Safeguarding Children and Young People

Children and young people are among the most vulnerable members of society. We are committed to ensuring the wellbeing of children and young people through a vigorous and professional approach to investigation and we will work in partnership with other organisations to achieve our aims.

We will:

• ensure that investigating child abuse and safeguarding children and young people are regarded as a mainstream policing activity and is as important as the investigation of any other form of serious crime;
• investigate all reports of child abuse and neglect and protect the rights of children and young victims of crime;
• protect the lives of children and young people and ensure that in the policing of child abuse, the welfare of all children and young people is paramount;
• maintain a proactive multi agency approach, through e.g. Local Safeguarding Children Boards, to prevent and reduce abuse and neglect;
• take effective action against offenders so that they can be held accountable through the criminal justice system while safeguarding the welfare of children and young people;
• endeavour to prevent children and young people becoming victims as well as perpetrators of crime including the earliest possible referral for those at risk under the Every Child Matters: Change for Children programme;
• develop information systems which support information sharing both within the police service and with other agencies; and
• ensure the training needs of officers and staff are met through the National Policing Improvement Agency programme for Child Abuse Investigation and Safeguarding Children and other relevant national and local training initiatives.

If you have a query about crime management, please telephone 101 and ask for the Head of Crime Management.

Alternatively, you may write to West Yorkshire Police Headquarters, PO Box 9, Laburnum Road, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 3QP, England.