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Hertfordshire Children, Schools and Families
Child Protection Unit
Presenters:
• Jane Stuart
Deputy Head of Child Protection
• Gail Valentine
Child Protection Schools Liaison Officer
• Mel Leicester-Evans
Local Authority Designated Officer
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SEMINAR AIM AND OBJECTIVES
The aim of this seminar is to:
• Develop and enhance Headteachers’ understanding of the role and
function of the CSF Child Protection Unit
By the end of the seminar Headteachers will be able to:
• Demonstrate clarity about the Child Protection Conference process
• Identify how the Child Protection Schools Liaison Team can support
schools to develop effective safeguarding arrangements and practice
• Effectively respond to and manage allegations
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DELEGATE NEEDS
What do you hope to learn by
attending this seminar?
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Child Protection Conferences
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CHILD PROTECTION UNIT
Head of
Child Protection
Unit
Principal Officers x 8
36 CP conferences
per week
Deputy Head of
Child Protection
CPSLOs x 4
Safeguarding support
for 562 schools
LADOs x 2
Allegations
management
CPSLO Admin
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Report Writers x 7
Co-ordinators x 5
THE CHILD PROTECTION CONFERENCE
Where agencies most involved judge that a child may
continue to or suffer significant harm, Local Authority
Social Care should convene a Child Protection
Conference.
(Working Together to Safeguard Children DCSF 2010)
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THE CHILD PROTECTION CONFERENCE
To enable those most involved with the child and family
and the family themselves, to assess all relevant
information and plan how best to safeguard and promote
the welfare of the child.
(Working Together to Safeguard Children DCSF 2010)
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THE CHILD PROTECTION CONFERENCE
Should:
• Bring together and analyse all information.
• Consider all information shared including past and
present information.
• Make a judgement about likelihood of the child suffering
SIGNIFICANT harm in future.
• Agree future action, planned outcomes.
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SCHOOL ROLE IN THE
CHILD PROTECTION CONFERENCE
Working Together to Safeguard Children (DCSF 2010)
states those attending conferences should be there
because they have a significant contribution to make,
arising from professional expertise, knowledge of the child
or family or both. At every conference there should be
attendance by the Local Authority Children’s Social Care
and at least two other professional groups or agencies
that have direct contact with the child.
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THE EXPECTATION OF SCHOOLS
• No surprises. Any concerns should have already been shared
with parents / carers (exceptions).
• Prepare a written report.
• Any reports shared in advance with parents / carers and CSF.
• Attend or organise an appropriate school representative with
copies.
• Fully participate as a professional with expertise and
knowledge of the child.
• Support the development of the plan, which should be specific,
achievable and safe.
• Follow through the plan and review at each Core Group.
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CHILD PROTECTION UNIT’S ROLE
• Set up the Conference within 15 working days of final
strategy meetings.
• Provide a venue, independent Chair and report writer.
• Manage the complex meeting considering needs of child,
family and professionals.
• Separate discussions if needed.
• Distribute record and plan from the meeting within 10 working
days.
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INDEPENDENT CHAIR’S ROLE
• Available for consultation from any professionals.
• Undertake a quality assurance role for the progress of the
plan.
• Challenge the team if Core Groups are not held, plan not
progressing, key worker not accessible and significant
change without full consultation.
• Available to escalate concerns raised by other professionals.
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EXPRESSING CONCERNS
CPSLO, Deputy Head or Head of Child
Protection are available if you need to escalate
any practice issues.
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SAFEGUARDING SUPPORT FOR
SCHOOLS
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SAFEGUARDING SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLS
Child Protection Schools Liaison Officers:
• Safeguarding Consultations
• Safeguarding Children Training
• Safeguarding Audit/Quality Assurance
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SAFEGUARDING CONSULTATIONS
Targeted Advice Service – 01438 737511
• CPSLO on duty to provide safeguarding
consultations to DSPs
• Copy of consultation emailed to the
DSP and recorded on TAS database/Integrated
Children’s System
• Centralised, consistent and comprehensive
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SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN TRAINING
Single Agency Safeguarding Training
Stage one training
•
School staff
•
One course ‘Safeguarding Children’
•
Refreshed every three years
Stage two training
•
DSPs/Heads
•
Three courses: ‘One Day DSP’
‘DSP Refresher’
‘Reducing and Managing Allegations Against
Staff’
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SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN TRAINING
Completion of
single
agency stage two
safeguarding training.
Access inter-agency
safeguarding training.
Provided or agreed
by the HSCB.
Refresh every two years.
In addition to basic child protection training the designated member(s) of staff
undertakes training in inter-agency working that is provided by, or to
standards agreed by, the Local Safeguarding Children Board, and refresher
training at two yearly intervals to keep her or his knowledge and skills up to
date (DCSF/Ofsted)
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SAFEGUARDING AUDIT/QUALITY
ASSURANCE
• Safeguarding checklist
• Safeguarding visit
• Safeguarding signposting
• Support and challenge safeguarding practice
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HEADTEACHERS AND SAFEGUARDING
Headteacher:
• Part of the school safeguarding team (DSP,
Head and nominated Safeguarding Governor).
• Responsible for ensuring DSP role is allocated
and safeguarding practice is implemented
across the school.
• Accountable to Governing Body
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ALLEGATIONS MANAGEMENT
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LOCAL AUTHORITY DESIGNATED OFFICER
• Involved in the management and oversight of
individual cases
• Provides advice and guidance to employers and
voluntary organisations
• Liaises with police and other agencies
• Monitors the progress of cases to ensure they
are dealt with as quickly as possible consistent
with a thorough and fair process
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LADO MONITORING
LADO monitors progress:
• Fortnightly or monthly
• Via strategy discussions / management meetings
• Through direct liaison with Police / Social care / DSM
(employer)
Police set target review dates:
• Within 4 weeks of Initial Evaluation
• Further fortnightly or monthly reviews
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GUIDANCE
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (DCSF
2010) 6.32 - 6.42 and Appendix 5
• Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in
Education – Chapter 5
• Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Board
Child Protection Procedures (2007) – Module 10
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APPLIES TO ALL ORGANISATIONS
All organisations providing services for children or
staff or volunteers to work with or care for
children, should operate procedures for dealing
with allegations which are compliant with the
guidance in Working Together to Safeguard
Children (DCSF 2010) 6.32 - 6.42 and Appendix 5
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CRITERIA
The procedures cover all concerns where a person who
works with a child has:
• Behaved in a way that has harmed, or may have
harmed a child,
OR
• Possibly committed a criminal offence against or related
to a child,
OR
• Behaved towards a child / children in a way that
indicates ‘unsuitability’ to work with children
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ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Named Senior Officers (NSO)
• LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer)
• Designated Senior Managers (DSM)
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CONTACT DETAILS
Frazer Smith
Mobile: 07920283106
Office: 01992 556935
E-mail: frazer.smith@hertscc.gov.uk
Mel Leicester-Evans
Mobile: 07795288271
Office: 01992 556935
E-mail: mel.leicester-evans@hertscc.gov.uk
LADOs WILL WORK ON A DUTY ROTA
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SEMINAR AIM AND OBJECTIVES
The aim of this seminar is to:
• Develop and enhance Headteachers’ understanding of the role and
function of the CSF Child Protection Unit
By the end of the seminar Headteachers will be able to:
• Demonstrate clarity about the Child Protection Conference process
• Identify how the Child Protection Schools Liaison Team can support
schools to develop effective safeguarding arrangements and practice
• Effectively respond to and manage allegations
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Questions?
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thank you
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