Reporting Safeguarding Concerns in Northern Ireland

Practitioners working with children and young people in Northern Ireland must follow established procedures when reporting safeguarding concerns. The primary source of guidance is Co-operating to Safeguard Children and Young People in Northern Ireland This framework outlines the responsibilities of individuals and organisations across statutory, voluntary, and community sectors in identifying and responding to child protection issues.

For operational detail, practitioners should refer to the Regional Core Child Protection Policies and Procedures for Northern Ireland (SBNI, 2017). This manual provides step-by-step guidance on responding to abuse and neglect, making referrals, and managing child protection case conferences.

In assessing the needs of children and young people, determining whether a referral to children’s services is required, professionals should use the “Understanding the Needs of Children in Northern Ireland (UNOCINI) framework”. The completion or part completion of the UNOCINI documentation is NOT a prerequisite to make a referral to Children’s Social Care Services. If there is a concern that a child or young person may be a potential victim of CCE it is important that that concern is shared as early as possible and arrangements followed for sharing of information.

The UNOCINI framework offers a structured approach to assessing a child or young person’s developmental needs, parental capacity, and environmental factors. It also includes thresholds of need and guidance on when and how to refer a child to the Health and Social Care Trust Gateway Services. Further guidance documents are referred to in the section “Legal and Policy Context.”