment
90% of Trusts, Health Boards and CCGs in England, Wales and Scotland have lead roles for safeguarding
1 in 3 children sexually abused by an adult didn’t tell anyone at the time
For more information on these figures, see RCPCH State of Child Health 2020 – Children in the child protection system and RCPCH Workforce census: Focus on vulnerable children and families paediatric workforce (2020).
Dedicated to child protection and safeguarding…
This Portal offers evidence-based resources for health professionals and other audiences with a special interest in child protection.
Resources include the Child Protection Companion (subscription access only) and Child Protection Evidence systematic reviews.
Further resources and standards cover child protection processes across the whole range of medical and social interactions, including research, guidance, publications and standards applicable to all four UK devolved nations and internationally.
We also introduce educational opportunities in safeguarding, both face-to-face or online courses and eLearning.
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Safeguarding legislation
The UK’s four nations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) each have their own child protection system and laws in place to safeguard and protect children.
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Child protection advocacy
We aim to improve health outcomes through advocacy for children, young people and their families.
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Educational opportunities in safeguarding
We work to protect children from harm by providing paediatricians and other child health professionals with essential competencies in their child protection practice. This page introduces learning opportunities and guidance.
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