​​Staff member to lead on child protection

In a busy dental practice there are many important clinical governance issues competing for time and attention. Appointing an individual staff member to lead on child protection can be an effective way of ensuring that this issue is not overlooked.

You will need to:

• identify an appropriate person

• define their role.

The person

The child protection lead should be someone who:

• is a good listener

• has respect for confidential information

• is able to handle difficult or distressing issues sensitively

• thinks before taking action.

The child protection lead could be:

• a dentist or any other suitably trained member of the dental team.

Their role

The role of the child protection lead might include the following duties:

• keeping an up-to-date list of local contacts for child protection advice and referral

• making this information readily available to staff

• ensuring that LSCB/ACPC procedures are available and up-to-date

• organising staff training

• auditing practice

• keeping details of local sources of confidential emotional support for staff (this might be needed by staff who are involved in distressing child protection cases, or who have been abused themselves or observed abuse in their families).

See also Finding your local contacts for information to support these activities.

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