A call for compassion on the rail network during mental health awareness week
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Date: 11/5/2026
WHAT IS CHILD PROTECTION AND SAFEGUARDING?
How we protect and safeguard vulnerable children from exploitation on transport networks.
Updated: 28th April 2026 | Author: Amy Wright
How does safeguarding relate to child protection?
At Railway Children, we aim to create a safer world for vulnerable children and empower them to sustain positive change in their lives.
Central to our work in India, Tanzania and the UK is identifying children who are experiencing or at risk of harm and taking action to keep them safe and supported long-term.
Safeguarding and child protection are terms often used interchangeably, but there are key differences between them.
While safeguarding takes a broader, preventative approach, child protection focuses more on responding to children who are already experiencing or are at risk of harm.
What is child safeguarding?
Safeguarding refers to the steps taken to ensure that children and young people are protected from abuse, neglect and exploitation, and that their wellbeing is actively promoted.
In relation to our work, this can include making train stations safer for young people and creating environments where children are protected while travelling.
Safeguarding responsibilities include:
- Preventing harm: taking action to stop abuse, neglect or exploitation before it occurs
- Creating safe environments: ensuring spaces children use are safe, including homes, schools, care settings and public transport
- Addressing concerns: responding quickly to signs that a child may be at risk
- Supporting wellbeing: promoting children’s physical and emotional health
What is child protection?
Child protection is closely linked to safeguarding but focuses specifically on children who are known or suspected to be experiencing harm or at risk of harm.
Child protection can include:
- Assessing risk: identifying whether a child is experiencing or at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation
- Interventions: putting protective measures in place, such as family support or specialist services
- Legal action: involving police or the justice system where necessary to protect a child
What are the similarities between safeguarding and child protection?
Safeguarding and child protection are closely connected and both play a vital role in protecting children’s wellbeing.
Importantly, both share the same goal: to ensure children are safe and supported.
Both approaches consider the wider context of a child’s life, including:
- Family circumstances
- School environment
- Exposure to risk
- Existing support or protection plans
- Involvement of statutory services
For example, if a child is at risk of exploitation, professionals will take a holistic view of their situation to understand the full range of risks and needs.
In the UK, safeguarding and child protection are underpinned by legislation and guidance that set out clear responsibilities for organisations and professionals.
Teachers, social workers, health professionals and youth practitioners all have a duty of care. They often work together to share information, identify risks and ensure appropriate safeguarding measures are in place.
How Railway Children safeguards children on transport networks
Many children use transport networks to escape difficult or unsafe situations, including abuse, neglect or family breakdown. Some may also be at risk of criminal or sexual exploitation, or struggling with poor mental health.
In the UK, our Safeguarding on Transport programme focuses on improving the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable children and young people using the transport network.
In Tanzania and India, our child help desks in train stations and bus terminals provide safe spaces where vulnerable children can receive immediate support. Our teams assess their situation and help connect them with longer-term care and protection.
We also train transport professionals and raise public awareness to create a network of ‘eyes and ears’ across transport systems. This helps ensure vulnerable children are identified quickly and appropriate action is taken.
A key part of this work is focusing on the places young people interact with outside the home — particularly rail and bus networks, where we know safeguarding concerns frequently arise.
Learn more
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