Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined for the purposes of this guidance as:

• providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge

• protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online

• preventing the impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development

• ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care

• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

KCSIE, 2025