Reading List

Here is a curated Reading List to support and extend your learning from the Safeguarding Children and Adults at Risk: Level 2 for Non-Clinical Pharmacy Workers course. These resources align with UK safeguarding responsibilities for pharmacy support staff, including counter assistants, reception staff, delivery drivers, dispensers, and other non-clinical team members working in patient-facing pharmacy settings.

1. Core UK Safeguarding Frameworks

• GOV.UK – Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026
  The current multi-agency statutory guidance for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in England.
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2

• GOV.UK – Care and Support Statutory Guidance
  Key statutory guidance under the Care Act 2014, including adult safeguarding responsibilities and local authority duties.
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-statutory-guidance/care-and-support-statutory-guidance

• NHS England – Safeguarding Children, Young People and Adults at Risk in the NHS
  Explains safeguarding roles, responsibilities, and accountability across NHS-funded settings, useful for understanding how pharmacy teams fit into the wider system.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/safeguarding-children-young-people-and-adults-at-risk-in-the-nhs/

2. Pharmacy-Specific Safeguarding Practice

• CPPE – Safeguarding Children, Young People and Adults: Level 2 Case Studies for Pharmacy Professionals
  Pharmacy-focused learning resource that helps apply safeguarding knowledge to real-world pharmacy practice and reporting responsibilities.
  https://www.cppe.ac.uk/programmes/l/safegrding-e-04

• GPhC Pharmacy Inspections Knowledge Hub – Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults and Children
  A practical inspection-learning page highlighting safeguarding expectations in community pharmacy, including staff awareness and training.
  https://inspections.pharmacyregulation.org/knowledge-hub/notable-practice/safeguarding-vulnerable-adults-and-children-101

3. Recognising Concerns, Recording and Information Sharing

• NSPCC – Spotting the Signs of Child Abuse
  A practical guide to common warning signs of child abuse and neglect, helpful for staff who may only see children briefly in everyday pharmacy contact.
  https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/spotting-signs-child-abuse/

• GOV.UK – Information Sharing Advice for Safeguarding Practitioners
  Useful guidance on when and how information can be shared to protect children and support safeguarding action.
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-practitioners-information-sharing-advice

• GOV.UK – Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice
  Important background reading for understanding capacity, best interests, and decision-making when safeguarding adults at risk.
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-capacity-act-code-of-practice

• SCIE – What Are the Six Principles of Safeguarding?
  A clear summary of the six adult safeguarding principles: empowerment, prevention, proportionality, protection, partnership, and accountability.
  https://www.scie.org.uk/safeguarding/adults/introduction/six-principles/

4. Higher-Risk and Specialist Safeguarding Concerns

• GOV.UK – The Right to Choose: Government Guidance on Forced Marriage
  Multi-agency guidance on identifying and responding to forced marriage, relevant where coercion, control, or travel-related concerns arise.
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-right-to-choose-government-guidance-on-forced-marriage

• GOV.UK – Modern Slavery: How to Identify and Support Victims
  Statutory guidance describing indicators of modern slavery and trafficking, and the support and referral framework in the UK.
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/modern-slavery-how-to-identify-and-support-victims

• GOV.UK – Prevent Duty Guidance: England and Wales (2023)
  Explains the Prevent duty and the safeguarding approach to vulnerability to radicalisation.
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance

These resources are intended to strengthen your understanding of safeguarding in pharmacy practice and support safe, lawful, and confident action when concerns arise about a child, young person, or adult at risk.