Safeguarding for children

Bubble is a community built on trust. It’s a place where sitters can find flexible, rewarding work, and where parents can feel confident in finding childcare that meets their family’s needs. We are deeply committed to supporting everyone who uses Bubble, and we are proud of the positive impact our platform has on both sitters and parents.

We also understand that, on occasion, concerns or challenges may arise. Knowing how to respond in these moments is essential, and we want sitters to feel informed, supported, and confident about what to do if something doesn’t feel right.

What is Safeguarding?

Every child has the right to feel safe and protected. No child should be at risk of harm, mistreatment, or abuse, and it’s essential that sitters are able to recognise potential risks and know how to respond when caring for children. This is known as safeguarding: the actions taken to promote children’s welfare and protect them from harm.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and sitters play a particularly important role. Being aware of the signs of potential danger and knowing what to do if something doesn’t feel right helps ensure children receive the care and protection they deserve.

If you are worried about a child’s welfare, it’s important to take those concerns seriously.

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child:

In an emergency where a child is in immediate danger, always call 999.
Contact Children and Family services when you have concerns about a child's safety or welfare even if it is not an immediate emergency.

London:
If you are concerned about a child’s welfare, contact the local authority Children and Family Services through their MASH teams (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hubs). Each London borough has a dedicated MASH team to support you.

You can find the right team by searching online for: “MASH [Name of London Borough]” and selecting the official gov.uk page.
Outside of London:
Every local council provides information on how Children’s Services operate. You can search online for: “Children’s services [Name of Local Council]” to find the official gov.uk page for your area.

On these pages, you will find contact details and instructions for reporting concerns about a child’s welfare.
Please let Bubble know, whether or not you have already made a referral. No concern is too small and it’s always better to be safe. You can contact us at support@joinbubble.com and ask to speak with our safeguarding team, who will be happy to listen, talk things through with you, make a record of your concern, and offer guidance on next steps.

We understand that raising a concern can feel difficult, and we are here to support you every step of the way. While we are always here to guide you through the process, making the referral yourself can be helpful as it allows you to share detailed information directly and supports effective triage, ensuring the most appropriate response to the concern.

Sometimes, you will be asked to fill out a form or provide information you might not have. That’s perfectly okay - just share the details you do have to the best of your ability.