Working Together to Safeguard Children

1 You can download this publication at publications&ProductId=DCSF-00305-2010 Search using ref: DCSF-00305-2010 Copies of this publication can be obtained from:DCSF PublicationsPO Box 5050 Sherwood ParkAnnesleyNottingham NG15 0 DJTel: 0845 60 222 60 Fax: 0845 60 333 60 Textphone: 0845 60 555 60 Please quote the ref: 00305-2010 DOM-ENISBN: 978-1-84775-715-9D16(8643)/0310 Crown copyright 2010 The text in this document (excluding the Royal Arms and other departmental or agency logos) may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium providing it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and the title of the document specified. Where we have identified any third party copyright material you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders any other use of this material please contact the Office of Public Sector Information, Information Policy Team, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU or e-mail: 2010 Working Together to Safeguard ChildrenA guide to inter-agency Working to Safeguard and promote the welfare of childrenWorking Together to Safeguard Children A guide to inter-agency Working to Safeguard and promote the welfare of children8643-DCSF- Working Together to 101/04/2010 09.

2 53 March 2010 Working Together to Safeguard ChildrenA guide to inter-agency Working to Safeguard and promote the welfare of children1A guide to inter-agency Working to Safeguard and promote the welfare of childrenContentsWorking Together to Safeguard Children : Executive Summary 7 Introduction 7 Part 1: Statutory guidance 8 Part 2: Non-statutory practice guidance 18 Preface 22 Introduction 22 Purpose of the document and who should read it 22 Content of this guidance 24 Other related guidance 24 Status of the document as statutory guidance 25 When does the guidance apply? 26 Glossary 27 Part 1: Statutory Guidance 28 Chapter 1 Introduction: Working Together to Safeguard and promote the welfare of Children and families 29 Supporting Children and families 29 Parenting, family life and services 29 Lord Laming s progress report 30 The Government s response 30An integrated approach 31A shared responsibility 31 The child in focus 32 Key definitions 34 Chapter 2 Roles and responsibilities 40 Introduction 40 The statutory framework within which organisations operate 40 Infrastructure and governance to deliver safeguarding responsibilities 42 Information sharing 43 ContactPoint 44 Common Assessment Framework (CAF)

3 44 Local authorities that are Children s services authorities 45 Other local authority roles 48 Health services 512 Working Together to Safeguard ChildrenHealth organisations 52 Roles of different health services 60 Health professionals 67 Criminal justice organisations 70 Schools and further education institutions 78 Early years services 80 Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) 81 The armed services 82 The voluntary and private sectors 84 Faith communities 86 Chapter 3 Local Safeguarding Children Boards 88 LSCB role 88 Scope of the LSCB 89 LSCB functions 90 Other policies and procedures 93 LSCB governance and operational arrangements 99 Membership of an LSCB 102 Chapter 4 Training, development and supervision for inter-agency Working 113 Introduction and definitions 113 Purpose 114 Roles and responsibilities 114 Content, audiences and values 118 Planning, organisation, delivery and evaluation 121 Effective support and supervision 123 Table 1.

4 Suggested training for different target groups 126 Chapter 5 Managing individual cases where there are concerns about a child s safety and welfare 133 Introduction 133 Working with Children when there are concerns about their safety and welfare 133 Principles underpinning work to Safeguard and promote the welfare of Children 134 The processes for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of Children 137 The welfare of unborn Children 140 Referrals to local authority Children s social care where there are concerns about a child s safety or welfare 140 Response of local authority Children s social care to a referral 144 Initial assessment 1463A guide to inter-agency Working to Safeguard and promote the welfare of childrenNext steps child in need but no suspected actual or likely significant harm 150 Next steps suspicion that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm 151 Immediate protection 152 Strategy discussion 153 Section 47 enquiries and core assessment 155 Child Assessment Orders 158 The impact of section 47 enquiries on the family and child 159 The outcome of section 47 enquiries 159 Concerns are not substantiated 160 Concerns are substantiated, but the child is not judged to be continuing to, or be likely to, suffer significant harm 160 Concerns are substantiated and the child is judged to be continuing to, or be likely to.

5 Suffer significant harm 162 The initial child protection conference 162 Action following the initial child protection conference 172 Completion of the core assessment 174 The child protection plan 175 Intervention 176 The child protection review conference 179 Discontinuing the child protection plan 180 Children looked after by the local authority 181 Pre-birth child protection conferences and reviews 182 Recording that a child is the subject of a child protection plan 182 Managing and providing information about a child 183 Recording in individual case records 184 Request for a change of worker 185 Chapter 6 Supplementary guidance on safeguarding and promoting the welfare of Children 191 Introduction 191 Sexually exploited Children 191 Children affected by gang activity 192 Fabricated or induced illness (FII) 192 Investigating complex (organised or multiple) abuse 194 Female genital mutilation 195 Forced marriage and honour-based violence 196 Allegations of abuse made against a person who works with Children 199 Abuse of disabled Children 201 Child abuse linked to belief in spirit possession 204 Child victims of trafficking 2044 Working Together to Safeguard ChildrenChapter 7 Child death review processes 208 Introduction 208 Overall principles 209 Involvement of parents and family members (for all child deaths) 209 The Regulations relating to child deaths 210 Supply of information about child deaths by registrars 211 Duty and powers of coroners to share information 212 Duty and powers of Medical Examiners (MEs)

6 To share information 212 Definition of an unexpected death of a child 212 Definition of preventable child deaths 213 LSCB responsibilities for the child death review processes 213 Procedures to be followed by the local Child Death Overview Panel (for all child deaths) 215 The process to be followed by Child Death Overview Panels (for all child deaths) 217 Roles and responsibilities when responding rapidly to an unexpected death of a child 220 Other related processes 221 Processes for a rapid response from professionals to all unexpected deaths of Children (0 18 years) 223 Use of child death information to prevent future deaths 231 Chapter 8 Serious case reviews 233 Reviewing and investigative functions of Local Safeguarding Children Boards 233 The purposes of Serious Case Reviews 234 Safeguarding siblings or other Children 234 When should a LSCB undertake a Serious Case Review?

7 235 When should a LSCB consider undertaking a Serious Case Review? 235 Which LSCB should take lead responsibility? 237 Membership of SCR sub-committees and SCR Panels 237 Instigating a Serious Case Review 238 Timescales for initiating and undertaking a Serious Case Review 241 Who should be involved in the Serious Case Review? 242 Individual management reviews general principles 243 The Serious Case Review overview report 247 SCR Panel responsibilities for the overview report 248 The executive summary 249 LSCB action on receiving the Serious Case Review report 251 Reviewing institutional abuse 252 Accountability and disclosure 253 Learning lessons locally 254 Learning lessons nationally 2555A guide to inter-agency Working to Safeguard and promote the welfare of childrenPart 2: Non-statutory practice guidance 257 Chapter 9 Lessons from research 258 Introduction 258 The impact of maltreatment on Children 258 Physical abuse 259 Emotional abuse 260 Sexual abuse 260 Neglect 260 Sources of stress for Children and families 261 Social exclusion 262 Domestic violence 262 Mental illness of a parent or carer 265 Parental problem drug use 269 Parental problem alcohol use 274 Parents with a Learning Disability 278 Chapter 10 Implementing the principles on Working with Children and their families 284 Introduction 284 Family group conferences 284 Support, advice and advocacy to Children and families 285 Communication and information 286 Race.

8 Ethnicity and culture 286 Children in Families at risk having very poor outcomes 287 Think Family practice 288 Effectiveness of parenting and family interventions 289 Working with fathers 290 Family Intervention Projects 290 Family Nurse Partnership 291 Chapter 11 Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of Children who may be particularly vulnerable 292 Introduction 292 Children living away from home 292 Abuse by Children and young people 302 Children whose behaviour indicates a lack of parental control 307 Race and racism 308 Violent extremism 309 Domestic violence 310 Child abuse and information communication technology (ICT) 315 Children with families whose whereabouts are unknown 3166 Working Together to Safeguard ChildrenChildren who go missing 316 Children who go missing from education 317 Children of families living in temporary accommodation 319 Migrant Children 319 Unaccompanied asylum-seeking Children (UASC) 319 Chapter 12 Managing individuals who pose a risk of harm to Children 322 Introduction 322 Collaborative Working 322 Use of the term Schedule One offender 322 New offences targeted at those who sexually exploit Children and young people 324 Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA)

9 324 Other processes and mechanisms 328 AppendicesAppendix 1 Statutory framework 336 Appendix 2 Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need 344 Appendix 3 Using standardised assessment tools to evidence assessment and decision making 350 Appendix 4 MOD child protection contacts 353 Appendix 5 Procedures for managing allegations against people who work with Children 356 Appendix 6 Faith community contacts and resources 366 Appendix 7 A guide to acronyms in the document 368 References and internet links 3717A guide to inter-agency Working to Safeguard and promote the welfare of childrenWorking Together to Safeguard Children : Executive SummaryIntroductionWorking Together sets out how organisations and individuals should work Together to Safeguard and promote the welfare of Children and young people in accordance with the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004.

10 It is important that all practitioners Working to Safeguard Children and young people understand fully their responsibilities and duties as set out in primary legislation and associated regulations and guidance was most recently updated in 2006. This latest revision follows the publication of Lord Laming s report, The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report, in March 2009, the acceptance by the Government of all of his recommendations and the Government s detailed response and action plan published in May 2009. Many of Lord Laming s recommendations are reflected in or given effect by this revised guidance. It has also been updated to reflect developments in legislation, policy and practice relating to safeguarding Together is addressed to practitioners and frontline managers who have particular responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of Children , a