Concerned about a child?
Everyone has a responsibility to safeguard children, young people and adults who may be at risk of abuse. If you have a concern about the safety of a child or young person under the age of 18, you should talk to someone immediately.
Children's Safeguarding: You can contact us on 0191 520 5560 (Monday to Thursday, 8.30am to 5.00pm and Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm) or contact our Out of Hours team on 0191 520 5552 (available 24 hours Saturday and Sunday). Alternatively, you can email us at safeguarding.children@togetherforchildren.org.uk (secure email only).
Emergency Services: In an emergency, always call 999
Who can contact us?
Anyone can contact us, including:
- The person themselves
- Family members
- Friends and neighbours
- Members of the public
- Professionals
How to make a referral to Children's Services
You can contact us on 0191 520 5560 (Monday to Thursday, 8.30am to 5.00pm and Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm) or contact our Out of Hours team on 0191 520 5552 (available 24 hours Saturday and Sunday).
When making a referral, practitioners can identify a child/young person's level of need and indicate what the most appropriate referral pathway is to access and meet those needs by referencing the SSCP Multi Agency Guide to Our Thresholds of Need.
Advice and guidance about how and when to use Early Help paperwork, or on any other aspect of Early Help and Intervention, can be obtained from the Early Help Advice and Allocations team on 0191 561 4084, or by emailing EHAAT@togetherforchildren.org.uk
If you need to make a safeguarding referral about a child or young person who has been or might have be hurt or neglected, or who has significant vulnerabilities, please use the Together for Children - Sunderland Referral Form which can be emailed to Safeguarding.Children@togetherforchildren.org.uk.
Information and Screening Tools
If you have a concern or allegation about a professional (including volunteers) who works with children and young people and the way they have behaved towards a child, please contact the Designated Officer.
Missing, Sexually Exploited and Trafficked (MSET)
Professionals are able to evaluate the level of risks faced by a young person and whether to make a referral to the SSCP Missing, Slavery, Exploited and Trafficked (MSET) Operational Group. The North & South of Tyne Framework for Screening, Assessment, Safeguarding and Disruption, and Review Missing, Slavery, Exploited and Trafficked Tool can be used to support professionals in assessing whether a young person is at 'high', 'medium' or 'lower' risk of becoming Missing, Sexually Exploited or Trafficked. It will also provide a means of measuring whether the risk to a young person is increasing or decreasing and therefore put effective measures in place to try to manage this.
