Working Together to Safeguard Children - NSCB

1 Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 1 Working Together to Safeguard Children A guide to inter-agency Working to Safeguard and promote the welfare of Children HM Government 2006 Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 2 Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 i Contents Executive Summary iv Preface xxi Background and How to Read the Document xxi Purpose of the Document and who should Read it xxi Content of this Guidance xxii Other Related Guidance xxiii Status of the Document as Statutory Guidance xxiv Glossary xxvii Part One Statutory Guidance 1 Working Together to Safeguard and Promote 1 the Welfare of Children and Families Supporting Children and Families 1 Parenting, Family Life, and Services 1 The Inquiry into the Death of Victoria Climbi.

2 2 and the Chief Inspectors Safeguarding Reports The Government s Response 2 An Integrated Approach 3 A Shared Responsibility 3 Key Definitions and Concepts 4 2 Roles and Responsibilities 10 Statutory Duties 10 Common Features 11 Local Authorities that are Children s Services Authorities 12 Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 ii Other Local Authority Roles 14 Health Services: The impact that abuse 16 and neglect have on Children s development Health Organisations 20 Health Professionals 24 Health Services.

3 Universal Services General Practitioner, the Primary Health Care Team, 27 Practice Employed Staff and School Nurses The Police 31 Probation Services 33 Prisons 34 Secure Estate for Children and Young People 35 Juvenile Young Offender Institutions 35 Secure Training Centres 36 Youth Offending Teams 36 Services Provided Under section 114 of the 37 Learning and Skills Act 2000 (The Connexions Service) Schools and Further Education Institutions 38 Childcare Services 40 Children and Family Court Advisory and 40 Support Service (CAFCASS)

4 The Armed Services 41 The Voluntary and Private Sectors 43 Faith Communities 44 2 Local Safeguarding Children Boards 46 Introduction 46 LSCB Role 46 Objectives 47 Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 iii Scope of the Role 48 Accountability for Operational Work 50 LSCB Functions 50 Policies and Procedures 50 Other Policies and Procedures 52 Communicating and Raising Awareness 53 Monitoring and Evaluation 53 Function of participating in Planning and 54 Commissioning Functions Relating to Child Deaths 54 Serious Case Review Function 54 Other Activities

5 55 LSCB Governance and Operational Arrangements 55 Membership 57 Ways of Working 60 Financing and Staffing 61 Planning 63 Monitoring and Inspection 63 4 Training and Development for Inter-Agency Work 65 Introduction and Definitions 65 Purpose 65 Role of Employers 66 Role of the Children s Trust 66 Role of the LSCB 67 Ensuring Effective Training 68 Content and Audiences 69 Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 iv Success Factors 70 Quality Assurance and Evaluation 72 5 Managing Individual Cases 73 Introduction 73 Working with Children about Whom there are 73 Child Welfare Concerns Principles

6 Underpinning Work to Safeguard 74 and Promote the Welfare of Children The Processes for Safeguarding and Promoting the 76 Welfare of Children Being Alert to Children s Welfare 76 The Welfare of Unborn Children 78 Referrals to LA Children s Social care Where 78 There are Child Welfare Concerns Responding to Child Welfare Concerns Where 79 There is or may be an Alleged Crime Allegations of Harm Arising from Underage Sexual 80 Activity Response of Local Authority Children s Social 81 Care to a Referral Initial Assessment 83 Next Steps Child in Need but No 86 Suspected Actual or Likely Significant Harm Next Steps Child in Need and Suspected Actual or 88 Likely Significant Harm Immediate Protection 89 Strategy Discussion 90 Section 47 Enquiries and Core Assessment 92 Child Assessment Orders 94 The Impact of S47 Enquiries on the Family and Child 94 Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 v The Outcome of S47 Enquiries 94 Concerns are not Substantiated 95 Concerns are Substantiated.

7 But the Child is not 95 Judged to be at Continuing Risk of Significant Harm Concerns are Substantiated and the Child is 96 Judged to be at Continuing Risk of Significant Harm The Initial Child Protection Conference 97 Action Following the Initial Child Protection Conference 104 The Child Protection Review Conference 109 Children Looked After by the Local Authority 110 Pre - Birth Child Protection Conferences 111 and reviews Recording that a Child is the Subject of 111 a Child Protection Plan Managing and Providing Information About a Child 112 Recording 113 Request for a Change of Worker 113 Effective Support and Supervision 113 6 Supplementary Guidance on Safeguarding and 120 Promoting the Welfare of Children Introduction 120 Children Abused Through Prostitution 120 Fabricated or Induced Illness 121 Investigating Complex (Organised or Multiple Abuse)

8 122 Female Genital Mutilation 123 Forced Marriage 124 Allegations of Abuse Made Against a Person Who 125 Works With Children Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 vi 7 Child Death Review Processes 128 Introduction 128 Overall Principles 128 The Regulations Relating to Child deaths 128 Definition of an Unexpected Death of a Child 129 LSCB Responsibilities for the Child Death Review 129 Processes Other Related Processes 131 Roles and Responsibilities when Responding Rapidly 131 to an Unexpected Death of a Child Procedures for a Rapid Response from Professionals 132 To all Unexpected Deaths of Children (0-18 years) Reviewing deaths of all Children 138 8 Reviewing and Investigating Individual Cases: 142 Serious Case Reviews.

9 Reviewing and Investigative Functions of LSCBs 142 Serious Case Reviews 142 The Purpose of Serious Case Reviews 142 When Should a LSCB Undertake a Serious 143 Case Review Investigating a Serious Case Review 144 The LSCB Overview Report 150 LSCB Action on Receiving Reports 151 Reviewing Institutional Abuse 152 Accountability and Disclosure 152 Learning Lessons Locally 153 Learning Lessons Nationally 154 Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 vii Part Two Non-Statutory Practice Guidance 9 Lessons from Research and Inspection 156 Introduction 156 The Maltreatment on Children 156 Sources of Stress for Children and Families 158 10 Implementing the Principles on Working with 162 Children and their Families Introduction 162 Family Conferences 162

10 Support, Advice and Advocacy to Children and Families 163