Have Your Say: Help Shape the Future of Support and Child Protection for Children

The Department for Education (DfE) is inviting children and young people, families, practitioners and anyone who works with or supports children and families to have their say on how children can be better supported and kept safe.

The consultation is looking at proposed changes to the framework around help, support and child protection, with a particular focus on how families can get the right help earlier and how the different professionals around a child can work together more effectively.

What does the consultation want to know?

The Department for Education wants to hear people's views and experiences, including ideas about how to:

• Help children and families access support earlier, before difficulties escalate.
• Improve partnership working between the adults and organisations supporting children, including teachers, health professionals, police and other services.
• Help professionals make informed decisions that keep children safe and ensure they receive appropriate support.
• Understand what is already working well and where changes or improvements may be needed.

Why should VCSE organisations get involved?

Voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations often work closely with children, young people and families and can have a valuable perspective on how support works in practice.

Grassroots organisations may also hear from families who find it difficult to access statutory services, or who seek support from their community before approaching other services.

This consultation is therefore an opportunity for the VCSE sector to contribute its experience and help ensure that future approaches to early help and child protection reflect what happens within communities.

Organisations working with children, young people, parents or carers are encouraged to respond themselves and share the consultation with the families and young people they support, where appropriate

Children, young people and families can have their say too

Importantly, this isn't just a consultation for professionals.

The DfE also wants to hear directly from children and young people and their families about what helps them feel supported and safe and what could work better.

There is a children and young people's version of the consultation available online.

Have your say

The consultation closes on 4 September 2026.

You can access the Department for Education consultation below

Improving help and child protection: revised framework – Children and young person's version

Please consider sharing the consultation through your organisation's networks, newsletters and social media, and directly with children, young people and families who may wish to contribute.

Your experience matters. By taking part, you can help inform how children and families are supported and how organisations work together to keep children safe.