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We are back with a new series of The P Pod after a short hiatus with today's episode with SSCP's Business Manager, Jasmine Wark where we bring you the key highlights of the changes that have been made in the recently published update to Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026.

If you'd like to find out more about the Families First Programme mentioned in this episode you can go to the SSCP website HERE, or check out the government information on the programme HERE.

Reflective Questions Based on this Episode to Encourage Team Discussions:

1) Seeing the whole child and family

In light of the stronger emphasis on Family Help and a whole‑family, child‑centred approach, how confident are we that children’s lived experiences are genuinely shaping our decisions—and what might we need to do differently to ensure this happens consistently in our day‑to‑day practice?
What does putting family-led practice at the heart of everything we do actually look like in how we engage and support families needs?

2) Curiosity, challenge and disproportionality

The guidance places stronger expectations on anti‑racist and anti‑discriminatory practice—how do we, as a team, create enough professional curiosity and psychological safety to recognise bias, challenge decisions (our own and others’), and address disproportionality when we see it?

3) Working better together when risks are complex

With clearer expectations about multi‑agency accountability and children experiencing multiple or hidden harms (such as CSA, domestic abuse, or harm outside the home), where do we work best together—and where do gaps in information‑sharing, thresholds or roles still create risk for children?

Further details of topics discussed can be found on the SSCP Website: somersetsafeguardingchildren.org.uk

If you have any comments or questions from this podcast, or would like to be involved in a future episode please get in touch at ThePPod@somerset.gov.uk

To access the transcript for this episode go to The P Pod (somersetsafeguardingchildren.org.uk) and click on the episode for details.