Source Library — Where Our Guidance Comes From

When we make a claim on this site, we try to ground it in the highest-tier UK source available. That means we start with statute and regulators, then look to established UK safeguarding bodies, then health and education services, then specialist charities, and finally academic research. We work in this order so that the practical advice we give to parents, carers, and professionals is consistent with the guidance UK frontline services are already following.

The list below is the working library we draw on. Linking to a source is not the same as being endorsed by it. None of these organisations have reviewed, approved, or partnered with SafeChildGuide unless we explicitly say so on the page concerned.

Tier 1 — UK statutory and regulatory

These are our first-stop sources for anything legal, regulatory, or statutory. Their guidance carries the weight of law or formal regulation.

GOV.UK
The authoritative source for UK legislation, official guidance, and government services.
Department for Education
Authoritative for Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), school safeguarding policy, and statutory guidance.
Ofcom
The UK regulator for online safety under the Online Safety Act, plus broadcast and telecoms standards.
Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
Authoritative for UK data protection, children's privacy, and the Age Appropriate Design Code.

Tier 2 — UK safeguarding bodies

Long-established UK safeguarding organisations whose practice guidance informs frontline professionals and families.

NSPCC
The leading UK child protection charity — guidance for parents, carers, and professionals.
NSPCC Learning
Professional safeguarding training, briefings, and research summaries.
CEOP / Thinkuknow
The National Crime Agency's education programme on online child sexual abuse and exploitation.
Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
The UK hotline for reporting and removing child sexual abuse imagery online.
Childline
Free confidential support service for under-18s in the UK (0800 1111).
National Crime Agency (NCA)
UK lead on serious and organised crime, including child sexual exploitation and county lines.
Action Fraud
The UK reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime.

Tier 3 — UK health and education

Public-service bodies whose guidance shapes school practice, health advice, and digital literacy education.

NHS
Authoritative for health advice, mental health support, and signposting to UK services.
NHS England
Commissioning guidance and service standards across NHS England, including CAMHS.
UK Safer Internet Centre
National coordinator for online safety education, including Safer Internet Day.
Education Endowment Foundation
Evidence reviews and toolkits on what works in education, including SEND and digital learning.

Tier 4 — Reputable charities and clinical bodies

Specialist charities and clinical organisations whose guidance we draw on for specific risks, conditions, or audiences.

Samaritans
24/7 emotional support and authoritative media guidelines on reporting suicide and self-harm.
Mind
Plain-English mental health information for adults, including parents and carers.
YoungMinds
UK charity focused on children's and young people's mental health.
Anna Freud Centre
Clinical and research authority on children's mental health and school-based wellbeing.
Mencap
Authoritative on learning disability, including safeguarding considerations.
National Autistic Society
Authoritative on autism, sensory needs, and reasonable adjustments.
Brook
Specialist on young people's sexual health, relationships, and consent education.

Tier 5 — Academic and research

Peer-reviewed research and UK university centres for when we need primary evidence on a contested or emerging issue.

Oxford Internet Institute
Independent academic research on the social and policy implications of the internet.
LSE Media Policy Project
Research and commentary on media, children, and digital policy from the London School of Economics.
Peer-reviewed journals
We prefer studies published in peer-reviewed journals or by UK government research, citing the primary source where possible.

A note on this list

This list is not exhaustive and we update it as our research practice evolves. If you think a source belongs here that we have missed, let us know via the corrections page.