All children and young people have the right to be protected from abuse and exploitation and to have their health and welfare safeguarded.
Our new report ‘Not seen, not heard’ looks at how effectively health services provide early help to children in need, how they identify and protect children at risk of harm and looked-after children’s health and wellbeing. It reviews findings from 50 inspections across England as well as specific focus groups.
The report concludes that health professionals have improved how they assess risk and recognise safeguarding concerns, but services are not protecting and promoting children’s health and welfare consistently. More needs to be done to listen to and involve children in need in their care.
As well as the main report, we have published key points specifically for children and young people and short video. Find all these at www.cqc.org.uk/NotSeenNotHeard.
We owe it to the children. We must provide the support they deserve and the help they need to move forward with their lives.
Professor Steve Field, chief inspector of general practice