Chapter 1: Preface and Introduction

	Preface
	Introduction

Preface

Message From the Chairs

We are pleased to introduce the new web-based version of the Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Luton Safeguarding Children Board Procedures Manual.

The procedures have been updated as a result of the national guidance contained in 'Working Together to Safeguard Children' published in 2010 by HM Government and will be updated on a regular basis to ensure that we keep up to date with any regulatory changes as well as any local developments. The dates for planned updates are included in the Quick Guide in the section on 'Amendments'.

The Core Inter Agency Procedures, which are contained in Part 1 of the Manual have been developed with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Children Boards and this means they are consistent across Bedford, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Luton.

Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Luton SCB's will continue to seek consistency in procedural arrangements for the practical advantage of those organisations operating across the all these areas.

Part 1 of the manual contains additional chapters relating to Bedford, Bedfordshire and Luton.

Part 2 contains the chapters local to Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire and Part 3 contains the chapters local to Luton.

The manual is designed so that the documents can all be held in one place and is easy to navigate. There are links from chapters to keyword definitions and between related chapters. There are also links to government websites and guidance documents where relevant.

We hope that you will find the way in which the manual has been designed and formatted as user friendly and that chapters are easy to find from the Contents List. If not a search is available to assist you.

If you have any comments about the manual, please bring them to the attention of the relevant SCB Administrator so that we can take them into account when the procedures are revised.

Best Wishes

Laura Eades - Signature

Laura Eades
Independent Chair
Bedford Borough Safeguarding Children Board

maggie_signature

Maggie Blythe
Independent Chair
Central Bedfordshire Safeguarding Children Board

Professor Michael Preston-Shoot signature

Professor Michael Preston-Shoot
Independent Chair
Luton Safeguarding Children Board

Introduction

	Aim
	Context
	The Context for This Document - Flowchart
	How to use This Document

Aim

1.1

The aim of this document is to:

Assist decision making when there are concerns about the safety or welfare of a child.
Set out the procedures that should be followed when a child has been identified as at risk of harm.
Give guidance to assist practice.

1.2

It is designed for managers and practitioners in all agencies who work with vulnerable children..

Context

1.3	The overall national context for this manual is set out in Context of this Document Flowchart. The contents have been updated to take account of the changes required arising from the government guidance set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children (WT) (2010), which provides detailed information about all aspects of safeguarding children. WT 2010 has been produced in a web-based format so that it is easy to navigate and can be accessed via the button on the bottom left hand side of the screen. .
1.4	This manual also draws on lessons from local case reviews and current literature relating to safeguarding practice.
1.5	The Children Act 2004 requires each local authority to establish a Local Safeguarding Children Board as the key statutory mechanism for agreeing how organisations in each local authority will co-operate to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and ensure that practice is effective.
1.6	The regulations governing Local Safeguarding Children Boards (The Local Safeguarding Children Board Regulations 2006. Statutory Instrument 2006 No. 90) identify the functions of the LSCB. The first function is to develop policies and procedures for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in the area of the authority, including policies and procedures in relation to: The action to be taken where there are concerns about a child's safety, including thresholds for intervention. Training of persons who work with children or in services affecting the safety and welfare of children. Recruitment and supervision of persons who work with children. Investigations and allegations concerning persons who work with children. Safety and welfare of children who are privately fostered. Co-operation with neighbouring children's services authorities and their Board partners.
1.7	These procedures cover all of the above and are endorsed and published by the Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Luton Safeguarding Children Boards. It is expected that member agencies will ensure that all relevant staff are aware of and comply with them.
1.8	In some instances, the topics above will also be covered by more detailed local protocols and information, that will be available on the relevant SCB website and staff should consult this as necessary.

The Context for This Document - Flowchart

Figure 1

Click here to view the Context Flowchart

How to use the procedures

1.9

The procedures are intended to help all staff working with children and families act in a way which is most likely to promote the welfare and safety of a children. It sets out procedures that should be followed at key stages of work with children and families.

1.10

The contents of each chapter are set out under the following headings:

Procedures. These are based on statutory guidance, endorsed by the Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Luton SCB and therefore should be followed unless there are exceptional reasons for not doing so. Where procedures are not followed the reason for this should be recorded in the agency records.
Practice guidance. This to assist practitioners in making sound professional judgements.

Supplementary documents

1.11

Additional documents which have informed these procedures and are published by government departments are listed below. They are:

What to do if you are worried a child has been abused (DFES 2006)
Working Together to Safeguard Children ( 2010)
Safeguarding Children in Whom Illness is Fabricated or Induced (DCSF 2008)
Information sharing practice guidance (DCSF October 2008)
Safeguarding Children in Education 2004
Safer Recruitment & Selection in Education Settings (2005)
Dealing with Allegations of Abuse Against Teachers and Other Staff (2005)
Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) Guidance (Home Office 2003)
Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (DoH 2000)
Safeguarding Children who may have been trafficked (DCSF 2009)
Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation (DCSF 2009)
Guidance for Safe Working Practices for the Protection of Children and Young People in Education Settings (2009)

Supplementary Leaflets

1.12	Leaflets covering a variety of topics are also published by the Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Luton Safeguarding Children Boards and are available from the relevant SCB administrator and on the relevant SCB website.

Glossary

1.13	The following terms are used throughout the text:

Term	Definition
Child	Anyone under 18 years of age
Abuse & Neglect	Forms of maltreatment of a child
Children's Social Care Safeguarding & Promoting the Welfare of Children	The part of the local authority which exercises the social services functions in relation to children Safeguarding and promoting the welfare may be described as two sides of the same coin. Safeguarding has two elements: Protecting children from harm: and Preventing impairment of children's health or development Whereas promoting welfare is a proactive responsibility, i.e.: Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and Creating opportunities to enable children to have optimum life chances such that they can enter adulthood successfully.
Well-being	Children achieving the five outcomes set by the Government. Stay safe Be healthy Enjoy and achieve Make a positive contribution Achieve economic well-being

End