Unit 508 Develop and Implement Policies and Procedures

Unit 508 Develop and implement policies and procedures to support the safeguarding of children and young people.

1. Understand the impact of current legislation that underpins the safeguarding of children and young people. 2.1 (CCLD Unit 2 – Support policies and practice to safeguard children and ensure their inclusion and well being). 2.2 (CCLD Unit 2 – Support policies and practice to safeguard children and ensure their inclusion and well being). 2.3 (CCLD Unit 2 – Support policies and practice to safeguard children and ensure their inclusion and well being). 2.4 (CCLD Unit 2 – Support policies and practice to safeguard children and ensure their inclusion and well being).

The young people , have the availability to call , Voice of a child whenever they would like. They can do this in a confidential setting, so they are able to express any concerns in private. If a young person is un happy with decisions that have been made about them or their care, they can call to speak to an advocate. The advocate will help ensure that they are listened to and that their views are taken seriously. An advocate can help the young people if: * They want support at reviews or other meetings * They don't like the plans that have been made about them * They want to complain
Young People resident at have access to numerous supports, advocates, and complaints processes. We also aim to work alongside placing authorities to work with local advocacy services.
NCC Participation and Advocacy Officers
Anya Proud and Robin Craig are available for looked after young people who need advice, support or information. Young people can also express their views about the services they receive
The Client Relations Officer based at County hall also offers independent support to Young People. also benefits from regular visits from an Action for Children advocate, contact details are:
We also have an internal comments, suggestions and complaints system that can be accessed by young people, family members or placing authorities. If you wish to use this service please contact one of the registered managers.

2. Be able to support the review of policies and procedures for safeguarding children and young people. 3.5 What is the purpose of a Serious Case Review?

RATIONALE FOR SERIOUS CASE REVIEW (SCR)
1.1.1 Regulation 5 of the Local Safeguarding Children Board Regulations 2006 requires Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) to undertake reviews of serious cases in accordance with procedures set out in chapter 8 of
Working Together to Safeguard Children (2006). * When a child dies, and abuse or neglect is known or suspected to be a factor in the death, the LSCB should conduct a Serious Case Review (SCR) into the involvement that organisations and professionals had with that child and their family.

The purpose of an SCR is to:
ƒ ‘Establish whether there are lessons to be learned from the case about the way in which local professionals and organisations work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children Identify clearly what those lessons are, how they will be acted upon, and what is expected to change as a result and As a consequence, improve inter-agency working and better safeguard and promote the welfare of children’ Working Together to Safeguard Children (2006),

Serious case reviews are not inquiries into how a child died or who is culpable; these are matters for coroners and the criminal courts, respectively The purpose of a Serious Case Review is to: * “establish whether there are lessons to be learnt from the case about the way in which local professionals and organisations work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children * identify clearly what those lessons are both within and between agencies, how and within what timescales they will be acted on, and what is expected to change as a result; and * improve intra- and inter-agency working and better safeguard and promote the welfare of children”

Who undertakes a Serious Case Review?

Regulation 5 of the Local Safeguarding Children Boards Regulations 20069requires Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) to undertake reviews of serious cases . LSCBs are inter-agency forums, set up by a local authority, to agree how different agencies and professionals should co-operate to safeguard children.

In cases that do not meet the criteria for a full serious case review, theWorking together guidance suggests conducting individual management reviews or a smaller-scale audit of individual cases .

In cases that do meet the criteria, the LSCB establishes a Serious Case Review Panel involving local authority children’s care, health services, education and the police at a minimum as well as any other relevant agencies .
The decision to conduct a SCR must be made within one month of the LSCB chair being made aware of the incident and should be completed within six months, unless an alternative timescale is agreed with the relevant Government Office .
What happens during a Serious Case Review?

Working together to safeguard children (HM Government, 2010) states that each of the relevant services identified in the initial scoping of the review is required to undertake an individual management review of its involvement with the child and the child’s family . The aim of an individual management reviews is for an agency to critically assess practices, and identify how any improvements can be made .

The SCR Panel will commission an independent overview report, which brings together and analyses findings from all of the individual management reviews and makes recommendations for future action .

The SCR Panel should ensure that all contributing organisations and individuals are satisfied that their information is fully and fairly represented and that any findings from other relevant processes such as care or criminal proceedings, an inquest or inquiry/investigation are incorporated into the overview report .
The SCR Sub-Committee will also need to look at how the child (where the review does not involve a death), surviving siblings, parents or other family members should contribute to the review and who should facilitate their involvement
What happens after a Serious Case Review?

Working together to safeguard children (HM Government, 2010) states that the SCR Panel should translate recommendations into an action plan and the senior manager in each of the organisations which will be involved in implementing the action plan should sign up to this plan
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A copy of the summary which accurately reflects the full overview report must be made publicly available .
The summary and key findings must be disseminated to relevant interested parties, and feedback given to the child (if surviving) and family members/carers. Relevant staff must also be given feedback and debriefed .
Anonymised copies of the individual management reports, overview report, executive summary, multi-agency action plan, and chronologies must be sent to Ofsted, the relevant Government Office .
LSCBs should monitor and audit actions of agencies against action plan – “at least as much effort should be spent on implementing the recommendations as on conducting the review”
Duty to conduct Section 47 (s47) Enquiries
Where a child is suspected to be suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm, the local authority is required under s47 of the Children Act 1989 to make enquiries, to enable it to decide whether it should take any action to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child.
Responsibility for undertaking s47 enquiries lies with the local authority in whose area the child lives or is found. ‘Found' means the physical location where the child suffers the incident of harm or neglect (or is identified to be at risk of harm or neglect), e.g. day nursery or school, boarding school, hospital, one-off event such as a fairground, holiday home or outing or where a privately fostered or looked after child is living with their carers.
Whenever a child is harmed or concerns are raised that a child may be at risk of harm or neglect, the authority where the incident occurred is responsible for informing the child's home authority immediately and inviting them to participate in the strategy meeting / discussion to plan action to protect the child. Only once agreement is reached about who will take responsibility is the host authority relieved of the responsibility to take emergency and ongoing action. Such acceptance should occur as soon as possible and should be confirmed in writing.

Section 47 Enquiries
A s47 enquiry must always be commenced immediately when: * There is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm in the form of physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect; * An Emergency Protection Order or use of police powers of protection have been used.
(Further information about legal responsibilities in Appendix 6: Legal Matters)
The threshold criteria for a s47 enquiry may be identified during an initial assessment, but may also be apparent at the point of referral, during the interagency checks and information gathering stage, or during a core assessment. 3.6 (CCLD Unit 2 – Support policies and practice to safeguard children and ensure their inclusion and well being). 3.7 ……………………………. 3.8 …………………………… 3.9 ……………………………….

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