The early findings from a review of child protection arrangements in Wales has been published today

The purpose of the review is to determine to what extent the current structures and processes in Wales ensure children are appropriately placed on, and removed from, the Child Protection Register (when sufficient evidence indicates it is safe to do so).

Gillian Baranski, Chief Inspector at CIW explained the approach they have taken to date and why this work is so important.

We have chosen to publish these early interim findings in order to share learning and promote best practice at the earliest possible opportunity. These initial findings have been shaped by feedback from peers in education, police, health, and regional safeguarding boards as well as talking directly to children and young people who are or have been on the child protection register. This consultation work is ongoing, and we are particularly keen to hear more from those children and young people.

This collaborative approach highlights the fact safeguarding is everybody’s business. As inspectorates, we wanted to work together to get a holistic picture of current practice across Wales and to identify together what is working well and where there’s room for improvement. The initial findings have shown good practice exists however this needs to be applied consistently both locally and nationally. We need to ensure that the voice of the child is central to decision making.

The inspectorates are encouraging practitioners from across Wales who are involved in safeguarding and child protection to take forward and learn from these early findings, to strengthen work with children and young people in the immediate and longer term.

The full report, which is one of several pieces of work relating to the safeguarding of children, will be published in autumn 2023.