<aside> 🧒 Child safeguarding is one of the most important concepts in primary care. It is a clinical safety priority. Creating a healthcare system that actively safeguards children requires a holistic approach, with examination of every touchpoint between a child and the NHS where we can opportunistically screen for potential safeguarding concerns and ensure that signs of safeguarding concerns are not missed, such as during patient registration.
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“What is ‘safeguarding’ and why is it important to us?
Safeguarding means protecting a citizen’s health, wellbeing and human rights; enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. It is an integral part of providing high-quality health care. Safeguarding children, young people and adults is a collective responsibility.
Those most in need of protection include:
- Children and young people
- Adults at risk, such as those receiving care in their own home, people with physical, sensory and mental impairments, and those with learning disabilities.
All staff, whether they work in a hospital, a care home, in general practice, or in providing community care, and whether they are employed by a public sector, private, or not-for-profit organisation, have a responsibility to safeguard children and adults at risk of abuse or neglect in the NHS.”
**💬 [Quote from NHS England](https://www.england.nhs.uk/safeguarding/about/#:~:text=Safeguarding means protecting a citizen's,adults is a collective responsibility.)**
We have three dynamic registration form pathways for different age groups: