Reading List

A focused Reading List to support and extend your learning from the Safeguarding Children for Clinical Pharmacy Staff course.

These resources are intended for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in clinical, patient-facing roles. Some are UK-wide and some apply to England specifically; consult your own national guidance and local procedures where relevant.

1. Core Child Safeguarding Frameworks and Level 3 Standards

• GOV.UK - Working together to safeguard children
  The current statutory guidance on multi-agency working to help, support, and protect children in England, including the latest 2026 update.
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2

• NHS England - Safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk in the NHS
  The safeguarding accountability and assurance framework for NHS organisations in England, covering roles, governance, information sharing, mandatory reporting, and system responsibilities.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/safeguarding-children-young-people-and-adults-at-risk-in-the-nhs/

• RCPCH Child Health Safeguarding Portal - Level 3 competencies
  Intercollegiate Level 3 competencies for healthcare staff delivering clinical services to under-18s, including safeguarding judgement, escalation, documentation, and multi-agency contribution.
  https://child-health-safeguarding.rcpch.ac.uk/competencies/level-3/

2. Clinical and Pharmacy-Specific Safeguarding Practice

• NICE - Child maltreatment: when to suspect maltreatment in under 18s
  A clinical guideline for recognising signs and alerting features of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, neglect, and fabricated or induced illness.
  https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg89

• CPPE - Safeguarding
  Pharmacy-focused learning and reference material, including current training expectations and links to nationally recognised safeguarding frameworks for pharmacy professionals.
  https://www.cppe.ac.uk/services/safeguarding

• GPhC Knowledge Hub - Safeguarding vulnerable adults and children
  A regulatory learning example highlighting why safeguarding awareness, training, and clear local procedures matter in everyday pharmacy practice.
  https://inspections.pharmacyregulation.org/knowledge-hub/notable-practice/safeguarding-vulnerable-adults-and-children-101

3. Information Sharing, Documentation and Professional Responsibilities

• GOV.UK - Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners
  Practical guidance on when and how information can be shared to protect children, covering consent, confidentiality, proportionality, and lawful decision-making.
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-practitioners-information-sharing-advice

• GMC - Protecting children and young people
  Professional guidance on child protection responsibilities for clinicians, including confidentiality, information sharing, communication, records, examinations, and multi-agency working.
  https://www.gmc-uk.org/professional-standards/the-professional-standards/protecting-children-and-young-people

4. Higher-Risk and Specialist Safeguarding Concerns

• GOV.UK - Multi-agency statutory guidance on female genital mutilation
  Official guidance for professionals on recognising FGM risk, statutory duties, and appropriate responses to concerns.
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/multi-agency-statutory-guidance-on-female-genital-mutilation/multi-agency-statutory-guidance-on-female-genital-mutilation-accessible-version

• GOV.UK - Forced marriage
  Government guidance on protecting, advising, and supporting victims or potential victims of forced marriage, with multi-agency information for professionals.
  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/forced-marriage

• GOV.UK - Modern slavery: how to identify and support victims
  Statutory guidance on signs of trafficking and modern slavery, support pathways, and safeguarding potential victims, including children.
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/modern-slavery-how-to-identify-and-support-victims

• GOV.UK - Prevent duty: guidance for healthcare professionals
  Healthcare-specific guidance on the Prevent duty, signs of radicalisation, training, and how to raise and progress concerns safely.
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance-for-healthcare-professionals

Use these sources to support safer judgement, accurate recording, and effective multi-agency contribution at Level 3 safeguarding.