Carmarthenshire marks National Safeguarding Week

Carmarthenshire County Council is marking National Safeguarding Week (9-13 November) by highlighting the collective responsibility to protect and support children, young people and adults who may be at risk of harm.

Throughout the week, the County Council is raising awareness of safeguarding and reinforcing the message that "Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility”.

This includes the launch of the Through the Doors report, a research project involving more than 200 young people across Carmarthenshire, designed to better understand school attendance through the voices and lived experiences of children and young people. The launch of the report is accompanied by The My Lived Experience exhibition which highlights the important link between school attendance, wellbeing, belonging and access to support.

The My Lived Experience Exhibition is available to view from Monday 9 November until Thursday 12 November at Canolfan Pentre Awel, Llanelli. Staff are available from 10am until 3pm at Pentre Awel to provide further information.

 Both the report and project will help professionals to better understand the experiences behind attendance concerns and the role they can play in safeguarding young people.

Carmarthenshire County Council staff are also taking part in a range of safeguarding learning opportunities throughout the week. These include sessions on speaking to children about sexual abuse, recognising signs and indicators of abuse, applying child sexual abuse response pathways in practice, mentoring young people, and understanding the role of medical examinations within safeguarding investigations.

 There are also national events taking place throughout the week. More information is available on the Cysur website.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services, Children and Families, Cllr Jane Tremlett, said: 

We all have a role to play in promoting wellbeing, recognising when someone may be at risk and taking appropriate action to ensure children, young people and adults receive the support and protection they need.

By continuing to strengthen knowledge, confidence and professional practice across all our services, we can ensure safeguarding remains at the forefront of every role and every decision, helping to create safer outcomes for people and communities throughout Carmarthenshire."

National Safeguarding Week provides an opportunity to celebrate good practice, share learning and encourage conversations about how organisations and communities can work together to keep people safe.