Each step should be applied whether the initial contact is with an adult or a child, and should consider safeguarding duties across the whole system.
1. Recognise the wider family context
Start by recognising that individuals rarely live in isolation, so always consider the wider family context when working with a child, parent, or adult. Take a child‑centred, person-centred, whole‑family approach by recognising how the family and home environment shapes each person’s safety and wellbeing. This includes exploring who lives in the
home, family routines, relationships, and the wider ecological context.
2. Identify the Person’s Own Family Network
Identify who the person considers to be part of their family or key support network, recognising that “family” does not always mean blood relatives. Family means different things to different people, so explore who is important in their life and the roles, relationships and influence of significant others in the child’s, adult’s and family’s life.
Remember the importance of building positive, trusting relationships with family members.
3. Explore support provided by family members
Explore the support and/or unpaid care provided by family members, recognising both strengths and potential pressures. Assess whether these caring arrangements are appropriate, proportionate, and sustainable over time.
Make the impact of caring roles explicit, including:
adults who provide unpaid care
parent carers of disabled children
young carers
If an individual looks after a friend or relative who could not manage without their support, they are considered to be a ‘carer’. To find out more about what support is available for carers and making a carer’s referral if appropriate please follow this link.
4. Identify linked or overlapping difficulties
Use professional curiosity and consider whether people in the family are experiencing related or overlapping needs and challenges that may increase risk to children or other adults within the household or network, such as:
- Abuse or neglect including self-neglect
- Learning or physical disabilities ( SEND – Developmental considerations)
- Disability or Complex health needs and health conditions (including co-occurring conditions)
- Neurodivergence
- Domestic abuse and violence
- Mental health needs and conditions
- Poverty, social isolation or insecure housing
- Substance or alcohol misuse/addiction
These situations rarely sit in isolation and often require a joined up, multi agency response
5. Take a whole family approach
Recognise that each person’s needs, behaviours and outcomes affect others within the family system. Effective safeguarding relies on understanding how adult needs and circumstances impact the child’s lived experience, rather than considering adults and children in isolation.
Assessment and planning should clearly explain and record how adult needs and system responses increase or reduce risk for the child, focusing on whether change is meaningful and sustained. This ensures decision-making remains evidence-based and responsive to cumulative risk over time.
6. Work collaboratively across agencies
When we 'think family', we work jointly with other agencies to share responsibility - working collaboratively is not just about good information sharing, although sharing information is vital.
Identify which agencies are involved with each family member and make contact with them to let them know you are now involved and are ready to work collaboratively with them. Share information proportionately and appropriately including sharing any relevant multi-agency risk assessments. You may need to complete referrals/raise
concerns for other family members where this is appropriate. If you have a safeguarding concern about any family member, you have the responsibility to raise that concern - do not assume someone else will do it.
Ensure that services for children, young people, adults, and families coordinate their work, jointly, plan interventions where appropriate, share relevant information and avoid siloed practice. [See information on Information-sharing below]
Good collaborative multi-agency working looks like:
- Practitioners clearly identify all agencies involved with each family member
- Concerns are raised promptly where required through the appropriate channels
- Information is shared appropriately, in line with statutory expectations
- Agencies work collaboratively and jointly—going beyond information sharing to include shared risk assessments and collective responsibility for planning and decision-making
- Practitioners take responsibility and do not assume another agency will address a safeguarding concern
- Barriers to engagement are recorded, along with how they have influenced decisions about information sharing and risk management
- Concerns about professional disagreements between partner agencies should be escalated if required (see the SSAB Multi-Agency Escalation Policy/SSCP Professional Challenge and Escalation procedure 2026.)
7. Aim for long-term, sustainable change
Engage in outcome‑focused, ongoing support, not an isolated concern or short‑term intervention. Sustainable change is achieved through:
- Consistent multi‑agency collaboration
- Monitoring progress
- Supporting resilience and capability within the family
- Strengthening natural support networks
This whole‑family view enables families to improve their collective situation and maintain change.
