cumbria local safeguarding childrens board business plan ... · la elected members and...

cumbria local safeguarding children board

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Business plan 2011-2012


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Introduction by Independent Chair

This is an introduction to the LSCB‘s business plan for 2011. The Government signified it’s commitment to protecting children by commissioning Eileen Munro, Professor at the LSE to undertake a report into child protection in all its aspects. The Munroe report into Child Protection reported in final in May 2011 following 2 interim reports.

Munro confirms’ “LSCB’s play an extremely valuable role and are uniquely positioned within the local authority architecture to monitor how professionals and services are working together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.’ The government has welcomed the report, a detailed response will follow later this year. This business plan takes into account the direction and focus of the Munro review.

It has been a year of substantial organisational change in both children’s services and in partner agencies. The new configuration in the local authority offers considerable potential for extremely effective safeguarding of children through joint working, we have considered how our approach can maximise this effectiveness.

The LSCB needs a structure that best enables us to achieve our objectives therefore we have revised and simplified our sub –group structure to manage our objectives. Most of our work is undertaken in the sub-groups and we are grateful for the knowledgeable and consistent input from board members.

This year our objectives focus on our key responsibilities including monitoring effectiveness, overseeing training and being cogniscent of how children and young people experience services in Cumbria. Our annual objectives also reflect what the year has taught us, from audit, serious case reviews and performance. All board members have had an opportunity to contribute to our objectives.

The LSCB is mandated to produce an annual report which it will do, in the summer, the report will contain the information that we have from the previous year’s activity in Cumbria and a view on the effectiveness of safeguarding.

Anne Ridgway


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Statement of Purpose, objectives and principles

1. The LSCB is the key statutory mechanism for agreeing how the relevant organisations in each area will co-operate to

safeguard and promote the welfare of children in that locality, and for ensuring the effectiveness of what they do. Safeguarding an promoting the welfare of children is defined in Working Together 2010 as:

• Protecting children from maltreatment;

• Preventing impairment of children’s health or development;

• Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care;

And undertaking that role so as to enable those children to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully.

The Munro Review of Child Protection (2011) reinforces the role of the LSCB as primarily a scrutiny body and stresses that the boards are not accountable for the operational work of Board partners.

The LSCB is committed to ensuring that agencies work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children to high standards in three broad areas of activity.

• Universal preventative work which aims to identify and prevent maltreatment or impairment of health and development and ensures children are growing up in circumstances consistent with safe and effective care

• Proactive work which aims to target particular groups ie children identified as in need or children potentially more vulnerable than the general population eg children living away from home, children in custody or disabled children

• Responsive work to protect children who are suffering, or at risk of suffering abuse or harm.


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2. The LSCB must include representatives of the local authority and its Board partners. The Board partners are set out in

section 13 (3) of the Children Act (2004) as:

• District Councils

• The Chief officer of Police

• Local Probation Trust

• Youth Offending Team

• SHAs and PCTs

• NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts

• Connexions Service

• Cafcass

• Governors or Directors of Secure training Centres of prison in the area who ordinarily detain children Other members

• Adult social services functions have to be represented in particularly adult mental health services, adult drug and alcohol services and adult disabilities services. It is also important that the LSCB has access to appropriate expertise and advice from all the relevant sections including a designated doctor and nurse.

• Guidance recommends that the LSCB appoints two lay members from the local community in order to support stronger public engagement, challenge the LSCB and make the link with community groups.

• Schools should be represented in order to allow all schools to receive information and feedback comments to their representative on the Board

The members of the LSCB need to be in a position within their organisations to:

• Speak with authority

• Commit their organisation on policy and practice matters

• Hold their organisation to account


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Membership of LSCBs will be reviewed in this business year following the revision of Working Together 2011 as recommended by the Munro review. These amendments will reflect changes in organisations.

3. It is expected that accountability structures will change in this business year, however, the LSCB are and will continue to

have to produce and publish an annual report on the effectiveness of safeguarding in the local area which will be seen by the people who have influence over the various services

Members of the LSCB will continue to have a shared commitment to:

• Keep children and young people at the centre of all safeguarding work by ensuring that children are provided with an opportunity to express their views and wishes within the child protection process

• Work in partnership with parents and carers and the wider community to safeguard children in the context of service provision for all children in need

• Promote best practice and continuous improvement in the quality of safeguarding services:

• Continuing to develop, agree and monitor compliance with effective local policies and procedures in line with statutory guidance and safeguarding developments

• Link with other partnership Boards in order to ensure that safe recruitment practices, procedures and effective training provision are in place for all staff working with children

• Monitoring and Evaluating the effectiveness of inter-agency work to safeguard children and make recommendations for improvement where appropriate

• Promoting equality and respecting diversity in order that the individual needs of children and young people relating to gender, faith, race, ethnicity, sexuality, disability are met


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• Participate in the planning and commissioning of services to ensure that they meet the safeguarding needs of children and families

• Communicate to agencies, the voluntary and community sector and the local community the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and raising awareness of how this is done

• Undertake serious case reviews in appropriate circumstances in order to act upon lessons learned and improve local procedures and practice

• Collect and analyse information about all child deaths in Cumbria and ensure that there is a co-ordinated response to unexpected child deaths.

• Ensure that allegations against staff are appropriately referred, investigated and managed

• Ensure that licensing agreements regarding alcohol and gambling takes into account the safeguarding needs of children

• Ensure that children who are living away from their families have their safeguarding needs met.


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Principles of the Cumbria LSCB

1. The primary objective of the Cumbria LSCB is to ensure agencies work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of

children and young people. 2. Problems may arise in connection with safeguarding responsibilities, which may include omissions or faults, friction or

disputes. 3. Agencies agree to take whatever steps are required to prevent or remedy such problems by:

• working together to minimise the frequency of difficulties occurring

• focusing upon learning not blame

• taking an holistic view rather than minor issues in isolation

• considering all relevant circumstances where problems have arisen

• enabling and supporting innovation and decision making which is as close as possible to Service delivery

• joint training and supervision ensure staff focus upon problem solving and effective outcomes rather than culpability

• Resolving problems locally.

Role of Elected Members

1. LA Elected members and non-executive directors of other Board partners are not members of the LSCB 2. The Lead member for children’s Services within the authority focuses on how the LA is fulfilling its responsibilities to

safeguard and promote the welfare of children and will hold the Corporate Director of Children’s Services to account for the work of the LSCB. The Lead member for Children’s Services is a participant observer of the LSCB.


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List of subgroups and chairs of subgroups:

LSCB

Chair: Anne Ridgway, Independent Chairperson LSCB Executive Group

Chair Anne Ridgway Independent Chairperson

Case review and child death overview group

Chair: Elizabeth Benson NSPCC Regional Head of Service

Policy and Procedures sub-group Chair: Richard Simpson Barnardos Assistant Director

Children’s Workforce strategy group Chair: Caroline Sutton Assistant Director Schools and Learning, CCC Health Safeguarding Network Group Chair: Vernon Watson NHS Associate Director: Commissioning Partnerships --------------------------------------------------------------- Safeguarding Expert Reference Groups (SERG) Carlisle and Eden Chair: Rachael Searle Furness and South Lakes Chair Mandy Nightingale West Cumbria Chair Adrian Gidney


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Cumbria LSCB structure

LSCB

Policy & Procedures Sub

Group

Executive SERG

Carlisle & Eden

Allerdale & Copeland

Furness & South Lakes

Children’s Workforce planning

group

Case Review /CDOP Sub Group

Health Safeguarding

Network Group


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Children’s Trust

Board

Policy & Procedure

Serious Case Review and child death

Children’s Workforce Strategy group

Local Safeguarding Children’s Board

Relationship Between Boards

Health Network Group

SERGs x3 District Delivery Groups x3


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To ensure the effectiveness of that work

Developing policies and procedures for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children including on:

• action where there are concerns, including thresholds

• training of persons who work with children

• recruitment and supervision

• investigation of allegations

• privately fostered children

• co-operation with neighbouring authorities

Participating in the planning of services for children in the area of the local authority;

Communicating the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children

Procedures to ensure a co-ordinated response to unexpected child deaths

Monitoring effectiveness of what is done to safeguard and promote welfare of children

Undertaking serious case reviews

Collecting and analysing information about child deaths

To co-ordinate local work to

safeguard and promote

welfare of children

Well-being of children Especially ‘staying safe’

Effective

local work to safeguard and promote the welfare of children

Evaluating effectiveness and advising on ways to improve

Publishing an annual report on the effectiveness of local arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children


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Cumbria LSCB Key priorities

The LSCB in reviewing the Munro review and taking account messages from the Serious Case Reviews completed by the Board has identified the following priorities for the business plan for 2011-12. The activity of the sub-groups of the board will be focused on:

• Assessing the effectiveness of the help being provided to children and families (including the effectiveness and value for money of early help services, including early years provision)

• Assessing the effectiveness of multi-agency training to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people

• Developing the use of systems methodology when undertaking case reviews that will include serious case reviews


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Cumbria LSCB groups terms of reference and work plans 2011-12

EXECUTIVE BOARD Terms of reference

• Taking forward the establishment and smooth running of the Cumbria LSCB and driving the agenda for the Cumbria LSCB meetings.

• Developing and Shaping the Business Plan for the Cumbria LSCB and monitoring actions and outcomes.

• Shaping the work of the various sub-groups reporting to the Cumbria LSCB and taking work forward.

• Participating in the local planning and commissioning of children’s Services to ensure that they take safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children into account.

• Reviewing hosting and management arrangements for future multi-agency training events.


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CHILDRENS WORKFORCE STRATEGY GROUP TERMS OF REFERENCE 1. Name of Group Children’s Workforce Strategy Group

2. Chair Caroline Sutton 3. Vice Chair Elaine Price 4. Members of Group LSCB Lynda Maudlin

Children’s Services Liz McKie Probation Services Mike Craven Fire & Rescue Service Steph Kershaw NSPCC Iain McKay Connexions Sarah Harrington University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Tammy Lamb Cumbria Police Iain Stainton Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Dr Sara Munro

5. Function of the Group (Terms of Reference)

• To provide a strategic framework to enable the workforce to safeguard children.

• To monitor the delivery of workforce development across the agencies.

• To evaluate the quality and impact on safeguarding practice of the training/development provided. 6. Quorum 3 Agencies

7. Review date for ToR April 2012 8. Frequency of Meetings Bi-monthly


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CASE REVIEW AND CHILD DEATH OVERVIEW PANEL TERMS OF REFERENCE 1. Name of Group Case Review/Child Death Overview Group

2. Chair Liz Benson 3. Vice Chair Louise Mason-Lodge 4. Members of Group LSCB Lynda Maudlin

Cumbria Police Paul Duhig Cumbria PCT Nigel Calvert Children’s Services Catherine Witt North West Ambulance Service Vivienne Forster Cumbria PCT Dr Andrew Rotheray


• To consider whether a criteria is met to hold a Serious Case Review, Practice Review or Single Agency Report with reference to agencies working together to safeguard children.

• To monitor the implementation and impact of action plans for Serious and Practice Reviews.

• To review the deaths of all children normally resident in Cumbria.

• To ensure that the rapid response system is fit for purpose. 6. Quorum 3 Agencies 7. Review date for ToR April 2012

8. Frequency of Meetings Monthly


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HEALTH SAFEGUARDING NETWORK GROUP TERMS OF REFERENCE 1. Name of Group Health Safeguarding Network Group

2. Chair Vernon Watson Vice Chair TBC 3. Members of Group Moira Angel

Alison Brown Nigel Calvert Jackie Holt Holly Marshall Louise Mason-Lodge Gill Mordain Sara Munro Chris Platton Sheila Richardson

5. Function of the Group (Terms of Reference) • Brings together the local NHS agencies for mutual support and co-ordination

• Provides assurance (through the NHS Cumbria Standards & Quality Committee) that the leadership of the commissioning responsibilities of NHS Cumbria are being met

• Supports assurance to Provider Boards that the overall responsibilities of the NHS are being met

• Overviews the ‘health’ of the NHS Safeguarding system, through: o Monitoring training adherence o Ensuring that lessons from incidents and case reviews are learnt and implemented o Facilitating joint audit activities o Ensuring mutual support at times of stress (vacancies etc) o Providing formal reports to the Standards & Quality Committee of NHS Cumbria and the PCT Board.

• Identifies key issues for executive action relevant to policy committees (such as PEC)

• Creates an NHS liaison function with the LSCB. 6. Quorum Half the members of the group 7. Review date for ToR April 2012 8. Frequency of Meetings Quarterly


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POLICY AND PROCEDURES SUB GROUP TERMS OF REFERENCE 1. Name of Group Policy and Procedures Sub Group

2. Chair Richard Simpson 3. Vice Chair Gillian Ridgway 4. Members of Group Police Representative Barry Carruthers

Health Representative Doreen Bertram/Heather McFarlane Children’s Services Ros Dean Children’s Services (Social Care) to be identified Children’s Services (Education) to be identified Connexions Sue Lamb Voluntary Sector covered by Chair


1. To commission and recommend for approval by the LSCB, Policies and Procedures that result in effective multi-agency working together to safeguard and protect the children and young people of Cumbria

2. To ensure the robust review of existing Policies and Procedures in the light of local and national serious case reviews, changes in legislation and statutory guidance to ensure compliance

3. To ensure efficient and effective consultation regarding draft Policies and Procedures 4. To have responsibility for the accuracy and updating of the Cumbria LSCB website 5. To recommend actions for other sub-groups to ensure effective communication, understanding, implantation of Policies

and Procedures and the monitoring of Practice 6. To ensure consistency of other agencies’ Child Protection Policies and Procedures through a Section 11 process

6. Quorum At least half the group 7. Review date for ToR June 2012

8. Frequency of Meetings Bi-monthly


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Cumbria LSCB priority performance indicators

Performance Indicator 2008/9 2009/10 2010/11

Referrals to Social Care per 10,000 population under 18 (Total number of referrals)

371 (3722)

341 (3389)

316 (3134)

Repeat referrals of children to Social Care within 12 months (% of referrals that are repeats)

28.2% 29% 24.6%

% referrals to Social Care leading to Initial Assessment (Number of initial assessments / Number of referrals)

81.7% (3041 / 3722)

78.5% (2670 / 3389)

81.8% (2564 / 3134)

Initial Assessments completed in the seven working days timescale 80.4% 92.4% 92.0%

Core (in depth) Assessment completed in the 35 working days timescale 76% 98% 90.4%

Core Assessment undertaken per 10,000 population under 18 (Total number of core assessments)

113.2 (1148)

124.1 (1217)

106.4 (1057)

Children subject to a Child Protection Plan per 10,000 population under 18 (Number of children subject to CP Plan)

27.1 (272)

29.7 (298)

30.9 (307)

Children becoming subject to a Child Protection Plan for a second or subsequent time 13.1% 8.9% 11.3%

Children subject to a Child Protection Plan in Cumbria who are white 98.1% 95.6% 96%

Boys 45% 47% 53%

Children subject to a Child Protection Plan in Cumbria

Girls 53% 53%

45%


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Performance Indicator 2008/9 2009/10 2010/11

Children subject to a Child Protection Plan under the category of ‘Neglect’ or multiple categories

82% 69% 69%

% Child Protection Cases reviewed by Child Protection Conferences in required timescale 99.5% 97.4% 90.9%

Children subject to a Child Protection Plan for more than 2 years 2.8% 4.7% 7.8%

Looked After Children per 10,000 population under 18 (Number of Looked After Children)

44.7 (448)

51.5 (511)

51.2%

Looked After Children cases that were reviewed within required timescales 97.1% 94.4% 87.2%

% Looked After Children with three or more placements during the year 8.5% 8.6% 5.9%

% Looked After Children looked after for 2 ½ years or more who have been in the same placement for at least two years or have been placed for adoption

75.7% 65.7% 69.9%


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Cumbria LSCB, 5 Portland Square, Carlisle, CA1 1PU

www.cumbrialscb.com

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