Together for Childhood aims to provide help and support for children, young people and their families at the earliest possible stage.
Together for Childhood is an innovative, evidence-informed approach bringing local partners and families together to make our communities safer for children. Working collaboratively, agencies will develop and test effective approaches for preventing child abuse, drawing on examples of best practice from around the world.
The project will see children’s charity the NSPCC join forces with Plymouth City Council, Plymouth Safeguarding Children’s Partnership, safeguarding partner agencies such as police and health, community groups, fellow charities and the voluntary sector, schools and the wider public – with the aim of building a better future for young people by identifying and addressing problems at a local level in a truly integrated way.
Ernesettle
Ernesettle has been chosen as the pilot site for Together for Childhood, with a view to rolling out across the city eventually.
Ernesettle has been chosen because it’s a community that recognises that everyone has a part to play to prevent abuse from happening. It has a passion for keeping children safe and preventing child sexual abuse and there is already prevention work
being carried out there, with a thriving network of community groups carrying out vital work for children and families in the area.
Other parts of the country including Grimsby and Stoke On Trent already have established Together for Childhood programmes.
Key project areas are set to include working with communities and schools on early identification and support, providing direct services for children, young people and families, and public awareness campaigns. While it will build upon existing work and safeguarding relationships across the city, it aims to also forge new connections and opportunities too.
Find out more
You can find out more about Together for Childhood on the NSPCC website.
Support and help available in Plymouth
Report safeguarding concerns
Call 999 if the child is in real danger now.
If you're worried about a child or young person or think they're being abused, even if you're unsure, call 01752 668000 or email mash@plymouth.gov.uk. Outside of normal working hours call Plymouth Out of Hours Service on 01752 346984.
Referrals by professionals
Call 999 if the child is in real danger now.
If you're a professional with an urgent child protection concern, please make an immediate referral by calling the Multi-Agency Hub on 01752 305200 (or 01752 346984 out of hours) or email mash@plymouth.gov.uk.
You'll be asked to follow up your call by submitting an inter-agency referral form which you can download from the Plymouth Safeguarding Children Board website.
Devon and Cornwall Police
There are a range of resources on the Devon and Cornwall Police website.
Plymouth Safeguarding Children’s Partnership
The overall role of the Plymouth Safeguarding Children’s Partnership is to coordinate local work to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and to ensure the effectiveness of what the member organisations do individually and together.
The Plymouth Safeguarding Children Partnership is made up of a number of partner agencies as described within the Children Act 2004 and the Apprenticeship, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009.
Find out more on the Plymouth Safeguarding Children Partnership website.
Childline
The NSPCC’s Childline service provides a safe, confidential place for children with no one else to turn to, whatever their worry, whenever they need help. Children can contact Childline 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our free NSPCC helpline provides adults with a place they can get advice and support, share their concerns about a child or get general information about child protection. Adults can contact the helpline 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
You can call Childline on 0800 1111.
