Nottingham City’s Safeguarding Partnership has developed this guidance alongside multi-agency partners for practitioners and their managers in agencies working with children and families in Nottingham City
The purpose of the guidance is to assist with decision making in order that children and families receive the right help at the right time from the most appropriate service(s) and at the right level.
Under section 11, of the Children Act 2004, organisations and agencies have a duty to ensure they consider the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children when carrying out their functions and must show independent scrutiny. The statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 identifies the core legal requirements, making it clear what individuals, organisations and agencies must and should do to keep children safe.
There are different levels of need and risk that may require support and intervention; this can be delivered by a range of partners and agencies.
All children have basic needs that in the main are provided for through universal services. These include education, early years, health, youth services, leisure facilities, and the many services provided by voluntary and community organisations. However, some children have needs, which will require the additional support provided by targeted or statutory services.
This document sets out four levels of need and provides guidance to help assess a child’s level of need and identify which, if any additional services are required. It is not a rigid set of procedures as each child is unique and their needs will change over time.
