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Confirmation of policies and declaration '25

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Confirmation of Safeguarding Policies and Declaration of Interests - September ’25

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Confirmation of Safeguarding Policies and Declaration of Interests - September ’25

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Guidance supporting schools to teach pupils how to stay safe online within existing subjects.

Details

This is for school leaders, school staff and governing bodies. It applies to all local-authority-maintained schools, academies and free schools.

The interventions and support information may also be helpful for early years settings, colleges and other post-16 institutions.

This guidance outlines how schools can ensure their pupils understand how to stay safe and behave online as part of existing curriculum requirements.

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Guidance supporting schools to teach pupils how to stay safe online within existing subjects.

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Prevent duty guidance: England and Wales (2023)

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Prevent duty guidance for specified authorities in England and Wales.

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Service offer and referrals :: Lincolnshire Young Minds

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If you're contacted by early help they will discuss and explore the early help assessment with you

The early help assessment provides a clear template to facilitate a meaningful assessment with the participation of the child, young person, and their parents or carers. It will be completed by a professional who is best placed for the family. This may be a professional who has the best relationship with the family, or who the family feel may have the best knowledge of their needs.

It centres on the key principles of building relationships, honesty, transparency, and appreciative inquiry to focus on the key issues and what needs to happen to improve them.

Some children and their families may benefit, at times, from a coordinated multi-agency approach and a Team Around the Child plan to help identify and address emerging worries, build on existing strengths and access services that can work with the family to help them.

Getting these decisions right can only be achieved by practitioners and families working together, with honest communication, challenge and thorough evidence and evaluation.

Having an assessment

You feel that you require more specialist help and support and the involvement of a social worker to undertake an assessment of need. The child and family assessment is used to decide whether a child or young person under 18, is eligible for social care support services.

How and when to make a referral

A request for an assessment for a child with a disability can be requested via our Customer Services Team by calling 01522 782111

Parent may prefer to speak to a professional who they know.

The professional can refer the child or young person to the Customer Services Team.

The referrals are screened, if they meet the eligibility criteria of severe and profound and requires the involvement of a specialist team.

Then the child or young person will then be allocated a social worker from the Children with Disabilities team. A team member will contact you meet the child or young person and their family to begin the child and family assessment.

Alternatively, the child or young person maybe allocated an early help worker or a social worker from the social care team to undertake an assessment of need.

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Social care - Lincolnshire County Council

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A framework to equip children and young people for digital life

Documents

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@dcms.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

The Education for a Connected World framework describes the Digital knowledge and skills that children and young people should have the opportunity to develop at different ages and stages of their lives. It highlights what a child should know in terms of current online technology, its influence on behaviour and development, and what skills they need to be able to navigate it.

The document supports one of the key aims of the government's Internet Safety Strategy of supporting children to stay safe and make a positive contribution online, as well enabling teachers to develop effective strategies for understanding and handling online risks.

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How school staff can develop a behaviour policy.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

This guidance is for:

school leaders

school staff

governing bodies

trust boards and proprietors

local authorities

It applies to:

maintained schools - community, foundation or voluntary school, community or foundation special school, and maintained nursery school, pupil referral units and non-maintained special schools

academies - including mainstream and special free schools and alternative provision academies - including alternative provision free schools

independent schools

Use this document and the further guidance and resources for guidance on how to promote good behaviour in school.

Read this alongside school suspensions and permanent exclusion and searching, screening and confiscation at school.

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How school staff can develop a behaviour policy.

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Cyber security training for school staff

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A cyber security training package for school staff to help improve their school’s cyber resilience.

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Children and young people are most likely to be at risk of sexual abuse within their family and community. But not all sexual abuse is carried out by adults. Around one-third of child sexual abuse is thought to be carried out by under-18s.

That's why we've made a guide for parents, carers and professionals on preventing harmful sexual behaviour to help everyone do their part in keeping children safe.

Browse the information on this page or download the toolkit

What is the challenge?

Child sexual abuse is an important public health issue, and parents, carers and families have a vital role to play in keeping children safe.

Children and young people are most likely to be at risk of sexual abuse within their family and community. But not all sexual abuse is carried out by adults.

It is hard for us to think about children and young people sexually abusing other children and young people, and it isn't always easy to tell the difference between abusive and normal sexual behaviours in children.

Children, particularly in younger age groups, might engage in such behaviour without knowing that it is wrong or abusive. That's why it can be more helpful to talk about harmful sexual behaviour rather than abuse.

What is harmful sexual behaviour?

Harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) is a term used to describe sexual actions that are outside what is safe for a young person's stage of development. It includes actions that can harm either the child or young person themselves, or another person.

It can include:

frequently and intentionally accessing age-inappropriate sexual material online

using inappropriate language

undertaking mutual sexual activity they are not ready for with peers

sending and receiving illegal images

sexual interactions where there are significant power differences, lack of consent, or through force or threats

engaging in abusive or sexually violent sexual behaviour online or offline.

What does research tell us?

Under 18s are responsible for at least a third of recorded sexual offences against children and young people in the UK.

Boys in early adolescence, around the time puberty starts, tend to display the most harmful sexual behaviour, although younger children and girls do sometimes engage in these behaviours too.

Girls tend to be over-represented amongst the victims of harmful sexual behaviour.

Those with learning disabilities and autism also tend to be over-represented amongst young people who have displayed harmful sexual behaviour.

Around half of young people who have displayed harmful sexual behaviour have experienced sexual abuse themselves.

The vast majority of young people do not persist with these behaviours into adulthood. Parents and carers need to be able to consider the risks their own children and young people might pose to others, both online and in-person, and to be alert to the signs of harmful sexual behaviour that children and young people display.

How can we help with preventing harmful sexual behaviour?

If you're worried about a child's sexual behaviour, either in the real world or online, then call our free and confidential helpline on 0808 1000 900 for advice, support and information from an experienced advisor.

If you're not ready to speak to someone yet, you can use our secure messaging service or .

The next page will take you through why harmful sexual behaviour in young people and children has become a bigger issue over the last year.

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Preventing harmful sexual behaviour in children - Stop It Now

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Stop It Now! guide for parents, carers and professionals on preventing harmful sexual behaviour by children and young people.

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Our aim is to ensure that schools have timely information about all police attended incidents of domestic abuse, no matter where in the world the child lives.

Our aim is to enable staff in every school to understand how to support children who are experiencing domestic abuse, no matter where in the world the child lives.

Our aim is to ensure all children experiencing domestic abuse receive timely support in their school, no matter where in the world the child lives.

Have you received an Operation Encompass call about a child in your school, or are you concerned about a child or children in your school who are experiencing domestic abuse?

For FREE advice from an Educational or Clinical Psychologist about how best to support them, call the Operation Encompass Professionals' National Advice and Guidance line on 0204 513 9990. Monday to Friday, 8am-1pm
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Free Online Key Adult Operation Encompass Training

This training is CPD accredited and should be completed by all professionals receiving Operation Encompass notifications. All those working with children including school governors can also undertake this training.
More

To update Key Adult details in Devon and Cornwall please email us.

Have you received an Operation Encompass call about a child in your school, or are you concerned about a child or children in your school who are experiencing domestic abuse?

For FREE advice from an Educational or Clinical Psychologist about how best to support them, call the Operation Encompass Professionals' National Advice and Guidance line on 0204 513 9990.

Monday to Friday, 8am-1pm
More

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Our aim is to ensure that schools have timely information about all police attended incidents of domestic abuse, no matter where in the world the child lives. Our aim is to enable staff in every school to understand how to support children who are experiencing domestic abuse, no matter where in the world the child lives.

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Definition of child sexual exploitation, potential vulnerabilities and indicators of abuse and appropriate action to take in response.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

This guidance is for:

local authority chief executives

directors of children's services

people leading local safeguarding arrangements

people who work with children, including in social care, health, early years, education and the police

It replaces the 2009 guidance 'Safeguarding children and young people from sexual exploitation'.

See also:

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Child sexual exploitation: definition and guide for practitioners

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Definition of child sexual exploitation, potential vulnerabilities and indicators of abuse and appropriate action to take in response.

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Teaching about relationships, sex and health

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Teaching about relationships, sex and health

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From September 2020 all schools must consider the statutory guidance when teaching relationships, sex and health education.

Working with , we have developed these training modules to help schools:

improve teacher knowledge and confidence when teaching this curriculum

develop and plan their curriculum

At all times when developing curriculum and teaching relationships, sex and health education, maintained schools must comply with their duties under the 1996 Education Act regarding political impartiality. The local authority, governing body and head teacher must:

forbid the pursuit of partisan political activities by junior pupils

forbid the promotion of partisan political views in the teaching of any subject in the school

take reasonably practicable steps to secure that where political issues are brought to the attention of pupils, they are offered a balanced presentation of opposing views

You should be aware that the meaning of political issues does not refer solely to the discussion of party politics. Schools are advised to consider the range of issues on which there could be political views, which may include global affairs, equalities issues, religion and economics.

The Independent School Standards, which apply to all independent schools (and most of which apply to academies) have similar provisions relating to the promotion of partisan political views and offering a balanced presentation of opposing views.

Develop your curriculum

We are providing information to help school leaders plan and develop their curriculum to make sure it follows the new statutory guidance.

This includes guidance on:

curriculum planning

creating an inclusive classroom

developing a policy for the new curriculum

adapting an existing programme of study

Engaging with parents and carers

When planning your curriculum, you must engage parents and carers about your relationships and sex education curriculum. It is important that you set out your approach to the subjects fully and clearly. See engaging parents with relationships education policy for more information. Although aimed at primary schools, much of this guide is applicable to secondary schools.

Consider using our guides for parents to help communicate with them about the new curriculum and what it includes.

When planning their curriculum, state-funded schools should be mindful of the requirement under the Human Rights Act 1998 to respect the right of parents to ensure education and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions, and all schools should be mindful of their duties under the Equality Act 2010.

Train teachers on relationships, sex and health education

We have designed these training modules so subject leads or other staff members can train groups of teachers in a variety of ways.

Each module contains:

key knowledge and facts to help teach the statutory guidance

activities and templates to help run a training session

guidance to help teachers tackle difficult questions

The training modules have been split into different topics within the curriculum. You should adapt the slides and activities to fit your school.

Several of these topics are closely related, you should consider this when planning your curriculum and lesson plans.

Primary teacher training modules

This training module includes information on making an emergency call and concepts of basic first aid.

This training module includes information on boundaries, privacy and feeling unsafe and asking for help and support.

This training module includes information on ways of making and choosing friends, online friendships, working through problems and the characteristics of friendships.

This training module includes information on physical and emotional changes in puberty, including menstrual wellbeing.

This training module includes information on legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks.

This training module includes information on the different types of family, healthy family life and marriage.

This training module includes information on signs of physical illness, sun safety, sleep, dental health, personal hygiene and allergies.

This training module includes information on a healthy diet, understanding calories, planning healthy meals and the impacts of unhealthy diets.

This training module includes information on internet use, rationing and risk, online relationships, privacy and understanding online information.

This training module includes information on talking about emotions, self-care techniques, isolation and loneliness, the impact of bullying and getting help and support.

This training module includes information on understanding how people behave online, cyberbullying and keeping safe online.

This training module includes information on active lifestyles, the benefits of physical activity and the risks of an inactive lifestyle.

This training module includes information on bullying, stereotypes and the importance of respect.

Secondary teacher training modules

This training module includes information on basic treatment for common injuries, life-saving skills including CPR and understanding defibrillators.

This training module includes information on consent and communicating consent, sexual consent, abuse rape and sexual assault, honour-based violence and forced marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), grooming coercion and harassment.

This training module includes information on physical and emotional changes in puberty, including menstrual wellbeing.

This training module includes information on legal and illegal drugs and their associated risks, and laws relating to these substances.

This training module includes information on committed relationships, unsafe relationships, marriage, civil partnerships and cohabitation.

This training module includes information on personal hygiene, dental health, immunisation and vaccination, sleep, self-examination and screening.

This training module includes information on understanding our diet, healthy eating choices and poor diet and health risks.

This training module includes information on social media and reality, gambling, influencers, targeted advertising and accessing support.

This training module includes information on healthy intimate relationships, sexual consent and the law, fertility and reproduction, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), contraception and sexual health advice.

This training module includes information on talking about emotions, types of mental ill-health, understanding anxiety and positive wellbeing factors.

This training module includes information on using appropriate language online, online behaviour and risks, sharing material online, harmful online content and pornography.

This training module includes information on healthy lifestyles, the risks of an inactive lifestyle, the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, mental wellbeing and activity and blood, organ and stem cell donation.

This training module includes information on healthy friendships, rights and responsibilities regarding equality, damaging stereotypes, bullying, and criminal behaviour in relationships.

Pupils with SEND

In special schools and for some pupils with special educational needs or disability (SEND) in mainstream schools, you may need to tailor content and teaching to meet the specific needs of pupils at different developmental stages.

For pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan, you might want to link lesson outcomes with statutory preparing for adulthood outcomes. See SEND code of practice, section 8 for more information about preparing for adulthood.

You should make sure that your teaching is:

sensitive

age-appropriate

developmentally appropriate

delivered with reference to the law

The training module on teaching RSHE to pupils with SEND (MS PowerPoint Presentation, 318 KB) should help you:

understand your duties regarding SEND and relationships, sex and health education

recognise some of the challenges pupils with SEND may face in these subjects

appreciate some of the approaches you might take to mitigate these challenges

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Teaching about relationships, sex and health

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Support and training materials for schools to help train teachers on relationships, sex and health education.

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Popular resources this month

Booklet and supporting slide pack to help parents and carers understand Prevent and combat extremism and radicalisation.

Subject area:

Extremism, Prevent duty, Radicalisation, Reporting concerns

Age group:

Early Years, KS 1, KS 2, KS 3, KS 4, KS 5

Resources:

Parent information

Format:

Pdf, Presentation slides

Resource pack for secondary pupils to support classroom discussions about fundamental British values.

Subject area:

Debate and discussion, Fundamental British Values, Let's Discuss

Age group:

KS 3, KS 4

Resources:

Lesson ideas, Teacher guidance

Format:

Pdf, Presentation slides, Videos

These resources have been developed by the Solutions Not Sides team to offer teachers and their students resource materials that can be used in classrooms together, or independently by students. The teacher guides can make sure you feel confident and informed when discussing this topic with students. The class activity packs are interactive, with multimedia [...]

Subject area:

Debate and discussion

Age group:

KS 3, KS 4

Resources:

Lesson activity, Lesson ideas, Lesson plan, Teacher guidance

Format:

Pdf, Presentation slides

© 2026 educate.against.hate

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Educate Against Hate - Prevent Radicalisation & Extremism

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This website gives parents, teachers and school leaders practical advice on protecting children from extremism and radicalisation.

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This resource was developed in response to requests for clearer direction from central government about the safeguarding responsibilities of local authorities.

It is designed to highlight examples from areas where effective practice has been identified and to emphasise what works in protecting survivors and those at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM).

This resource pack was updated:

in November 2015 to reflect legislative changes

in May 2016 to reflect the publication of statutory guidance on FGM

in February 2019 with some minor amendments

in February 2020, wholesale

It equips commissioners both with the data they need to understand the scale of the problem in their area and with an insight into some of the tools they can use to combat it effectively.

This pack includes:

case studies where FGM has been experienced by girls and women in the UK

information on what local authorities and others can do to raise awareness of FGM in their local area

links to support organisations, clinics and helplines which can help people who think they might be at risk

Disclaimer

External links were selected, reviewed and identified as effective practice on combating FGM when this resource was published. However, the Home Office is not responsible for the content of external websites. We do not maintain or update them; we cannot change them; and they may be changed without our knowledge. Other information and effective practice on FGM is freely available and the content on this website is therefore not exhaustive.

If you have documents or material you would like to be included in this resource, please email FGMEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk.

Warning

Some of the content in the links included in this resource pack contain images or accounts which readers may find distressing.

FGM is illegal in the UK. It is a practice which takes place worldwide in at least 30 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. It also takes place within parts of Western Europe and other developed countries, primarily among immigrant and refugee communities.

FGM has been classified by the World Health Organization into 4 types; these are described in more detail on the World Health Organization website.

FGM is a complex issue - despite the harm it causes, some women and men from affected communities consider it to be normal to protect their daughters and their cultural identity.

Some people believe that FGM is a way to ensure virginity and chastity. It is sometimes done to preserve girls from sex outside of marriage and from having sexual feelings. FGM is often claimed to be carried out in accordance with religious beliefs, but it is not supported by any religious doctrine.

3. Legislation

FGM is illegal in the UK. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, civil and criminal legislation on FGM is contained in the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 ("the 2003 Act"). In Scotland, FGM legislation is contained in the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (Scotland) Act 2005. The Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 was amended by sections 70-75 of the Serious Crime Act 2015.

Criminal law in England and Wales

Under section 1 of the 2003 Act, a person is guilty of an FGM offence if they excise, infibulate or otherwise mutilate the whole or any part of a girl's or woman's labia majora, labia minora or clitoris. To excise is to remove part or all of the clitoris and the inner labia (lips that surround the vagina), with or without removal of the labia majora (larger outer lips). To infibulate is to narrow the vaginal opening by creating a seal, formed by cutting and repositioning the labia.

Offences of FGM

It is an offence for any person (regardless of their nationality or residence status) to:

If the mutilation takes place in England or Wales, the nationality or residence status of the victim is irrelevant.

Failing to protect a girl from risk of FGM

If an offence under sections 1, 2 or 3 of the 2003 Act is committed against a girl under the age of 16, each person who is responsible for the girl at the time the FGM occurred could be guilty of an offence under section 3A of the 2003 Act.

FGM taking place abroad

It is an offence for a UK national or UK resident (even in countries where FGM is not an offence) to:

perform FGM abroad (sections 4 and 1 of the 2003 Act)

assist a girl to carry out FGM on herself outside the UK (sections 4 and 2 of the 2003 Act)

assist (from outside the UK) a non-UK person to carry out FGM outside the UK on a UK national or UK resident (sections 4 and 3 of the 2003 Act)

An offence of failing to protect a girl from the risk of FGM can be committed wholly or partly outside the UK by a person who is a UK national or a UK resident. The extra-territorial offences of FGM are intended to cover taking a girl abroad to be subjected to FGM.

Any person found guilty of an offence under sections 1, 2 or 3 of the 2003 Act faces up to 14 years' imprisonment, a fine or both. Any person found guilty of an offence under section 3A of the 2003 Act faces up to 7 years' imprisonment, a fine or both.

Under provisions of the law which apply generally to criminal offences, it is also an offence to:

aid, abet, counsel or procure a person to commit an FGM offence

encourage or assist a person to commit an FGM offence

attempt to commit an FGM offence

conspire to commit an FGM offence

Any person found guilty of such an offence faces the same maximum penalty for these offences under the 2003 Act.

Civil law in England and Wales

Under section 5A and schedule 2 of the 2003 Act, provision is made for FGM Protection Orders. An FGM Protection Order is a civil law measure which provides a means of protecting and safeguarding victims and potential victims of FGM. They contain conditions to protect a victim or potential victim. Those might, for example, involve surrendering a passport to prevent the person at risk from being taken abroad to undergo FGM, or a requirement that nobody arranges for FGM to be performed on the person being protected.

Those who may apply for an FGM Protection Order are:

the person who has undergone or is at risk of FGM

a local authority

any other person (for example the police, a teacher, a charity or a family member), with the permission of the court

An application for an order may be made at a Family Court in England and Wales; there is no fee. A court can be asked to consider an application straightaway when necessary, and can make an FGM Protection Order without the respondent(s) being present. Civil legal aid is available to victims, potential victims and third parties who seek to make, vary or discharge an FGM Protection Order, subject to meeting the relevant means and merits criteria. If the conditions in the FGM Protection Order are not followed, this is called a breach. It can be dealt with either by the Family Court as a contempt of court, or as a criminal offence, with a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment.

This link shows what you need to do to apply for a FGM Protection Order, including links to the application forms.

Other aspects of the legislation

The 2003 Act also:

guarantees lifelong anonymity for survivors of FGM (section 4A of the 2003 Act)

places a mandatory duty on health and social care professionals and teachers to notify the police where they discover that FGM has been carried out on a girl under 18 years of age during the course of their work (section 5B of the 2003 Act)

provides for statutory guidance on FGM (section 5C of the 2003 Act)

This infographic from the National FGM Centre provides a summary of the legislative position.

4. Case studies

Some examples of good partnership working between voluntary and community sector organisations and local authorities are available to download, including the following FGM case studies:

interpreting, awareness-raising and advice

multi-agency approach

positive working between midwife and GP

5. Prevalence of FGM in England and Wales

Given the hidden nature of FGM, the exact number of women and girls in the UK who have undergone it is unknown. A 2015 study based on 2011 census data estimated that:

approximately 60,000 girls aged 0 to 14 were born in England and Wales to mothers who had undergone FGM

approximately 103,000 women aged 15 to 49 and approximately 24,000 women aged 50 and over who have migrated to England and Wales are living with the consequences of FGM. In addition, approximately 10,000 girls aged under 15 who have migrated to England and Wales are likely to have undergone FGM

The study also reported that:

women who have undergone FGM do not only live in urban centres in England and Wales: while many affected women live in large cities where migrant populations tend to be clustered, others are scattered in rural areas

no local authority area is likely to be free from FGM entirely: in many areas, the estimated prevalence is low, but there are still some women who may be affected by FGM

London has the highest prevalence rate in England and Wales, with an estimated 2.1% of women affected by FGM

outside London, the highest estimates were for Manchester, Slough, Bristol, Leicester and Birmingham

NHS Digital publishes statistics about patients with FGM who are treated within the NHS in England. This is crucial in understanding the extent of FGM in England as identified through the delivery of healthcare services.

" Characteristics of children in need " (see tab C3 of the tables document) data, which contains statistics on children referred to and assessed by children's social services, includes the numbers of occasions in each local authority area in England where FGM was identified at the end of the assessment.

To get an indication of how widespread FGM is in the local area, and what policies or training are in place, local agencies could look at the NHS Enhanced Dataset statistics and relevant research on prevalence.

They can also ask questions to ensure that the best possible support and preventative measures are put in place which are tailored to maximise outcomes. These may include:

which FGM-affected communities live in the area and how many members of these communities are there?

is there a policy on FGM, and who is accountable for leading and implementing it?

which body is responsible for FGM prevention?

what training is there for professionals such as health, teaching and safeguarding workers?

what steps have been taken to use the statutory guidance on FGM?

are designated senior staff for child protection in schools aware of FGM and have they ensured that their staff are aware of the potential risks?

Appendix 2 of this document shows how Coventry City Council estimated the prevalence of FGM in its area.

Read more about the worldwide prevalence of FGM and terms used for FGM in other countries.

6. Working together with voluntary and community sector organisations

A coalition of charitable trusts set up the Tackling FGM Initiative which funded community projects. As part of this work, an independent evaluation was carried out, highlighting what works in community engagement activity as well as a best practice guide for communities tackling FGM. Both can be found through the above link.

This study shows the results of focus groups carried out by AFRUCA with a range of African communities in Greater Manchester. It sets out the comments of people in those communities about FGM and what can be inferred from those about the prevalence of FGM in Greater Manchester, and makes recommendations for improvement.

Midaye is a grassroots organisation offering a wide range of services to ethnic minorities in the West London area, with a focus on those who speak Arabic and Somali. It organises and regularly delivers community engagement events and training for the community and other professionals.

7. FGM statutory multi-agency guidance

The Serious Crime Act 2015 amended the FGM Act to provide for statutory guidance on FGM. This guidance is intended to help to:

further increase awareness of FGM and improve compliance with good practice

increase referrals and reports to the police

afford victims and survivors of FGM the greatest possible protection

The statutory guidance was published on 1 April 2016, with some minor updates made in 2018 and 2019. The guidance draws on the previous FGM multi-agency practice guidelines and was updated to capture the legal changes introduced by the Serious Crime Act 2015, new guidance for health professionals, new sources of data on FGM, wider safeguarding responsibilities, duties and resources for professionals, and other minor changes. It also includes information on the FGM mandatory reporting duty.

8. National Helpline

The NSPCC operates a free national FGM helpline, which offers guidance to thousands of people, including professionals. The FGM helpline is staffed by specialised practitioners, who are all trained to identify the risk of FGM. The helpline can offer advice and support: if you are worried about a child who is at risk of FGM, if somebody has already undergone an FGM procedure or if you have any questions regarding FGM.

The helpline is available seven days a week between the following hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 10pm and Saturday and Sunday 9pm to 6pm. You can call and choose to remain anonymous on 0800 028 3550 or email fgmhelp@nspcc.org.uk.

9. Safeguarding

The action we take to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harms such as FGM is everyone's responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play.

More information is available in the following guidance:

The Children and Social Work Act 2017 provides for the replacement of Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) with a more flexible system of multi-agency arrangements, led by the three safeguarding partners: the local authority chief executive; the accountable officer of a clinical commissioning group; and a chief officer of police. While education settings are not named as one of the three key statutory partners, they are an extremely important relevant agency and all local areas must detail how education settings are included in the partnership.

These new safeguarding partnerships play an important role in challenging safeguarding practice and assessing how effective these services are. Every local authority should be part of a safeguarding partnership.

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 provides the statutory guidance in England for the three safeguarding partners, who will be required to make joint safeguarding decisions to meet the needs of local children and families. They will be jointly responsible for setting out local plans to keep children safe and improve their wellbeing, and will be accountable for how well agencies work together to protect children from abuse and neglect. They will also be responsible for identifying serious child safeguarding cases which raise issues of importance in relation to the area and reviewing cases where they consider it appropriate.

The law underpinning the new safeguarding arrangements came into effect on 29 June 2018. Local areas in England had up to 12 months from this date to develop and publish their arrangements. All local areas have now published their plans and all local arrangements should now be being implemented.

Since 31 October 2015, regulated health and social care professionals and teachers in England and Wales have been subject to an FGM mandatory reporting duty. They are legally required to report 'known' cases of FGM in under 18s, which they identify in the course of their professional work, to the police. You can read procedural information on the duty and a factsheet (with translations) for communities.

10. Local authorities

Below are some examples of FGM strategies and action taken by local authorities.

The National FGM Centre is a partnership between Barnardo's and the Local Government Association which aims to achieve a systems change in the provision of services for children and families affected by FGM. It has specialist social workers embedded in a number of local authorities to provide support in cases where FGM, breast flattening or child abuse linked to faith or belief are a concern - for example, providing advice and guidance to frontline professionals and applying for FGM Protection Orders. They have produced this guide for councillors about FGM. The Centre also provides a 'knowledge hub' of information and guidance about FGM, trains professionals (see Section 16) and engages with communities.

In 2015 a group of organisations produced a guide for local authorities with recommendations for fighting FGM at a local level.

Bromley Safeguarding Children Partnership have developed an FGM Awareness App which is designed to help professionals who are responsible for child safeguarding to understand FGM, the law, the context in which FGM takes place and their safeguarding responsibilities.

In 2013 Coventry City Council became the first local authority in the UK to support a full council motion to condemn FGM. In 2016 a two year programme of work was commissioned to embed the REPLACE approach, building on existing assets within communities to ensure that they could tackle FGM and continue the work once the funding had ended. The project trained over 3,500 professionals, recruited 90 community champions from 15 affected communities and involved a range of community events which harnessed the commitment of 1,964 people to effect change locally. The local authority carries out ongoing work to raise awareness, train staff and support its partners; it is also developing a Strategic Statement outlining its ongoing aim to end FGM. Coventry uses the 4Ps model (Prepare, Prevent, Protect, Pursue) to tackle FGM. Coventry Haven Women's Aid also runs a Friendship Group from 10-12 on the first and third Mondays of every month, at Coventry Central Library (Smithford Way), which provides help and support to survivors of FGM.

In 2017 Leeds City Council set up a new FGM strategic multi-agency group partnership which brought together health, education, West Yorkshire Police and third sector agencies to develop a co-ordinated approach to tackling FGM across Leeds. The group organised a conference on FGM in May 2018. They have also supported the Black Health Initiative, who were successful in receiving funding through the Home Office's counter-extremism Building A Stronger Britain Together programme, with which they reached out to and raised awareness with community groups, and developed a FGM toolkit.

The Leeds Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) also implemented an under-18s Pathway to guide professionals more effectively. Leeds is also a pilot area for the national FGM clinics (see Section 12), which saw the opening of the Blossom Clinic in Leeds during October 2019. The clinic is supported by a local mental health charity, Touchstone, who are now providing a mental health and an advocacy service. Leeds has set up and is developing a credible voices group within the community to help raise awareness, educate, identify gaps in service and develop the Leeds response to FGM by feeding into the FGM Steering group who report to the LSCP. They are also working in partnership with Bedfordshire University who will be undertaking an evaluation of the Leeds response to FGM and "honour"-based abuse.

In 2016 Nottingham City Council passed a motion to become the country's first 'zero-tolerance' city of FGM. Partners including police, health, education, social care and the voluntary and community sector together produced an action plan, reviewed quarterly, for ending FGM in a generation in Nottingham. Mojatu Foundation are a key partner driving this agenda forward, providing support and awareness training for partners and offering comprehensive support services for survivors. In 2019 they trained a network of faith and youth ambassadors who work within their communities to raise awareness of zero tolerance, and produced a series of short videos which were released on social media at the end of the school summer team at the same time as letters to schools about the 'cutting season' - see https://www.facebook.com/mojatu.foundation/videos/864295247276539/ and https://www.facebook.com/mojatu.foundation/videos/681275118966253/.

Nationally, Operation Limelight is a multi-agency safeguarding operation at the UK border which focuses on harmful practices such as FGM and forced marriage. It is a national operation delivered by Police and Border Force. Delivery partners can include local children's social care departments, and health and third sector organisations which specialise in responding to harmful practices. Often delivered before and after the three main school holidays, Limelight targets flights connecting to locations where there is high prevalence of FGM and forced marriage. It seeks to raise awareness of harmful practices, identify vulnerability and safeguard those at risk. It also seeks to develop intelligence and identify possible perpetrators.

This document has been designed by the Metropolitan Police Service to assist those engaged on Operation Limelight to have sensitive conversations with passengers regarding FGM.

Avon and Somerset Police work in close collaboration with statutory partners, the third sector and affected communities to develop and refine their response to FGM. There is a particular focus on increasing public awareness through education and health messaging and through the empowerment of women and girls to resist gender-based violence. The cooperation and insight of affected communities are critical to the success of these approaches. Avon and Somerset Police also work with police and partner colleagues from the South-West area to ensure sharing of information, consistency of practice and peer support in responding to FGM and other forms of "honour"-based abuse.

Greater Manchester Police work closely on FGM with local and national partners, including Greater Manchester Combined Authority, to raise awareness and encourage people to report it. The Force has a Strategic Lead for Harmful Practices and has a network of officers across its districts to provide specialist advice and support. Greater Manchester Police support Operation Limelight during the summer period at Manchester International Airport.

Project Azure sits within the Metropolitan Police Service's (MPS) Continuous Policing Improvement Command and is the MPS strategic response to tackling FGM and other harmful practices such as child abuse linked to faith or belief, forced marriage, "honour"-based abuse and breast flattening. They also provide a coordination role nationally for Operation Limelight. Their mission is to work together with partners to prevent FGM, to identify and protect victims from harm, and to identify and prosecute offenders.

Operation Sentinel is a force-wide operation aimed at enhancing the service provided by West Midlands Police and its partners to victims across the force area who are especially vulnerable. A particular focus has been applied to "honour"-based abuse, FGM, domestic abuse, child sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Sentinel aims to ensure that police, partner agencies (such as local councils, charities and support services) and the community work together more effectively and share information to fight these crimes.

Police and Crime Commissioners have also undertaken a range of actions in their local areas. Get in touch with your local Police and Crime Commissioner to find out more information.

12. Health in England

FGM has no health benefits and it harms girls and women in many ways. It is important that survivors of FGM receive targeted healthcare support, for both their physical and mental health needs.

Specialist clinics

For women aged 18 or over who are not pregnant, England has eight National FGM Support Clinics (NFGMSC), which are holistic, community-based clinics which offer a range of support services delivered by a multi-disciplinary team. These include physical assessments and treatment (including deinfibulation if required), counselling, safeguarding information and access to an FGM Health Advocate. There will be onward support to a specialist consultant if additional support is required. There are eight clinics, of which five are in London (Brent, Croydon, Hammersmith, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest); the other three are in Birmingham, Bristol and Leeds. This link provides further details.

Women who are pregnant and who have undergone FGM can access support through their local maternity pathway. This leaflet from the National FGM Centre provides information for women whose FGM has been identified in pregnancy.

Girls under 18 years who have or are suspected to have undergone FGM can access support through the specialist paediatric service at University College London Hospitals (UCLH).

The Oxford Rose Clinic, based at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, is a confidential service providing support for women and girls who have experienced female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C). It holds fortnightly clinics which offer a wide range of types of care to patients.

Midaye offers bilingual health advocacy to FGM-affected communities in Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, the Sunflower clinics at Saint Mary's Hospital and Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital FGM clinics in London, on a weekly basis. It also works in community-based venues, GP practices and other venues as appropriate.

Psychotherapy and psychosocial services

Case histories and personal accounts taken from women show that FGM can be an extremely traumatic experience for girls and women, which stays with them for the rest of their lives.

The World Health Organization has noted that young women receiving psychological counselling for FGM in the UK have reported feelings of betrayal by parents, incompleteness, regret and anger. There is increasing awareness of the severe psychological consequences of FGM for girls and women, which can become evident in mental health problems and drug and alcohol dependency.

A 2005 study from the American Journal of Psychiatry based on research in African communities affected by FGM showed that women who had undergone FGM experienced the same levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as adults who had been subjected to early childhood abuse, and that the majority (80%) of the women suffered from affective (mood) or anxiety disorders.

The fact that FGM is culturally embedded in a girl's or woman's community does not protect her against the development of PTSD or other psychiatric disorders. Professionals, particularly those in the health sector, should ensure that mental health support is made available to assist girls and women who have undergone FGM, as well as treatment for any physical symptoms or complications.

Female Genital Trauma: Guidelines for Working Therapeutically with Survivors of Female Genital Mutilation provides recommendations for psychological therapists and counsellors to facilitate therapy with adult women who have undergone female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C).

Examples of community-based FGM services in local areas include:

the Dahlia Project, run by Manor Gardens Welfare Trust

FORWARD provide psychological and psychosocial educational support nationally

Information about mental health services in your area can be found on the NHS website.

Reporting and recording FGM

There are three requirements on NHS organisations and professionals to record and share information about FGM and risks relating to it. These are the Mandatory Reporting Duty, the Enhanced Dataset and the FGM - Information Sharing system (FGM-IS).

the FGM Mandatory Reporting Duty is a legal duty provided for in section 5A of the FGM Act 2003 (as amended by the Serious Crime Act 2015). It requires regulated health and social care professionals and teachers to report to the police cases of FGM in girls under 18 if, in the course of their professional duties, they see signs or symptoms indicating that a girl has undergone FGM or if she tells the professional that she has undergone it. Complying with the duty does not breach any confidentiality requirement or other restriction on disclosure which might otherwise apply.

NHS Digital collect data about women and girls who have undergone FGM and who are being cared for by the NHS in England. This is the FGM Enhanced Dataset (see Section 5). The purpose of this data collection is to build a national picture of prevalence, and to support work in the NHS to prevent and treat FGM. The data is collected whenever a woman is identified in a healthcare setting in England as having undergone FGM, and the FGM could have happened at any point in the past. This means that the Enhanced Dataset will record cases which are not eligible for mandatory reporting (for example, where FGM is identified in a patient who is over 18).

the FGM-IS (FGM - Information Sharing system) is a national digital system which shares information within the healthcare record of a girl under 18 - if she has a family history of FGM - between authorised healthcare professionals and administrative staff across England. FGM-IS supports effective early intervention and ongoing safeguarding of girls who are potentially at risk of FGM.

Resources from government:

Resources from the Royal Colleges:

Other resources:

The NHS London Safeguarding team and the Royal College of GPs worked in collaboration with Building Bridges and Mojatu Foundation to co-produce an FGM easy read.

The NHS London Safeguarding team, in partnership with Leeds Clinical Commissioning Group, Leeds FGM Blossom Clinic, the Sunflower Clinic and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust have developed an animation based on trauma informed care, to support health professionals to have conversations with survivors of FGM regarding cervical screening.

Cervical screening FGM resource
13. Schools in England

From September 2020, Relationships Education will be compulsory for all primary pupils. Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) will be compulsory for all secondary pupils and Health Education will be compulsory for all pupils in state-funded schools.

RSE will cover the concepts of, and laws relating to, sexual consent, sexual exploitation, abuse, grooming, coercion, harassment, forced marriage, rape, domestic abuse and FGM, and how these can affect current and future relationships.

In infant and primary schools, effective sex and relationships education within PSHE can help pupils keep themselves safe from harm through building their confidence to ask for help, learning that their body belongs to them and giving them the language to describe private parts of their body. The Sex Education Forum and PSHE Association have advice and guidance on effective teaching and learning in sex and relationships education and PSHE.

Listed below are some helpful resources and information about FGM for schools and teachers.

Resources from government and the police

The Guidance for Schools: Safeguarding Young People from Sexual Violence, CSE and Harmful Practices explains what the police do in relation to a range of complex issues which affect young people in schools and colleges, including FGM. The police want to encourage information sharing so that partners within the safeguarding process can work together more effectively.

This guidance covers:

what the relevant legislation says

what options police have from both the safeguarding and enforcement perspectives

what resources are available to give readers a better understanding of each of these highly complex issues

what vulnerability signs schools could look for

suggestions as to how schools can respond to these hidden harms within existing referral procedures

The Harmful Practices Schools Charter is a partner-led document which seeks to encourage schools to adopt a preventative approach to educating children on all of these harmful practices, including FGM. Schools are encouraged to sign up to the Charter, as it represents a tangible and direct commitment from them to promote the delivery of inputs in schools which address harmful practices. Schools can use the principles supported by the Charter by incorporating them into lesson plans developed and delivered by school staff or by external providers. It also promotes the appropriate sharing of information through existing referral procedures.

Useful documents for teachers

The National FGM Centre has developed schools guidance on FGM, including a "conversation form" for logging concerns and raising them with pupils and parents and online training for staff in dealing with a disclosure of FGM. They have also produced FGM Flash Cards, designed for professionals to use with other professionals, parent(s)/carer(s), children and young people

The National FGM Centre in partnership with the Eve Appeal have collaborated in co-designing lesson plans for introducing FGM to young people, in Key Stages 1, 2 and 3.

Videos for schools

Integrate UK has produced the following three videos as resources for schools:

Oxford Against Cutting has produced the following short films for schools:

Are You Ready to Know? was created by and for secondary school students, and shows a conversation about FGM between a mother from the Gambia and her nine-year old daughter

Who Can You Tell? is a short film to encourage primary school children to talk to their teacher or school health nurse if they are worried about FGM or sexual harm and includes the NSPCC's PANTS message

See Section 17 for further films which may be relevant.

Other useful resources for schools and young people

The Guardian Project is a project run by NESTAC which coordinates care and support across Greater Manchester for girls and young women (up to 21 years of age) who are affected by or at risk of FGM. Advice, support and guidance are available for all professionals working to safeguard girls and young women from FGM across Greater Manchester. Contact: 07449 651 677 or guardian.project@outlook.com

14. Children's social care

All children's social care professionals should work in accordance with the guidelines in 'Working together to safeguard children' (2018) in England and 'Safeguarding children: working together under the Children Act 2004' (2004) in Wales.

The National FGM Centre has produced a number of useful resources:

Other resources and information about FGM for children's social care professionals include:

15. Leaflets

These materials are designed to help classroom teachers and professionals raise awareness of FGM and explore the stigma and common issues that often surround it.

Resources from government

'Female genital mutilation: the facts' leaflet - this sets out some of the key facts about FGM

'Statement opposing FGM' - this outlines what FGM is, the legislation and penalties involved and the help and support available. The statement is often referred to as a health passport, in that, if a woman or girl were to be taken abroad to undergo FGM, she could show this to people in her country of destination to show that FGM is illegal in the UK. This is also available in Amharic, Arabic, Farsi, French, Somali, Swahili, Tigrinyan, Turkish, Urdu and Welsh. Please contactFGMEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk if you would like printed copies of either document.

The following resources from other sources are also available:

From FORWARD:

Keeping Your Girls Safe From FGM - a pocket guide on safeguarding children during the summer holidays, which provides information on UK law, keeping girls safe whilst travelling abroad and professionals' statutory duty to report, as well as adding clarity for parents and guardians

FGM FAQs: A Campaigner's Guide for Young People - information for young FGM activists

Information, Services and Support Guide - a guide for young people who are interested in finding out more about FGM and the support services available

FGM and Islam - a leaflet developed by FORWARD, the Muslim Council of Britain and Muslim Spiritual Care Provision in the NHS. It clarifies that FGM is not a part of the Islamic religion

You can also:

16. Training

Education and training need to be provided for all health and social care professionals who may work with affected women and girls, or those at risk, and with their families. A focus on safeguarding is essential and it is also important to consider the issues of ethnicity, custom, culture and religion in a sensitive manner.

Local Safeguarding Partnerships are responsible for commissioning, monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the training, including multi-agency training, provided within their area to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. This is in line with their function to develop policies and procedures in relation to training of those persons who work with children or in services affecting the safety and welfare of children. Such policies and procedures may include specific training in relation to FGM. Further information can be found in the 'Working together to safeguard children' resource'.

It is recommended that FGM should be a part of all staff training on safeguarding. Any programme of training around FGM should include the following:

an overview of FGM (what it is, and when and where it may be performed)

the socio-cultural context, including the incorrect perception that FGM is a religious obligation

facts and figures

UK FGM and child protection law

medical complications

safeguarding children - the principles to follow when FGM is suspected or has been performed

the roles and responsibilities of staff

Professionals should receive training specific to their role. Below are some examples of the types of training available. Particular requirements will need to be assessed according to the professional sector.

Training from government and the NHS

Training from other sources

The information below has been provided by the organisations themselves. The Home Office has not observed the courses or their materials, so cannot provide assurance as to the content of the courses, and the listing of a course here does not represent an endorsement by the Home Office. Training from other organisations is available.

Birmingham and Solihull Women's Aid facilitates training on the issues of domestic violence, forced marriage and FGM for frontline professionals, schools and affected communities

Coventry University developed ' Petals ', the UK's first FGM web app, which gives advice on how to get support and deal with FGM. It can also be used by people who want to find out more about FGM and how it might affect them and others

The Dahlia Project, run by Manor Gardens Welfare Trust, is a North London-based project which provides training on FGM to health, social care and education professionals, as well as to students training in relevant professions. Training is delivered by a specialist FGM midwife and a community facilitator from an FGM-affected community, allowing participants to understand why FGM is practised, how it affects women and the role of professionals in preventing it

FORWARD provides an FGM Training Programme, an accredited and tailored developed training programme for professionals on FGM, and FGM awareness sessions for schools, as well as teacher training on FGM and how to respond to it appropriately

Freedom Charity provides training to staff teams and students at primary schools, secondary schools, universities and colleges, as well as public service professionals and community groups across England and Wales. Its provisions include:

a PSHE Association-accredited FGM/C lesson plan based upon the publication "Cut Flowers", a children's novel by Aneeta Prem

the Freedom Charity free phone App to provide secure advice and emergency contact for victims

the Red Triangle badge - a national symbol and campaign to raise awareness about FGM

IKWRO - Women's Rights Organisation provides training on all harmful practices including "honour"-based violence, forced marriage and FGM, to professionals, schools and affected communities

IMKAAN is a UK-based, Black feminist organisation and is the only national second-tier women's organisation dedicated to addressing violence against Black and minoritised women and girls i.e. women and girls who are defined in policy terms as Black and 'Minority Ethnic' (BME). As part of its Quality Assurance Framework, Imkaan has developed accredited quality standards and training for working with BME women and girls, and harmful practices, including FGM, forced marriage and "honour-based" violence

Integrate UK is a youth-led charity which works towards gender and racial equality. It provides FGM training to front-line professionals, such as teachers and medical professionals

Luton All Women's Centre deliver training and awareness raising sessions in schools, to teachers and other professionals

Oxford Against Cutting provides workshops and lessons on FGM and forced marriage to staff teams and students at primary schools, secondary schools, universities and colleges in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, as well as professionals and community groups. This is mostly free of charge - email info@oxfordagainstcutting.org. All workshops are delivered by facilitators from affected communities

17. DVDs and videos

To reach communities the Home Office has produced a DVD which features interviews with health professionals, survivors, campaigners, religious leaders and the NSPCC. This DVD will help supported advocates within communities, such as community leaders, to run educational sessions on FGM in trusted environments and to start conversations on the issue. This film is 8 minutes long. Please contact FGMEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk if you would like a copy. It is also available online:
Ending Female Genital Mutilation
In this short film, a survivor of FGM describes her experiences. Please note that this film has some content which viewers may find distressing.

The NHS has produced this 5-minute film ' FGM is child abuse ' about what FGM is and where to find help if you or someone you know is at risk of it.

These short, powerful animated films were developed by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in collaboration with:

the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)

the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP)

the Royal College of Nursing (RCN)

health visitors

survivors of FGM

non-governmental organisations

a variety of local community partners

They involved close working with survivors of FGM to ensure that the stories told through the animations remained true to the realities of surviving FGM. Two of the films focus on the role which men must play in ending FGM.

FORWARD has produced a number of films:

Uncomfortable conversations: A Letter to My Husband - this film explores the impact of FGM on women and the difficulty in having the 'uncomfortable conversation' around FGM in relationships. It was developed by FORWARD and AIDOS as part of the Building Bridges between Africa and Europe to tackle FGM/C project. (9 minutes)

The True Story of Ghati and Rhobi - the story of two girls resisting their community's practice of FGM. With the help of community elders, they change the way their community treats a girl's transition into womanhood by ending the practice. The film is also available in Swahili. (6 minutes)

My Body My Rules: FGM Animation - an animated film aimed at raising awareness of FGM amongst primary school aged children in the UK. It was developed by FORWARD and Animage Films. (4 minutes)

Needlecraft: FGM Animation - An animated film aimed at raising awareness of FGM amongst older audiences. Developed by FORWARD and Animage Films. Please note that this video contains some images which some viewers may find distressing. (4 minutes)

Think Again: The Film - this film follows a 12-year-old's struggle between family honour and the facts about FGM. On discovering that her mother wants to take her back home to be "cut" she explores the implications FGM has on her life and the misconceptions which explain why the practice persists in the 21st century. (8 minutes)

SafeHands have produced three short films which offer insight into reactions to FGM and can be used by facilitators working with young people in communities to highlight, inform and educate on FGM:

BBC Three has produced this film: 'Things Not To Say To FGM Survivors and Campaigners'.

The Kurdish and Middle Eastern Women's Organisation (KMEWO) has produced a DVD - "For honour and love" - which includes scenes about control in relationships ("Lost in translation"), female genital cutting ("The holiday"), forced marriages ("A family affair [part 1]") and "honour" killings ("A family affair [part 2]"). The DVD is supplied with a booklet, which provides a summary of the message of each scene, a number of discussion points for use with groups of young people, and suggestions for further discussion.

For copies, please contact KMEWO:

by telephone: (020 7263 1027 or 07748 851 125)

by email: info@kmewo.com or sawsan@kmewo.com

by post: Kurdish and Middle Eastern Women's Organisation (KMEWO), Caxton House, 129 St John's Way, London, N19 3RQ

The following two, longer, international films are also available:

See Section 13 for some further films designed specifically for schools.

18. Support organisations, helplines and clinics

Local FGM support services

To find FGM support near you, try the FGM help and advice postcode finder.

Helplines

NSPCC's FGM helpline: (see Section 8 for further details)

National honour-based abuse helpline, run by Karma Nirvana: 0800 5999 247

Clinics

This link provides details of the eight community-based National FGM Support Clinics, for adult women who are not pregnant. (See Section 12 for further information.)

Government services

The Home Office FGM Unit:

provides outreach support to local areas to support them in developing their local response to fighting FGM and to raise awareness of the unit

identifies and highlights examples of effective practice across local areas and professional groups

promotes (and provides on request) available FGM resources

provides a free e-learning course in FGM, which anybody can take: Recognising and preventing FGM

works with the police, Border Force, the Crown Prosecution Service and the College of Policing to improve the identification and prosecution of offenders

maintains an overview of all Government work to fight FGM and works closely with the voluntary and community sector, survivors and professionals to develop cross-cutting policies and processes.

If you are interested in receiving any outreach support or have any other queries, please email the FGM unit at fgmenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please note that the unit cannot deal with individual cases of FGM.

The Forced Marriage Unit is a joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Home Office unit which leads on the Government's forced marriage policy, outreach and casework. It operates both inside the UK, where support is provided to any individual, and overseas, where consular assistance is provided to British nationals, including dual nationals. The Forced Marriage Unit can also assist British nationals overseas who are at risk of FGM. The unit can be contacted on 020 7008 0151 (or, from overseas, 0044 20 7008 0151), or by emailing fmu@fco.gov.uk.

You can contact the Police.

Other organisations

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Female genital mutilation: resource pack

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This resource was developed in response to requests for clearer direction from central government about the safeguarding responsibilities of local authorities. It is designed to highlight examples from areas where effective practice has been identified and to emphasise what works in protecting survivors and those at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM).

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The National Crime Agency's CEOP Education team aim to help protect children and young people from online child sexual abuse.

We do this through our education programme, providing training, resources and information to professionals working with children, young people and their families.

I am:

Respecting me, you, us: building healthy relationships and creating positive cultures is a CEOP Education resource for 12 -14 year olds developed in association with clinical psychologist, Dr. Elly Hanson.

Under 18 and worried about online sexual abuse?
To report, click to visit the CEOP Safety Centre.

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The CEOP Education programme from the National Crime Agency's CEOP Education team aims to protect children and young people aged 4-18 from online child sexual abuse.

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Channel and PMAP are part of the Prevent strategy. The process is a multi-agency approach to identify and support individuals at risk of being drawn into terrorism.

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Channel/PMAP is a programme which focuses on providing support at an early stage to people who are identified as being vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism. Channel refers to panels operating in England and Wales, while PMAP operates in Scotland.

The programme uses a multi-agency approach to protect vulnerable people by:

identifying individuals at risk

assessing the nature and extent of that risk

developing the most appropriate support plan for the individuals concerned

Sections 36 to 41 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 set out the duty on local authorities and partners of local panels to provide support for people vulnerable to being drawn into any form of terrorism.

This guidance has been issued under sections 36(7) and 38(6) of the act to support panel members and partners of local panels.

The documents:

provide guidance for Channel panels and PMAPs

provide guidance for panel partners on panel delivery (that is, those authorities listed in Schedule 7 to the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 who are required to co-operate with panels and the police in carrying out their functions in Chapter 2 of Part 5 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015)

explain why people may be vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism and describes signs to look for

provide guidance on the support that can be provided to safeguard those at risk of being drawn into terrorism

Channel/PMAP may be appropriate for anyone who is vulnerable to being drawn into any form of terrorism. Channel/PMAP is about ensuring that vulnerable children and adults of any faith, ethnicity or background receive support before their vulnerabilities are exploited by those that would want them to embrace terrorism, and before they become involved in criminal terrorist activity.

Find out how your personal data is stored and used for Channel/PMAP.

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Channel and Prevent Multi-Agency Panel (PMAP) guidance

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Channel and PMAP are part of the Prevent strategy. The process is a multi-agency approach to identify and support individuals at risk of being drawn into terrorism.

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Guidance to help practitioners identify the signs of child abuse and neglect and understand what action to take.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

This guidance is for anyone who comes into contact with children and families while working, including:

social care practitioners

health practitioners

early years practitioners

school staff (both teaching and non-teaching)

police officers

local authorities

It applies to people working in the:

statutory sector (organisations set up, controlled and funded by the government)

voluntary sector (not for profit organisations)

independent sectors (organisations funded by the clients who use the service)

It explains:

the signs of abuse and neglect to look out for

the action to take if you think a child is being abused or neglected

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Child abuse concerns: guide for practitioners

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Guidance to help practitioners identify the signs of child abuse and neglect and understand what action to take.

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Safeguarding - Lincolnshire County Council

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Information from Lincolnshire County Council about schools, roads, jobs, registrars, recycling, childcare, social care, health, libraries, planning, emergencies and business.

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We’re Mind, the mental health charity | Mind

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We're Mind, the mental health charity. We're here to make sure no one has to face a mental health problem alone.

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Lincolnshire Safeguarding Policy and Procedures 

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Lincolnshire Safeguarding Policy and Procedures 

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If you believe that a child or adult may be a victim of neglect, abuse or cruelty call:

Children's safeguarding - 01522 782111 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm)

Adults safeguarding - 01522 782155 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm)

or 01522 782333 (outside office hours)

You do not need to know everything about the situation. You may just be worried or feel that something is not right.

If you believe that a crime has been committed and there is an immediate risk of danger, call the police on 999 or 112.

If there is no immediate danger, call the police on 101.

People who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired can use the police Typetalk service on:

If you have a concern about domestic abuse, call EDAN Lincs on 01522 510041.

To find out about advocacy, visit the Connect to Support Lincolnshire.

Child sexual exploitation

A confidential 24-hour helpline is available for children and young people who are worried they are in an exploitative situation.

Call or text free on 116 000 or visit the #SaySomething website.

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Report a safeguarding concern - Lincolnshire County Council

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Healthy Minds Professionals resource hub 

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Healthy Minds Professionals resource hub 

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We have created a Toolkit for education staff that explores how to help young people get the right support and coping skills to resolve their challenges. Education staff are ideally placed to listen to young people and identify emotional wellbeing problems, offer non-stigmatising advice and guidance, be positive adult role models and know when to refer for specialist support.

Find out more on how to do this by exploring the Education Toolkit webpage.

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We have created a Toolkit for education staff that explores how to help young people get the right support and coping skills to resolve their challenges. Education staff are ideally placed to listen to young people and identify emotional wellbeing problems, offer non-stigmatising advice and guidance, be positive adult role models and know when to refer for specialist support.

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Mentally Healthy Schools offers school staff and parents & carers, information, advice and practical resources to better understand and promote pupils' mental health and wellbeing.

The site is divided into five key sections:

Getting started: a guidance section for teachers and leaders to understand mental health and its place in school and college settings.

Resource library: quality-assured lesson plans, assembly plans and PSHE resources to support and assist in teaching and learning about general mental health and wellbeing as well as specific topics.

Risks and protective factors: a look at the issues which can undermine a child's mental health, including bullying, family breakdown and more. Includes information on identifying pupils who may be at risk and practical resources to help support and build resilience.

Mental health needs: focuses on the specific types of mental health difficulties children may struggle with. It helps school and college settings understand their role and what they can do to promote pupils' recovery.

Whole-school approach: helps school leaders develop the wider support across the school to help children, families and staff thrive.

You don't need to be a mental health expert to use Mentally Healthy Schools. The website gives primary, secondary and FE education staff the information and guidance they need to best support their pupils.
Mentally Healthy Schools is a legacy project of the Heads Together mental health campaign.

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Mentally Healthy Schools is a free website for all primary, secondary and FE settings across the UK.

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CLT - The 5 Core Principles to “The Behaviour Curriculum” - V2 MAY.pdf

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Statutory guidance for schools and colleges on safeguarding children and safer recruitment.

Details

This guidance applies to all schools and colleges and is for:

headteachers, teachers and staff

governing bodies, proprietors and management committees

It sets out the legal duties you must follow to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18 in schools and colleges.

All school and college staff should read part 1 of this guidance. Part 1 of the guidance is also available as a standalone document.

Statutory guidance sets out what schools must do to comply with the law.

Where the guidance states schools and colleges should do something, you should follow this unless you have a good reason not to.

'Regulated activity in relation to children: scope' describes work that a barred person must not do. We have also published guidance on disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006.

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Statutory guidance for schools and colleges on safeguarding children and safer recruitment.

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Government Bill- Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill 

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Government Bill- Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill 

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Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework

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The standards that school and childcare providers must meet for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5.

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School Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy 2025

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Flowchart- Reporting a safeguarding concern

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Responding to an online safety concern Flowchart  -  Read-Only

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Mental Health and Wellbeing slides sept' 25

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To be completed by all staff- Declaration of policies Sept ‘24

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To be completed by all staff- Declaration of policies Sept ‘24

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Children Missing Education Policy and Practice - January 24

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School Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy Sept. 2025