Not long until National Safeguarding Week (13-17 November 2023)

Safeguarding is everybody’s business and everyone has a role to play.

It is something we take very seriously as an inspectorate and which informs our work.

What is CIW’s role in safeguarding?

We work closely with local authorities who have the lead for safeguarding, and if we receive concerns we do refer to safeguarding as appropriate.

Joint Inspection of Child Protection Arrangements (JICPA)

Along with His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) and Estyn, we have resumed the JICPA joint inspectorate programme through 2023–24.

This is a system-wide review of child protection in each regional safeguarding board area, evaluating the quality of practice, decision making and multi-agency arrangements. Our focus is on protecting children aged 11 and under at risk of abuse and neglect.

This builds on previous pilot JICPAs undertaken in Neath Port Talbot County Borough in June 2021 and Newport City Council in December 2019.

So far we have published reports from Denbighshire and Bridgend.

We also conducted a rapid review of child protection arrangements in Wales earlier this year, and will soon be publishing our review of care planning for children and young people subject to the Public Law Outline pre-proceedings.

Concerns

Concerns are an important source of information for us that inform our inspection and enforcement processes.

If you have immediate concerns about someone’s safety and well-being, you should report this to your local authority.

However, if you have concerns about the quality of a care service in Wales, please call us on 0300 7900 126, email ciw@gov.wales or submit your concern using our online form.

Feedback

We don’t just encourage concerns about poor or unsuitable care – we welcome all types of feedback, both good and bad. Perhaps you work in a care service and want to share an example of good practice in relation to safeguarding? Maybe your relative lives in a care home, or your child has attended a childcare or play service, and has received excellent care. Please let us know using our feedback forms.

Wales Safeguarding Procedures 

The Wales Safeguarding Procedures(External link) detail the essential roles and responsibilities for practitioners to ensure that they safeguard children and adults who are at risk of abuse and neglect. 

Events being run by regional safeguarding boards

Check out the links below to see what events are being run by your local safeguarding board.

• Cardiff and Vale (External link)
• Gwent  (External link)
• Cwm Taf Morgannwg (External link)
• West Glamorgan (External link)
• North Wales (External link)
• Mid & West Wales (External link)