Amendments

This chapter has been revised throughout in September 2025. It has been updated to align with the Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022, the commensurate statutory Guidance, the JCF Framework and The Children’s Continuum of Needs. With professional Guidance around the use of Supervision and The Professional Difference/Escalation Policy and how to access training via the SPB Jersey. 

In September 2025, this chapter was amended to state a CPN is issued for each incident for a child where they present with concerns to the police, where each incident will be shared with the child’s allocated Children’s Social Worker (CSW)  if they have one and follow SPB Jersey Core Child Protection Core Procedures for those who do not have an allocated CSW. The practice guidance is updated with links to SPB Jersey Children who go Missing From Care, Home and Education and those at risk of Child Exploitation. This chapter was updated to align with the Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance and the Jersey Children’s First Framework. The SPB updated Guidance on Child Protection and Core Principles. Where there was added information around consideration to follow the Pathways for Child Protection Medicals and Child Sexual Abuse Medicals, single and multi-agency supervision and how to resolve professional differences using the Professional Difference/Escalation Pathway, practice guidance should be read throughout.

In September 2025, this chapter was updated with significant assistance from the Law Office Department, Customs and Immigration and Children’s Social Work. This chapter is aligned with the Jersey Customs and Immigration Laws, Children’s Law 2002, Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022 and commensurate Statutory Guidance, and the Jersey Children’s First Framework. 

The chapter was revised in September 2025 and should be re-read. All SPB Jersey Core Procedures and Practice Guidance is underpinned by the Children (Jersey) Law 2002, Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022, commensurate Statutory Guidance and the JCF Framework. This chapter has also been revised in line with RCPCH Summary Guidance 2021 to include the definition of FII and the inclusion of Perplexing Presentations. There is Summary Guidance in the form of a flow chart. The chapter is also updated to include Practitioner Guidance on the use of the Continuum of Children's Needs, JCF Multi-Agency Chronology, Supervision and Professional Difference/Escalation Policy.

In September 2025, this chapter was amended to align with the Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022 and commensurate statutory guidance. This chapter includes information on the use of the Jersey Children’s First Framework, Single Agency Supervision and the use of Professional Difference/Escalation.

The most significant updates relate to wording which discusses assessing strengths and needs, and where required risk, with recommendations that all practitioners use the Islands Continuum of Children’s Needs (CoN) (2024) to support their decision making. 

There is an updated multi-agency flow chart (which has had multi-agency agreement from Health, Children’s Social Care, Children and Families HUB and FN&HC). The flow chart has a quick link guide with the pre-birth information in the CoN. 

This practice guidance adds safeguarding indicators for practitioners on identifying risks associated with links to SPB Jersey Chapters which were updated in 2024 and 2025 around pregnant children under the age of 13, disclosure of child sexual abuse or child exploitation, modern slavery, child trafficking, forced marriage, dangerous dogs, Fabricated and Induced Illness (FII) (these are of relevance and are not currently in the islands CoN). 

Further information was added with updated publications from the Child Safeguarding Review Panel, NSPCC and Nice Guidelines focusing on the importance of working with and including fathers/ carers in assessments of need and on the need to assess for risks associated with Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI), with the advice on how to assess for risks and what steps to take to reduce these using the islands SUDI Assessment Tool Kit included in the islands Neglect Strategy. 

Timescales were remained unchanged, and we have a multi-agency agreement and are in line with SPB Jersey Core Child Protection Procedures. 

This chapter has been fully revised in September 2025 and should be read in full. All core procedures and practice guidance from SPB Jersey are underpinned by the Children’s Law 2002 and the Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022 with commensurate Statutory Guidance. The Jersey Children’s First is the island's working framework for all practitioners. The Continuum of Children’s Needs has been formed and this is added to this chapter as a link. The chapter has been extensively re-worded to reflect Jersey’s adoption of The Brook Traffic Light Tool. Training is available in the use of The Brook Traffic Light Tool (see Section 11, Training) and following training practitioners and agencies are then able to use this Tool in practice.  

In September 2025, all SPB Jersey Practice Guidance was updated with the amendments to the Children’s Jersey Law 2002, the Children and Young People’s Jersey Law 2022 and statutory Guidance. Before this amendment, this chapter had not been amended for some time; therefore, the Sexual Offences Law Jersey 2018, the Data Protection Law 2018, and the Capacity and Self Determination Law 2016 have been incorporated. The whole chapter has been revised and should be read in full, as this includes information and research from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel (CSPRP) 2024 and The Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse (CSA Centre). The practice guidance includes a recommendation that Jersey follows the advice of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel when it comes to managing Child Sexual Abuse in the Family Environment. There are added links and tools for frontline practitioners to use from Jersey Children’s First Framework, The Continuum of Children’s Needs, the CE Screening Tool, and nationally from the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse, with information on the use of the Brook Traffic Light Tool.

This practice guidance has been revised in September 2025 and should be read in full. Information has been added on the use of Registered Intermediaries. With links to The Advocates Gateway and other on island supportive government and third sector services. 

This new guidance was added in May 2025 and relates to all children under the age of 18 who are in care. It is for all practitioners (paid or unpaid) who work with children (including the unborn child), and those who work with adults who are parents/carers and who therefore hold responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. It is intended to be read alongside the Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance and the Jersey Children’s First Framework (JCF). Practitioners must follow the Statutory Guidance on sharing information (which adheres to Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018).

In May 2025, this updated guidance addresses children missing from home or education in Jersey, taking into account local guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education (Gov.Je 2024), as under pinned by Statutory Guidance on Children who run away or go missing from home or care, (DfE 2014). The guidance does not cover children who have been abducted or forcibly removed from their place of residence, these are crimes which should be reported to the police.

This chapter was updated in May 2025. Child Exploitation (CE) includes physical and emotional abuse, Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE), County Lines, and Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE). Perpetrators groom children, making them unaware of the exploitation. They often subject children to multiple types of abuse simultaneously, using violence and coercion to involve them in criminal activities this chapter explains why it is crucial for professionals to work together to safeguard children and disrupt the perpetrators 

In March 2025, links were added to the Jersey multiagency report template.

In April 2024, this chapter was updated to align with the Children and Young People Jersey Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance and the Jersey Children’s First Framework. The chapter amalgamated Modern Slavery with Child Trafficking and is updated with thanks to NSPCC. Wording around referral to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) Centre was removed as this is not used in Jersey, the NRM is used in the United Kingdon and would be relevant if an adult accompanying children or a child or young person were to be moved from Jersey to the UK.

In April 2024, this chapter was updated to align with Children and Young People Jersey Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance, and the Jersey Children’s First Framework. This chapter should be read in full and is updated with thanks to NSPCC. This chapter was updated with thanks with information of services available in Jersey from Youth Service and Education.

In April 2024, this chapter was updated to align with Children and Young People (Jersey) law 2022, and the commensurate statutory guidance. With added links to the Jersey Children’s First Framework, The Continuum of Children’s Needs and CSE Risk Assessment Tool. Updated to include Child Protection Medical and Child Sexual Abuse Medical Pathways. Updated to include Internal Safeguarding Supervision and the use the SPB Professional Difference Escalation Policy. 

This chapter was aligned with the Children and Young People Jersey Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance, the Sexual Offences Law (Jersey) 2018 and the JCF Framework. This adds practice guidance around Supervision and the use of the Professional Difference/Escalation Policy. This chapter was updated in full, with local strategies and national links - with thanks to the NSPCC.

In March 2024, this chapter was updated to align with the Sexual Offences (Jersey) Law 2019, Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance, the Jersey Children’s First Framework and The Continuum of Children’s Needs. Information is added so that regulated professionals may understand their statutory responsibilities to notify the police of apparent incidents of FGM. A paragraph was added to reflect the need for Cultural Sensitivity. The Child Protection Medical Pathway and the Child Sexual Abuse Pathways were added as links. This chapter includes practice guidance on accessing Supervision and the use of the Professional Difference Escalation Policy. 

This chapter is updated with thanks to NSPCC, and oversight from the Multi-Agency and the Law Office Department. Chapters which may link to this policy which have also been updated in 2024 include, Child Sexual Exploitation, Unaccompanied Children, Modern Slavery and Child Trafficking, Honour Based Violence and Forced Marriage.

In April 2024, this chapter was updated throughout to reflect amendments to the Children and Young Peoples Jersey Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance and the Jersey Children’s First Framework. It was updated in full to include updated links and should be re-read in full.

This chapter was amended April 2024 to align with the Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance and the Jersey Children’s First Framework. With added professional guidance around Supervision and the use of the Professional Difference Escalation Policy. Other chapters also updated which are linked to this risk, include the chapter on Domestic Abuse, Female Genital Mutilation, Modern Slavery and Child Trafficking and Honour Based Violence. This chapter is updated with thanks to Multi-Agency oversight on island and to the London Safeguarding Partnership Board and NSPCC.

In April 2024, this chapter was updated, to align with Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022 and the commensurate Statutory Guidance and includes Jersey Children’s First Framework. Organisational links have been updated with the updated contact details for the SPB Business Team.

This chapter was updated in April 2024 to align with Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022 and corresponding Statutory Guidance and JCF Framework and Continuum of Need. The chapter includes information for practitioners around the use of Internal and multi-agency supervision for complex, stuck or drifting cases and the use of the islands Resolving Professional Difference Escalation and Resolution Pathway. Updated with thanks to the London Safeguarding Children Partnership Board and to the NSPCC. There is a requirement under the Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022 to appoint independent advocates for a range of children and young people.

In April 2024, this chapter was updated to align with the Jersey Children and Young People (Jersey) Children’s Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance and the Jersey Children’s First Framework. With thanks from oversight from multi-agency key practitioners.

This chapter was updated in April 2024 to align with the Children and Young People Jersey Law 2022, the Commensurate Statutory Guidance, the Jersey Children’s First Framework and The Continuum of Children’s Needs. It was also updated to include guidance on the use Supervision, The Professional Difference Escalation Policy. There was a complete review of this Chapter taken to the Children’s Quality Assurance Group for oversight and written with thanks to the NSPCC.

This chapter was amended in April 2024 to align with the Children and Young People Jersey Law 2022, commensurate Statutory Guidance, the Jersey Children’s First Framework and The Continuum of Children’s Needs. Reviewed in total, links refreshed to updated Chapters in SPB Jersey. Updated with thanks to the London Safeguarding Partnership Board.

This chapter was amended in April 2024 to align with the Children and Young People Jersey Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance, the Jersey Children’s First Framework and The Continuum of Children’s Needs. The chapter includes local Taskforce VAWG and national guidance. Also, practitioner and agency guidance on the use of Supervision and The Professional Difference Escalation Policy. This chapter updated with thanks to The London Safeguarding Partnership Board and NSPCC.

This chapter was updated in April 2024 to include the Children and Young People’s Jersey Law 2022, commensurate Statutory Guidance and updated to include the Jersey Children’s First Model and The Continuum of Children’s Needs. The chapter updated with thanks to the London Safeguarding Partnership Board and NSPCC. With updated links from Gov.Uk and other resources which hold relevance in Jersey.

This chapter was updated in April 2024 to align with the Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance, and the Jersey Children's First Framework. The chapter is updated with research from Research in Practice, with thanks to Research in Practice, NSPCC and Jersey Multi-Agency Oversight. 

This chapter was amended in April 2024 to align with the Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance and the Jersey Children’s First Framework. Updated to include The Continuum of Children’s Needs, and the Child Protection Medical and Child Sexual Abuse Medical Pathways. This chapter includes The Intimate Partner Homicide timeline from on island Domestic Homicide Review. The Domestic Abuse Toolkit for Businesses. This document was updated with thanks to FREEDA, Safelives, NSPCC, London Safeguarding Partnership Board.

This chapter was updated in April 2024 to align with the Children and Young People Jersey Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory guidance, and the JCF Framework. With thanks to the multi-agency for their review of this chapter. Practice Guidance added around Supervision and the use of the SPB Resolving Professional Difference and Escalation Policy. Agencies may have their own Notification of Incident Forms otherwise in the near future the SPB will have a pro-forma document in their resources.

This chapter was updated in April 2024 to include the Children and Young People’s Jersey Law 2022, commensurate Statutory Guidance, the Jersey Children’s First Framework and The Continuum of Children’s Needs. This chapter was updated with thanks to London, Dorset and Teesside Safeguarding Partnership Boards where the Chapter has been updated in total, focused on Children of Parents with Learning Disabilities and parental parenting capacity.

In April 2024, this chapter was updated to align with Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance and the Jersey Children’s First Framework. This chapter includes advice for practitioners to use The Continuum of Children’s Needs to support decision making in practice. Re-written with thanks to multi-agency oversight from Alcohol and Drug Services and to the NSPCC to use recommended terminology - problematic substance use as opposed to misuse.

In April 2024, then name of this Chapter was changed from Underage Sexual Activity to Children and Young People Sexual Development, Consent and Risk. This chapter was updated to align with the Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance. Amended to include the Jersey Children’s First Framework and The Sexual Offences Jersey Law 2019. The chapter was fully reviewed to include local context. The chapter includes tools to enhance professional decision making, the Child Protection Medical Pathway and the Child Sexual Abuse Medical Pathway.  Written with thanks to multi-agency oversight, Brook and NSPCC.

In April 2024, this chapter was updated to align with The Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022 and commensurate Statutory Guidance, levels of need, safeguarding welfare and information sharing. With thanks to Jersey Children’s First and oversight from the multiagency.

In April 2024, this chapter was updated to align with the with Children and Young Person’s (Jersey) Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance and the Jersey Children’s First Framework. Updated with thanks to the London Safeguarding Partnership Children’s Board and the Multi-Agency of Practitioners.

In April 2024, this chapter was updated to align with the Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022, and to include the commensurate Statutory Guidance.

In April 2024, this chapter was updated to align with Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022, commensurate Statutory Guidance, Jersey Children’s First Framework. The chapter re-written with thanks to the London Safeguarding Partnership Board with oversight from the multi-agency. Practice Guidance is added in relation to the use of Internal Agency Supervision, Multi-Agency Reflective Supervision and the use of the Resolving Professional Difference/Escalation Policy.  

In April 2024, this chapter was updated to align with the Children and Young People’s Jersey Law 2022, and commensurate Guidance, updated to include the Jersey Children’s First Framework and The Continuum of Children’s Needs.  Re-written with thanks to the London Safeguarding Partnership Board and with the oversight of the multi-agency, Children’s Social Care and the Independent Reviewing Service.

This chapter was updated April 2024 to align with Children and Young Persons Law (2022), commensurate Statutory Guidance and Jersey Children’s First Framework with thanks to Children’s Social Care and Independent Reviewing Office Services. The chapter is updated with thanks to the London Safeguarding Partnership Board for forming the basis of a complete chapter update which should be read in full.

In March 2024, this chapter changed from Responding to Recognising Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation to align with National Chapters in Safeguarding Partnership Boards. 

It was updated throughout and aligned with Children and Young Person (Jersey) Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance and the JCF Framework, and The Continuum of Children’s Needs.  The chapter updated to include SPB Core Procedures and Practitioner Guidance, The Child Protection Medical Pathway and Child Sexual Abuse Pathway added.  Recommendation for the use of Single and Multi-Agency Supervision and the use of the Professional Difference Escalation Pathway. Updated with thanks to the London Safeguarding Partnership Board and NSPCC.

To be added in Phase Two 2024:

• A chapter on Bruising with a tool to use around body mapping injuries;
• Statutory guidance on the use of independent advocacy for certain children and young people.

In March 2024, this chapter was updated throughout and to align with the Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022, and the commensurate Statutory Guidance. Updated to include the JCF Framework. This chapter also links to updated SPB Core Procedures all of which were updated in 2024 and should be re-read.

This chapter was updated March 2024 to align with Children and Young People Jersey Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory guidance, Jersey Children’s First Framework. Tools added which support practitioner decision making in practice - The Continuum of Children’s Needs, and those to base their Assessments on such as The Eight Wellbeing Indicators and My World Triangle. The chapter includes professional guidance on Supervision and the use of the Professional Difference/Escalation Policy. It is with thanks to Jersey Children’s Services for their review of this chapter.

In March 2024, this chapter was updated to align with the Children and Young People (Jersey) Law 2022, the commensurate Statutory Guidance and the Jersey Children’s First Framework.  The SPB updated Guidance on Child Protection and Core Principles. There is added information around consideration to follow the Pathways for Child Protection Medicals and Child Sexual Abuse Medicals, single and multi-agency supervision and how to resolve professional differences using the Professional Difference/Escalation Policy, this document and others should be read throughout.

In June 2019, this chapter was reviewed and updated.