Learn about the Nottinghamshire framework for support and safeguarding.
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Introduction
This guidance offers a clear, child-centred framework for practitioners working with babies, children, young people, and families in Nottinghamshire. It supports professionals to recognise when a child may need support, help or protection to achieve their full potential. It reflects recent changes to how our services are delivered, through the Families First Programme, and our shared commitment to working in a relational, strength-based way with babies, children and families, in line with legislative safeguarding documents such as Working Together 2023.
The guidance aims to strengthen the quality of conversations when early worries arise and to support timely, well-matched support, helping professionals work together so that babies, children and families receive the help that best fits their circumstances.
The guidance recognises that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. All professionals have a duty under section 11 of the Children Act 2004 to promote the welfare and safety of babies, children and young people, and to maintain up‑to‑date safeguarding knowledge through training, supervision and support, particularly where concerns about significant harm emerge.
As partnerships, improving how we understand and respond to race, racism and racial inequality is a shared priority across Nottinghamshire County. We recognise that race, racism and racial bias can influence how babies, children and families experience services, how professionals interpret vulnerability, and how decisions about support and protection are made.
We are committed to being actively curious about identity, culture, faith and lived experience, and to reflecting on how bias may shape professional judgement. This includes being alert to issues such as adultification, cultural assumptions, and barriers to engagement linked to language, faith, migration history or previous experiences of services. By naming and addressing these factors openly in everyday practice, we aim to provide fair, proportionate and culturally responsive support for all babies, children and young people, and to strengthen trust in our services across all communities.
In Nottinghamshire, we recognise that children’s circumstances and experiences change over time, and that every family’s journey is unique. By drawing on a wide range of strengths, relationships and services, we can work alongside families to help babies, children and young people to be safe, supported and able to thrive. This guidance is not a checklist of worries. It is a tool to support shared, consistent and restorative response to safeguard and support, including working alongside children’s social care where required.
Vision
Children at the Heart, Families First
Nottinghamshire County Vision: Our ambition is for every child in Nottinghamshire to thrive within their family and community. We believe children are best supported when services work together and ‘with’ families. By thinking family and acting early, we will deliver inclusive, responsive and integrated support that empowers families, protects children and creates lasting changes.
Through safer, simpler and stronger services we will provide earlier help, stronger family support and improved protection from harm. We will support children to remain in the care of their family network wherever possible. Our workforce will be supported to have the skills to work with families confidently, using evidence-informed practice. We will listen and respond to the views and experiences of children and families about what helps them. This is a system built on trust, collaboration and compassion, making sure children remain at the heart of everything we do.