What to do if you're worried about a child

If a child is at immediate risk of harm

  • call the Police on 999

If you have a concern about a child

Please call –

  • the Children and Family’s First Response Service via Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000 Monday-Friday 9am-5pm, or
  • the Police on 020 8556 8855, at any time

Social work emergencies outside office hours at weekends and on public holidays

  • Outside working hours and at weekends, call Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.

    An out of hours emergency duty social worker will be contacted who will call you back.

Child Protection

The Child Protection and Review Service

Children in Waltham Forest who are Looked After or the subject of a Child Protection Plan, will have their Care or Protection Plans overseen by staff from the Child Protection and Review Service.

Children the subject of a Child Protection Conference and a Child Protection Plan

To view the following information leaflets in PDF format click on the relevant link

Some of these documents are in PDF format . To view them you may need to download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Local Safeguarding Children's Board

Visit the Waltham Forest's Local Safeguarding Children's web pages.