2.3.1 2.3.2 2.3.3 2.3.4 2.3.5 Policy and Procedures Committee Education and Training Committee Communication Engagement/Participation Work of the Safeguarding Panels 22 23 24 26 26 2.4 Strategic Priority 4 Driving Improvements in the child protection system 35 2.4.1 2.4.2 Undertake Case Management Reviews (CMR) Child Death Overview (CDOP) 35 38 2.5 Strategic Priority 5 Building the capacity of the SBNI in the medium term 40 3 Finance and Governance 43 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Budget Equality and Human Rights Data Protection Complaints Freedom of Information 43 44 44 45 45 4 Appendices 47 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The SBNI Business Plan September 2013- March 2015 Living in Safety and with Stability statistics The SBNI Structure and governance chart The SBNI membership and attendance Staff chart The SBNI committees – membership and attendance The SBNI panels – membership and attendance 47 64 69 70 71 72 73
In March 2014, the SBNI commissioned the development of a framework to assist it in delivering it’s ‘ensure’ function by developing: an analysis of the relevant data that already exists in NI – at both a regional and local level; a set of indicators for safeguarding to demonstrate ‘how much’ as a region we have done to protect children and young people; a set of measurements (both qualitative and quantitative) to determine ‘how well we did’ as a region in protecting children and young people; and outcome measures to determine ‘if we made a difference’ to children and young people in terms of protecting and keeping them safe. In March 2014, the Assistant Director of Social Work Governance from the South Eastern HCT was identified as the Project Lead and a multi-agency Project Board was developed which has overseen the development of this work. As a starting point the Project Lead initiated conversations with a number of stakeholders, reviewed literature, and experiences in the UK context in relation to contemporary safeguarding issues and outcomes focused safeguarding practice (this is an area of practice that all English Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBS) have been exploring and developing over a period of time). Simultaneously NSPCC partners in this project have led a review of effective practice of LSCB’s. In March 2015 the SBNI, approved a multi-agency approach to understanding effective safeguarding practice and promoting shared improvement priorities across member agencies. It will be progressed through the Effectiveness Committee in the coming year. ‘Section 12’ Legal duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children Section 12 of the Act states:
Strategic Priority 1: Work in partnership to ensure children and young people are living in safety and with stability 1.1 Work with organisations/partnerships e.g. Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership (CYPSP) and Domestic Violence Partnerships to ensure effective safeguarding arrangements are in place for children and young people who are living in circumstances where there is: Domestic Violence Parental mental health problems Parental alcohol and drugs problems by reviewing each of these themes on a rolling annual basis Actions Outcomes Sought Lead: Timescales: Links: Work with the Think Family Regional Sub-group of the CYPSP to audit outcomes and influence safeguarding arrangements in cases where parents have mental health problems. Work with the Regional Steering Groups on Domestic and Sexual Violence and Hidden Harm regarding the scoping criteria for an audit and influence safeguarding arrangements where children are impacted by these factors. Parental mental health policies and procedures are meeting the safeguarding needs of children. Improved communication between practitioners and family members. Improved professional practice and associated outcomes for children and young people who are living in circumstances where there are parental mental health problems and later in respect of domestic and sexual violence and hidden harm. a. Professional Officers and Think Family Chair supported by Director of Operations b. Professional Officer and the Chairs of the Regional Steering Groups supported by Director of Operations By March 2015: action a & b Education & Training Committee Policy and Procedures Committee Think Family Regional Regional Steering Group for Domestic & Sexual Violence Domestic Violence
Work with the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) to develop a strategic framework to ensure the safeguarding needs of young people whose behaviour poses a risk to others are identified and met. Ensure HSCB sub-group on ‘ children whose behaviour poses a risk to others’ take forward the following actions: Audit of sexually harmful behaviour referrals; Development of staff awareness of services, referral processes and assessments; Develop definitions of risky behaviour and consider how best to address both sexually harmful and violent behaviours; Review of pathway to services; Development of guidance on normative/risky behaviours. Work with Children & Young People Offending (CYPO) & lead agencies to scope and the development of advocacy service for young people in the criminal justice system. Safeguarding needs of children who display sexually harmful and violent behaviours are robustly examined. Consistent multi-agency approach for the systemic management of sexually harmful and violent behaviours displayed by children and young people. Health and Social Care Board sub-group on ‘children whose behaviour poses a risk to others’ By March 2015: Actions a & b By December 2014: Commence Action c Education & Training Committee Policy & Procedure Committee Engagement & Communication Committee Safeguarding Panels Relevant Voluntary Organisations Strategic Priority 1: Work in partnership to ensure children and young people are living in safety and with stability 1.4 To uphold the principles of the UNCRC and support Member Agencies in their work to remove the defence of reasonable chastisement and the
Health Minister for Northern Ireland. Establish a child sexual exploitation Strategic Partnership Group. Work with member agencies to undertake self-assessment in order to identify scale and nature of the problem and assess progress in protecting children from CSE. Develop and take forward an awareness raising campaign for children, families and professionals. Work with the Knowledge Transfer Scheme to inform professional practice in relation to children who go missing and /or are at risk of CSE. Develop an information sharing agreement for CSE. Co-ordinate the key messages to educate children, train staff and raise awareness regarding CSE. Advise the SBNI Committees and Panels to progress. Review models and develop proposals for a regional safeguarding service for children who go missing and/ or at risk of sexual exploitation. greater professional and public awareness. Improved support and intervention for young people at risk of CSE. Consistent multi-agency approach to the management of CSE Improved knowledge of CSE amongst key practitioners. Increased sharing of information by partner agencies. The safeguarding needs of children who go missing are identified and addressed. The ‘push’ factors which lead to incidents of missing are identified and managed at an early stage. The voice of the child contributes to partner agencies services. Director of Operations (action a) Strategic Partnership Group & Professional Officer with oversight by Director of Operations (action a – k) action a By Sept 2013: Action b By March 2014 actions c, d & e All other actions to commence by March 2015. Safeguarding Panels Engagement & Communication Committee Education & Training Committee Policy & Procedures Committee University of Bedfordshire / QUB CMR Panel Strategic Priority 2: Protect and safeguard children by responding to new and emerging concerns 2.2 Work with member agencies to develop a coordinated strategy and working model to help children at risk of: Becoming criminalised through on-line activity;
sharing of this information on a multi-agency level between professionals/agencies by: Identifying the information organisations currently hold; Evaluating the strengths, weaknesses and gaps; The development of an Information Sharing Agreement Protocol; Evaluating alternative models of sharing information to better protect children. Action: Outcomes Sought: Lead: Timescales: Links: Understand the current child protection data collected by member agencies in order to evaluate the gaps (link to priority 2.1). Develop an information sharing agreement protocol amongst the member agencies taking account of best practice &/or legislative requirements (to be addressed through priority 3.1). Review alternative UK models for sharing information within the UK and elsewhere e.g. MASH and explore opportunities for pilot in one of the Safeguarding Panel areas (to be addressed through priority 2.1) Professionals are confident: to be the lead professional, to challenge, to share information. Professionals use escalation processes effectively to achieve desired outcomes. Partnership working is delivering concrete positive outcomes for children and their families. Professional Officers supported by Director of Operations By March 2014: Actions a & b By March 2015: Action c & d Safeguarding Panels Policy & Procedures Committee CSE Strategic Partnership Group Education & Training Committee Strategic Priority 5 Building the capacity of the Safeguarding Board in the medium term 5.2 To review the effectiveness of the Board in terms of meeting its Board’s core functions. Functions include: Creation of standards and performance indicators against which the Board can be measured;
‘Looked After Children’ - Education A review of results of children in care at Key Stages 1, 2 and 3, shows that for English and Maths it is disappointing, particularly at Key Stages 2 and 3, where attainment appears to have deteriorated. ‘Looked After Children’ face a number of adversities prior to becoming Looked After’ and education may not have been a priority. Many of the children and young people within the ‘Looked After’ system will have statements of special educational needs. Consequently significant work is required to make up ‘lost ground’ when a child becomes ‘Looked After’. Investment in education by Social Services and Department of Education is substantial and it is imperative that this works to the advantage of ‘Looked After Children’. Work is needed to track children as they progress through the ‘Looked After’ system and also to identify whether declining achievement is explained by the point at which children become ‘Looked After’ and the number of older children coming into care and children exiting care.