Reading List

This Reading List supports learning from the course Safeguarding Children in Optical Practice for UK registrants and emphasises practical, authoritative guidance for safe day-to-day decisions.

Core statutory guidance and law

• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 The statutory multi-agency framework for recognising, sharing and escalating concerns in England (Dec 2023).
• Children Act 1989 Primary legislation underpinning duties to safeguard children, including thresholds for significant harm.
• Children Act 2004 Establishes multi-agency responsibilities and Section 11 duties to safeguard and promote welfare.
• Report child abuse Official route to contact local authority children's social care or police when a child is at risk.

Professional standards for optical practice

• GOC Standard 11: Protect and safeguard patients, colleagues and others from harm Core professional duty for registrants to recognise risk and act to prevent harm in practice.
• GOC Speaking up: guidance for registrants Practical advice on raising concerns and whistleblowing when patient or public safety may be at risk (Aug 2025).
• College of Optometrists: Safeguarding children and adults at risk Profession-specific guidance and links to national safeguarding resources.
• RCOphth Abusive head trauma and the eye in infancy Ophthalmology guidance on retinal and ocular findings relevant to suspected physical abuse (Dec 2023).

Recognition and clinical guidance

• NICE guideline NG76: Child abuse and neglect National guidance on recognising and responding to abuse and neglect in under 18s.
• NICE guideline CG89: When to suspect child maltreatment Signs, patterns and differentials to support clinical suspicion and safe referral (last reviewed Jan 2024).
• NICE quality standard QS179: Child abuse and neglect Priority quality statements to improve recognition, referral and support pathways.
• RCPCH Child Protection Evidence: Retinal findings systematic review Evidence summary on ocular signs in abusive and non-abusive head trauma.

Information sharing and confidentiality

• Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners Non statutory guidance clarifying lawful, necessary and proportionate sharing to protect children (May 2024).
• ICO Data sharing and children Regulatory guidance on sharing children's personal data in the best interests of the child.
• ICO 10 step guide to sharing information to safeguard children Practical steps for deciding what to share and how to record lawful basis (Sep 2023).
• The Caldicott Principles Eight principles that govern confidential use and sharing of health and care information (Dec 2020).

Specific duties and risk areas

• Mandatory reporting of female genital mutilation Home Office guidance on the duty to report known FGM in under 18s to the police in England and Wales.
• Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 Section 5B Statutory duty for regulated professionals to notify the police when FGM appears to have been carried out on a girl under 18.
• Prevent duty guidance for healthcare professionals GOV.UK guidance on recognising vulnerability to radicalisation and routes for referral in health settings (Oct 2024).
• Modern Slavery statutory guidance Home Office guidance on identifying and supporting potential child victims of trafficking and exploitation.