Safeguarding children & young people policy

The Children Act 2004 places responsibilities upon Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, as a relevant partner to Hertfordshire County Council’s Children’s Services, to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Children have a right to be safe and should be protected from all forms of abuse and neglect. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and it is better to help children as early as possible before issues escalate and become more damaging. Children and families are best supported and protected when there is a coordinated response from all relevant agencies. 

In line with the Children Act 2004 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council must cooperate to improve wellbeing and have arrangements in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. 

To meet these requirements Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council should have regard to statutory guidance ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ (HM Government 2023). The Council has accepted its duty to co-operate with Hertfordshire County Council’s Children’s Services and it will ensure that it meets the requirements set out by the Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership.