3.16 Unborn Baby Safeguarding Protocol
Revised and updated for 2021, the HIPS Unborn/New born baby protocol sets out how to respond to concerns for unborn babies with an emphasis on clear and regular communications between professionals working with the pregnant person and their family where risk is identified. Unlike many safeguarding situations the antenatal period gives a window of opportunity before the baby arrives for practitioners and families to work together to:
- Form relationships
- To identify protective factors as well as risk and vulnerabilities
- To agree a multi-agency safety planning for the unborn / new born baby.
This multi-agency protocol provides a robust framework for responding to safeguarding concerns and safety planning by practitioners working together, with families, to safeguard the baby before, during and following birth. This protocol applies across Hampshire Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton.
The latest version of this protocol now includes a number of updates and new tools to assist practitioners in utilising the UBB protocol. These include;
- A one minute guide
- The full protocol
- Concealed pregnancy guidance
- An information sharing flow chart
- Final information sharing form
- Interactive risk assessment pathways
- A pre and post birth safeguarding plan template
- A flowchart to accompany the pre and post birth safeguarding plan template
- A parenting observation tool