Who we work with

UK Government

We are sponsored and funded by the Department for Education. The Panel operates independently with its role, powers and responsibilities set out in legislation. We also work with other government departments, such as the Home Office, Department for Health and Social Care, and Ministry of Justice so our learning informs policy, guidance and system improvement.

National partners

We work with arm’s length bodies and specific organisations such as Ofsted, CQC and other inspectorates, NSPCC and other charities working with children and families, and key sector bodies such as the National Police Chief’s Council, NHS Safeguarding, The Association of Safeguarding Partners, and the Association of Directors of Children’s Services. These partners help ensure learning is shared consistently across services.

Local safeguarding partners

In England, the law states that the local authority, police, and health bodies are jointly responsible for keeping children safe in a local area. We work with safeguarding partners to support strong local arrangements and promote learning from serious incidents.

Pool of reviewers

The pool of reviewers consists of independent experts from consultancies, universities, and specialised centres who support national reviews through fieldwork, analysis, and thematic work.

Reviewers are appointed to individual national reviews through open and fair competition. If no suitable reviewer is available in the pool, the Panel may appoint an expert from outside it.