Organisation/Theme:
Sutton and Merton Community Services Royal Marsden
NHS Foundation Trust (RM)
Executive lead for
safeguarding children:
Mrs. Anne Howers
Name of person
completing form:
Louise Doherty, Named Nurse
Please complete this form and return by 12 November 2013
Assessment and evidence of the safeguarding children situation and significant
activities in your organisation over the last 12 months
Contribution to partnership working
The Clinical Children’s Services Director for RM is the appointed representative on both Sutton
and Merton Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs).The Named Nurses are members of
the LSCBs sub committees. The RM Safeguarding Children Annual Board Report feeds into
both LSCB’s Annual Reports.
The Royal Marsden Safeguarding Adults and Children Board is chaired by the Chief Nurse
and brings together RM senior staff and clinicians (children and adults). The Clinical Children’s
Services Director, Safeguarding Manager, Named Doctors and the Named Nurses are
representatives on this Board.
Safeguarding Team Structure
In 2012/13 the safeguarding team were restructured. The team is line managed by the
Safeguarding manager and consists of a Specialist Health Visitor (Violence against Women and
Girls), two Named Nurses for Safeguarding Children in the community and the hospital, a
Paediatric Liaison Health Visitor, a Specialist School Nurse for out of school/homeschooled
children and those who have offended, seven Safeguarding Specialist Nurses and a
Safeguarding Administrator. The Designated Nurses from Sutton and Merton CCGs provide the
Name Nurses’ supervision, professional support and guidance. The Named Nurse role is line
managed by the Clinical Children’s Services Director, who is accountable to the Chief Nurse for
Safeguarding matters.
A Community Named Doctor who will work closely on safeguarding matters with the Named
Doctor in the hospital and a safeguarding administration manager were appointed in the last 12
months.
Supervision Groups and Supervision
In line with the RM Safeguarding Supervision Policy, all children’s and family community
practitioners are receiving quarterly or termly safeguarding supervision. Data collection has
been in place for over a year to ensure that all staff receives supervision within specified
timescales according to the Supervision Policy. This has been and will continue to be audited as
a key performance indicator. Current figures indicate that 93% of staff is receiving safeguarding
supervision.
Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) and Merlins
Merton MASH is now live and RM hosts a full time Specialist Safeguarding Nurse as the Health
Navigator on behalf of the health economy.
Training
Child Protection/ Safeguarding Training is a fundamental part of RM’s duty to support staff in
safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people (Children Act 2004,
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 and 2010).
The Named Nurse is involved in the implementation of the child protection training programme
which is in accordance to the Safeguarding Children and Young people: Roles and
Competences for Health Care Staff, Intercollegiate document, September 2010. The Named
Nurse currently delivers all Level 1 and 2 training for staff and participates in the LSCB multi
agency training programmes (level 3). Clinical staff who work predominantly with children are
required to undertake Level 3 training. This is accessed via the LSCB training programme. Level
4 Safeguarding training was commissioned on Legal aspects of safeguarding for the
safeguarding team and senior managers in RM. This took place in October 2013.
The school nurse and safeguarding teams received specialist training from the Tavistock –
Working with young people who self harm. Following this training a policy for SMCS school
nurses working with young people who self harm has been developed alongside Merton
CAMHS which includes clear pathways for young people who self harm.
Audit
Audits are ongoing and continuous in this organisation. These include:
 The safeguarding Team undertake ongoing case record audits of children subject to a
child protection plans.
 Supervision Audit
 An audit of school nurse involvement in child protection processes
 An audit of safeguarding referrals from SMCS is planned for 2014
Family Nurse Partnership
The Royal Marsden received funding to commence a Family Nurse Partnership Programme.
The team has been recruited and is commencing in December 2013. This will provide intensive
support for teenage mothers throughout pregnancy and the first 2 years of the child’s life.
Homeless/vulnerable families
A specialist health visitor has been employed to work directly with homeless/transient families in
Merton.
What was the impact of your work?
Joint supervision between Health Visitors and School Nurses for highly complex child protection
cases. This ensures continuity of care/support for children and families and the identification of a
lead health professional. Adopting the Strengthening Families Model within supervision has
focused practitioners work to the child.
Young people who disclose self harm to the school nursing service are appropriately supported
and referred.
Ongoing audit will ensure safeguarding practice is robust to ensure safeguarding remains
everyone’s priority.
Contributing a full time Health Navigator to Merton MASH has improved partnership working and
timely assessment of relevant safeguarding referrals, improving outcomes for children and their
families.
How do you make sure the voice of the child is heard in your service delivery?
Practitioners are expected, where appropriate to include within the child protection case
conference report the view of the child. This is also included in safeguarding supervision
documentation.
Challenges and priorities for the future
To consolidate the Health Navigator’s role within MASH, including strengthening working
relationships with other health partners.
Group supervision is to be rolled out to staff on children’s wards at RMH in the year 2013/14.
A Transition Task and Finish Group has been set up in partnership with adult services in order
to look at smoothing the transition between children’s and adult’s services for young people on
child protection plans and/or with long term health needs.
The Named Nurse and Safeguarding Manager are providing front line staff with safeguarding
update workshops which will include lessons learned from SCRs.
A second Named Nurse and two Safeguarding Specialist Nurses have been recruited and are
due to start in the 2013/14 year.