"The Future of Humanity and indeed all life on Earth depends on us". David Attenborough.

The Climate Child Protection and Safeguarding Team (CCPAST) recognises that children and young people are uniquely vulnerable to the threats and harms of the climate and ecological emergency. We are faced with the greatest threat to children in history. As parents and safeguarders, where do we begin? We start where the children are - with their community. This is where children need to see us protecting them.

Our child protection framework is based in the community and provides a way for us to keep children's needs at the centre at the local level.It supports us to ensure that our neighbourhoods mitigate and adapt appropriately to the risks and harms our children are exposed to as a result of the climate and ecological emergency.

CCPAST aims:

We are working to champion the recognition in the legal framework that children's needs are met not only by their family but by their community and environment.  It takes a village to raise a child.

We aim to provide structured guidance to apply the child protection framework to climate risks and harms in the child's world. This includes familiarisation with the overarching principles and values of the legislation, practical advice on making a referral, how to apply the assessment framework, what a climate-based child protection conference can look like, and developing an effective plan. This information is freely available on our website for professionals and communities to access and use to take child-centred action. We are in the process of developing workshops and other tools to inform and support.