Wales will become the first part of the UK to introduce a single set of safeguarding guidelines for children and adults at risk when the new Wales Safeguarding Procedures launch, online and via an app, on 11 November 2019.
The Wales Safeguarding Procedures will standardise practice across Wales and between agencies and sectors.
The procedures will set out the essential roles and responsibilities for anyone working with children or adults who are experiencing, or at risk of, abuse, neglect or other kinds of harm. In doing so they will replace the current All Wales Child Protection Procedures as well as various local safeguarding procedures for adults and other central guidance previously issued by Welsh Government.
In another first for the sector, the Wales Safeguarding Procedures will only be published digitally.
There will be no printed copies of the procedures. Instead they will be available to everyone online, either via the dedicated Wales Safeguarding Procedures website or the mobile app which will be available for both iPhone and Android devices.
This means that there will always be a single up-to-date version available to all practitioners. It will also make finding information quick and easy.
‘Pointers for practice’ are featured throughout both the web and app versions of the procedures and provide simple ‘how to’ guidance for practitioners. These draw on the latest research and practice developments.
Both platforms will also feature a searchable glossary. This will make it easier for people to work in partnership by ensuring that every practitioner is using the same terminology in the same way, irrespective of their sector or professional discipline.
The Wales Safeguarding Procedures will be published on 11 November 2019 and will be available to everyone to view from this date either via the official website or by downloading the Wales Safeguarding Procedures app.
Each Regional Safeguarding Board will then need to formally adopt the procedures. At this point they will become endorsed for use in each region.
It will be for each board to schedule their own timetable for adoption of the procedures, but it is expected that the Wales Safeguarding Procedures will be considered by each board before the end of January 2020.
Posted on Friday 22nd November 2019