The board would like to welcome Ann Baxter who has taken over as Independent Chair of the LSCB. Ann brings with her extensive experience in Children's Services and we look forward to working with Ann on the Board's priorities to improve safeguarding as set out in the LSCB Strategic Plan 2012-2017.
The work of the LSCB is essential in this task, and has lead responsibility for coordinating and scrutinising the effectiveness of what is done. Although much progress has been already made to improve the way that children are safeguarded in Lambeth, much is still needed to ensure that every child in Lambeth is kept safe and reaches his or her own full potential.
The LSCB depends on everyone, whether professionals or volunteers, parents or members of the public having an understanding of their own personal or professional responsibility to safeguard children and being vigilant and proactive in carrying it out.
The Board would also like to take this opportunity to thank David Sanders for the contribution that he has made to the LSCB as the Independent Chair over the last few years. David has made a real difference in improving the safeguarding arrangements in Lambeth which has improved the lives of many vulnerable children and young people. We wish David all the best for the future.
The latest version of the LSCB Newsletter has been published and is available for download here. The newsletter provides some useful articles on the new Working Together 2013, the Local Authority Designated Officer and how to recognise the signs of child sexual exploitation. Hard copies of the newsletter are available for agencies by contacting the LSCB Office on 02079267067.
Working Together 2013 is new guidance on effective multi-agency working to safeguard children, replacing “Working Together 2010” as well as other guidance, and representing a radical shift in the way that the child protection system will operate in England.
This includes a new approach to the oversight of serious case reviews, new guidelines for assessing the needs of vulnerable children, and a large reduction in the level of national child protection guidance. Working Together comes into effect from 15 April 2013
Headlines include:
-A removal of the distinction between initial and core assessments, replaced by ongoing, locally developed, assessments of need;
-Some statutory timescales for assessing the needs of vulnerable children remain: Assessments must be completed within 45 days;
-The establishment of a national panel to hold LSCB Chairs to account on whether serious case reviews should be carried out, which will be independently reviewed.
-A reversal of the consultation’s proposal for all future serious case reviews to be undertaken using “systems methodology”.
-A requirement on LSCBs to develop a local framework for learning and improvement, including regular reviews of cases that may not meet the criteria for a full serious case review.
-The responsibilities of agencies have also been clarified following consultation, including housing, probation, YOTs, also faith organisations and voluntary and private sectors.
Web-enabled version of the 2013 guidance:
www.workingtogetheronline.co.uk
Presentations for the Gangs Event held on Monday 4th of March can be accessed below.
The third Lambeth Safeguarding Children Board Briefing session was held on Tuesday 19th February. These half day briefings are free and open to practitioners from all agencies who work with children or families in Lambeth. They are a great opportunity to keep up to date on safeguarding issues.
The agenda for the afternoon was:
We will be running furether LSCB Briefing sessions and would like to encourage multi agency attendance. For any further information, contact the LSCB team on 02089264759 or 02089267067.
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The LSCB is forming an advisory group of 10 to 16 year olds to consult on key safeguarding issues with children and young people living in Lambeth. The children and young people’s advisory group is new and pioneering because it will directly feed into the LSCB meetings, influencing the Board’s priorities and goals. The group will develop and facilitate service improvement through projects, consultation, events and activities.
The advisory group will form over 2013, with workshops and events to help interested children and young people to develop their skills. After a formal launch the group will meet with the LSCB Executive Board as well as strategic leadership teams and senior managers to raise awareness of safeguarding issues and develop a profile that influences local strategic decision-making.
The LSCB held its second of three yearly briefing sessions with multi-agency staff on the 25th October 2012. There were sessions provided on recognising and responding to concerns about Female Genital Mutilation, the implementation of the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub in Lambeth, an overview of the impact of Welfare Reforms on families in Lambeth and an overview of the learning of the Internal Management Review into the death of a child. The presentations can be downloaded by clicking on the links.
A new initiative between Lambeth Council and the Police has been created to bolster the boroughs efforts to protect children in Lambeth from harm. Called the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), it involves bringing professionals from a number of agencies together in one place to share information on any referrals or contacts where concerns have been raised about a child’s welfare.
Lambeth has the highest referral rates of vulnerable children in London and this initiative will allow partners to prioritise those who need support most for intervention, and reduce the likelihood of serious cases of abuse and death.
By centralising professionals from different agencies in one place, referrals can be investigated and decisions made sooner resulting in better outcomes for vulnerable children.
For more information please see the MASH letter and leaflet.
