CHAPTER 3: Agency Roles & Responsibilities

An awareness and appreciation of the role of others is essential for effective collaboration between organisations and this chapter represents a summary (with some additional material) of Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010.

• Emphasise the common obligations of all agencies and relevant professionals
• Describe the specific contributions of each to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
• Inform partner agencies of mutual expectations
• Enhance the effectiveness of multi-agency work

All organisations that work with children need to have in place:

• Clear priorities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children explicitly stated in key policy documents and commissioning strategies
• A clear commitment by senior management to the importance of safeguarding and promoting children's welfare through both the commissioning and the provision of services
• A culture of listening to and engaging in dialogue with children - seeking their views in ways appropriate to their age and understanding, and taking account of those both in individual decisions and the establishment or development and improvement of services;
• A clear line of accountability and governance within and across organisations for the commissioning and provision of services designed to safeguard and promote the welfare of children
• Recruitment and human resources management procedures and commissioning processes, including contractual arrangements that take account of the need to protect children and young people including arrangements for appropriate checks on new staff and volunteers and adoption of best practice in the recruitment of new staff and volunteers
• A clear understanding of how to work together to help keep children and young people safe online by being adequately equipped to understand, identify and mitigate the risks of new technology;
• Procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse against members of staff and volunteers (see Allegations Against Staff, Carers & Volunteers Procedure) or, for commissioners, contractual arrangements with providers that ensure these procedures are in place;
• Arrangements to ensure all staff undertake appropriate training to equip them to carry out their responsibilities effectively, and keep this up to date by refresher training at regular intervals, and that all staff, including temporary staff and volunteers who work with children, are made aware of both the establishment's arrangements and their responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and their responsibilities for that
• Policies in place for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children including a child protection policy, effective complaints procedures and procedures that are in accordance with guidance from the local authority and locally agreed inter-agency procedures
• Arrangements to work effectively with other organisations to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, including arrangements for sharing information
• A culture of listening to and engaging in dialogue with children - seeking their views in ways appropriate to their age and understanding, and taking account of those both is individual decisions and establishment of services and
• Appropriate whistle blowing procedures and a culture that enables issues about safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children to be addressed;

Co-operation to Improve Well Being of Children

Well being

The meaning of 'well being' is encapsulated in s.10 Children Act 2004 as children's:

• Physical and mental health
• Protection from harm and neglect
• Education, training and recreation
• Contribution to society
• Emotional, social and economic well being

Relevant partners

For the purposes of s.10, the following organisations in Milton Keynes are 'relevant partners':

• Thames Valley Police
• The Probation Board
• YOTs
• The Strategic Health Authority (SHA)
• Primary Care Trusts (PCTs)
• Connexions Service
• The Learning and Skills Councils

Making Arrangements to Safeguard & Promote the Welfare of Children

Safeguarding & promoting the welfare of children

'Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children' is defined in Working Together to Safeguard Children 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 to enter adulthood successfully

Scope of duty

Statutory guidance makes it clear that safeguarding children is a shared responsibility and s.11 Children Act 2004 places a duty on the following key persons and bodies in Milton Keynes:

• Each Children's Services Authority
• Strategic Health Authority
• Special Health Authority, so far as exercising functions in relation to England, designated by order made by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this section
• Primary Care Trust
• NHS Trusts all or most of whose hospitals, establishments and facilities are in England (this could include Ambulance Trusts)
• NHS Foundation Trust
• Police authority and its chief officer
• British Transport Police Authority
• Local Probation Board
• YOTs
• Governor of any prison or secure training centre (STC)
• Person to the extent s/he is providing services under s.114 Learning and Skills Act 2000 i.e. Connexions services

The above key agencies or individuals must ensure that:

• Their functions are discharged having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and
• The services they contract out to others are provided having regard to that need

Armed Services have in place procedures to help in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and will work alongside local Children's Social Care at Child Protection Conferences (and where there is sufficient presence to justify it) on Local Safeguarding Children Boards.

Within UK

All 3 Services provide the following professional welfare support including 'special to type' Children's Social Care to augment those provided by local authorities:

• Royal Navy  - provided by the Naval Personal and Family Service and Royal Marines Welfare (NPFS/RMW)
• Army  - provided by the Army Welfare Service (AWS)
• Royal Air Force - by the Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association-Forcers Help (SSAFA-FH) (contact details for all are provided in Appendix 2, Contacts

Overseas

Movement of children between the UK and overseas

United States Forces stationed in the UK

Enquiries about children of ex-Service families

• Arrested
• Reported
• Charged
• Cautioned
• Warned
• Detained
• Taken into police protection
• Stop searched
• Stop checked
• Runaways (even when returned to home address)
• Truants and
• For any other reason not mentioned above comes to the notice of the BTP

In all such cases, the BTP should liaise with the local authority in which the child is located as well as the authority in which s/he lives.

'Childcare services' include:

• Family & children's centres
• Day nurseries & childminders
• Pre-schools
• Playgroups,
• Holiday & out of school schemes

CAFCASS's functions, with respect to those children subject of family proceedings are to:

• Safeguard and promote their welfare
• Give advice to any court about any application made to it
• Make provision for children to be represented
• Provide information, advice and other support for children and their families

CAFCASS' officers may be employees or self employed and have distinct roles in private and public law proceedings:

• Children's Guardians - appointed to safeguard the interests of a child who is the subject of specified proceedings under the Children Act 1989 or who is the subject of adoption proceedings
• Parental Order Reporters - appointed to investigate and report to the court on circumstances relevant under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990
• Children & Family Reporters who prepare welfare reports for court in relation to applications under s.8 Children Act 1989 (private law proceedings including applications for residence and contact), and increasingly also work with families at the stage of their initial application to the court
• CAFCASS officers can also be appointed to provide support under a Family Assistance Order under the Children Act 1989. (as can local authority officers)

Though each organisation has child protection-related duties under both the Children Act 1989 and Education Act 2002, for operational purposes, organisational functions are divided into:

• Children's Services (Social Care) - referred to in these procedures as Children's Social Care and
• Children's Services (Education)

Children's Social Care

Children's Services (Education)

Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education (DCSF 2006) provided further guidance and makes it clear that there are 2 aspects to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children:

• Arrangements to take all reasonable measures to ensure that risks of harm to children's welfare are minimised; and
• Arrangements to take all appropriate actions to address concerns about the welfare of child/ren working to agreed local policies and procedures in full partnership with other local agencies.

Arrangements need to provide for both and the above guidance identifies the following responsibilities:

• Strategic - planning and coordinating delivery of services, and allocating resources; working in partnership with other agencies e.g. Children's Social Care, health care professionals, YOTs and Local Safeguarding Children Boards
• Support - ensuring maintained schools are aware of their responsibilities for child protection; monitoring their performance; making available appropriate training, model policies and procedures; providing advice and support and facilitating links and cooperation with other agencies - normally extending these functions to any non-maintained special schools in the area  (many authorities also provide these services to independent schools and FE institutions)
• Operational - taking responsibility for safeguarding children excluded from school, or who have not obtained a school place, e.g. those in Pupil Referral Units or being educated by the home tutor service; involvement in dealing with allegations against staff and volunteers and ensuring arrangements are in place to prevent unsuitable staff and volunteers from working with children

Links with Adult Social Care Services

In particular, child protection issues may arise (e.g. a parents' mental illness - see Section 11, Mental Health of Parent or Carer of Recognising Vulnerability of Children in Particular Circumstances Procedure) amongst parents, carers or pregnant women in receipt of the following:

• Community mental health support
• Substance misuse services
• Learning disability services
• Support services for victims of domestic violence

Adults' Social Care must establish and maintain systems so that:

• Managers working with adults can monitor those cases which involve dependent children
• There is regular, formal and recorded consideration of such cases with Children's Social Care staff
• Where both Adults' and Children's Social Care are providing services to a family, staff communicate with each other and agree interventions

Emergency Duty Service

Staff working in 'out of office hours' services must distinguish carefully, often on the basis of inadequate and/or unreliable information, what:

• Immediate action may be required to ensure the immediate and longer term safety of a child and
• Further responses may be best left to day time staff

Connexions (including sub-contractors) are responsible for:

• Identifying, keeping in touch with, and giving the necessary support to young people in their geographical area (each young person's needs are assessed and the support and continuing contact they receive is tailored to their assessed needs; a young person may receive any combination of the following according to their need: information, advice, guidance, counselling, personal development opportunities, referral to specialist services and advocacy to enable them to access opportunities funding or other services; the needs of young people from vulnerable groups such as teenage mothers, care leavers, young people supervised by YOTs, and young people with learning difficulty and/or disability are a particular priority for Connexions partnerships.
• Identifying young people who may be at risk and in these cases, for alerting the appropriate authority (Connexions staff should be aware of the agencies and contacts to use to refer those at risk and be aware of the services it is reasonable to expect from these organisations)
• Minimising risk to the safety of young people on premises for which they or their subcontractors are responsible
• Minimising the risk that organisations to which they signpost young people e.g. those providing employment and training opportunities, pose a threat to the moral development, and physical and psychological well being of young people
• Ensuring that the recruitment of all staff (including volunteers to the partnership and subcontractors) complies with current vetting regulations
• Ensuring staff (including sub contractors), are aware of risks to young people's welfare and can exercise their legal, ethical, operational and professional obligations to safeguard them from these risks (information sharing protocols with other agencies should award high priority to safeguarding the welfare of young people and staff should comply fully with these agreements)

Universal Responsibilities

Schools & FE Institutions

Schools (including independent schools and non-maintained special schools) and FE institutions (with respect to those aged less than 18) should safeguard and promote the welfare of their pupils by:

• Creating and maintaining a safe learning environment for children and young people and
• Identifying where there are child welfare concerns and taking action to address them, in partnership with other organisations where appropriate

Physical force

Governing Bodies

Governing bodies should ensure that:

• The school or institution has a child protection policy reviewed annually, is referred to in the school / institution's prospectus, and that conforms to Children's Services (Education) and LSCB policy and guidance
• The policy includes provision for procedures for recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers and for dealing with allegations of abuse against staff and volunteers
• The school / institution has a senior teacher / member of senior management team designated to take lead responsibility for dealing with child protection issues
• Members of the governing body / corporation, head teacher , designated teacher / person and all other staff and volunteers who work with children have attended appropriate training to equip them to carry out their responsibilities for child protection effectively and that this is kept up to date
• Any deficiencies or weaknesses in regard to child protection arrangements are brought to the attention of the governing body / corporation and are remedied without delay
• A member of the governing body / corporation is nominated to be responsible for liaising with Children's Services (Education) and/or partner agencies, as appropriate in the event of allegations of abuse being made against the head teacher or principal

Maintained Schools/FE colleges

The head teacher or equivalent should ensure that:

• A senior person (member of the senior management team in an FE institution) is designated as taking lead responsibility for child protection including liaising with pupils' social workers, making referrals where appropriate, representing the school / institution in inter-agency working and liaising with parents / carers
• Child protection procedures in line with the school / FE institution policy and Children's Services (Education) or LSCB guidelines are in place and followed by all staff and volunteers
• The designated teacher and other staff and volunteers have undertaken up to date and appropriate training to equip them to carry out their responsibilities effectively, including in the case of the designated teacher, training in inter-agency work
• Procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse against staff are in accordance with Children's Services (Education) guidelines and all staff and volunteers are aware of them and aware of the boundaries of professional conduct
• All staff and volunteers feel able to raise concerns about poor or unsafe practice and such concerns are addressed sensitively and effectively in a timely manner in accordance with agreed whistle blowing policies
• Safe recruitment practices that provide for appropriate checks are in place and are followed in respect to all new staff and volunteers who will work with children
• Child protection training for all staff is included as a key area in all induction procedures
• Arrangements are made, including where necessary the provision of supply cover, to enable the designated teacher and other staff to discharge their responsibilities by taking part in strategy discussions and child protection conferences and contributing to the assessment of children

'Designated' member of staff

To be effective, designated members of staff must:

• Have received adequate training about the identification of abuse, a working knowledge of LSCBs and conduct of a Child Protection Conference
• Act as a source of advice and support to colleagues
• Make themselves (and any deputies) known to staff and ensure they have sufficient training to enable immediate reporting of concerns to the designated teacher
• Ensure all staff have access to and understands the school's / college's child protection policy
• Liaise with the head teacher / equivalent
• Ensure the institution's child protection policy is reviewed annually and updated
• Be able to keep detailed accurate secure written records of referrals or concerns
• Ensure parents see copies of the child protection policy which alerts them to the fact that referrals may be made and the role of the school in this to avoid conflict later
• Obtain access to resources and attend any relevant or refresher training and be allowed the necessary time to fulfil this role
• Ensure that where a child leaves the school roll, her/his child protection file is transferred to the new school as soon as possible and is kept separate from the main school file.

Proprietors of Independent Schools

Proprietors of independent schools should ensure that:

• Their school has a child protection policy that conforms with local guidance, is reviewed annually and is made available on request
• A senior teacher / member of staff of the senior management team is designated to take responsibility for dealing with child protection issues
• The proprietor, head teacher and designated teacher have attended the necessary training to equip them to carry out their responsibilities for child protection which is kept up to date and high quality training is available for all other staff appropriate to their needs
• Any deficiencies or weaknesses are remedied without delay
• They have arrangements in place to liaise and work with other agencies over child protection issues in line with policies and procedures
• They have safe recruitment procedures in place together with procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse against staff

Faith communities have an important role to play in child protection which reflects children's:

• Attendance at religious services and ceremonies
• Participation in study groups / lessons
• Involvement in crèches
• Attendance of youth clubs
• Use, either alone or with parent/s of available counselling, mentoring and confessional services
• Involvement in groups using faith community premises e.g. halls

Faith communities should ensure that all clergy, staff and volunteers who have regular contact with children:

• Have been checked for suitability (inc. Criminal Records Bureau checks) in working with children and understand the extent and limits of the volunteers' role
• Are sensitive to the possibility of child abuse and neglect
• Have access to training opportunities to promote their knowledge
• Know how to report concerns about possible abuse or neglect
• Are vigilant about their own actions so they cannot be misinterpreted

Faith communities should have the following arrangements in place:

• Procedures for staff and others to report concerns they may have about children they meet, that are consistent with' What to Do if You Are Worried A Child Is Being Abused' and LSCB procedures
• Appropriate staff codes of practice, particularly for those working directly with children, e.g. those issued by the Churches' Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS) or their denomination or faith group
• Recruitment procedures in accordance with Safe from Harm (Home Office 1993) principles and LSCB procedures alongside training and supervision of staff, paid or voluntary

The Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire & Rescue Authority is committed to its Child Protection Policy O/C 88-18-08 which is applicable to all staff and enshrines 2 key principles:

• The welfare of the child is the paramount consideration
• All children, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial or ethnic origin, religious belief and sexual identity have a right to protection from harm

Staff who for any reason become concerned that a child may be at risk, is being or has been abused either by:

• a member of staff;
• a member of their family;
• any other person, including another child
• themselves - self abuse;
• or is told by a child that they are being, or have been abused;

The role of the 'designated person' is to:

1. Act as an official contact with Children's Social Care Services and any other involved statutory authority in the matter of a child protection referral.
2. To instigate any internal actions that may be necessary following a referral being made.

General Responsibilities

All health professionals working with children and families should be able to:

• Understand the risk factors and recognise children in need of support and/or safeguarding
• Recognise the needs of parents who may need extra help in bringing up their children, and know where to refer for help
• Recognise the risks of abuse to an unborn child
• Contribute to enquiries about a child and family
• Liaise closely with other agencies including other health professionals
• Assess the needs of children and the capacity of parents / carers to meet their children's needs (including the needs of children who display sexually harmful behaviours)
• Plan and respond to the needs of children ands their families, particularly those who are vulnerable
• Contribute to Child Protection Conferences, Family Group Conferences and Strategy Discussions
• Contribute to planning support for children at risk of Significant Harm e.g. those in households with domestic violence or parental substance misuse
• Help ensure that children who have been abused and parents under stress e.g. those who have mental health problems have access to supportive services
• Play an active part, through the child protection plan, in safeguarding children from significant harm
• As part of generally safeguarding children and young people, provide ongoing and preventative support through proactive work with children, families and expectant parents
• Contribute to Serious Case Reviews and their implementation

Strategic Health Authorities (SHA)

Primary Care Trusts (PCT)

Duty to identify named and designated professionals

PCTs should ensure that all their staff:

• Are alert to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children
• Have knowledge of local procedures and
• Know how to contact the named and designated professionals

Independent sector

NHS & Foundation Trusts

Duty to identify named professionals

Ambulance Trusts, NHS Direct Sites & NHS Walk-In Centres

Dental Practitioners

To practice effectively, dentists should:

• Possess sufficient knowledge and skills to identify concerns regarding a child's welfare
• Be aware of how to refer to Children's Social Care
• Know the identity of the PCT's named professionals from whom they may wish to seek advice

In addition to the agencies and individuals described above, the following (and any others who offer services within Milton Keynes) are potential contributors to effective protection of vulnerable children:

• Clinical psychologists
• Staff in genito-urinary medical services
• Obstetric and gynaecological staff
• Occupational therapists and physiotherapists
• Staff in sexual health services
• Speech and language therapists
• NHS Direct
• Pharmacists, optometrists
• Members of all professions allied to medicine

The above individuals should:

• Have knowledge of these procedures and how to contact named professionals for advice and support
• Receive the training and supervision needed to recognise child welfare concerns
• Respond to the identified needs of children

GP & Primary Health Care Team

Midwife, Health Visitor and School Nurse

Mental Health Services

Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services

Child and adolescent mental health professionals may have a role in the initial assessment process in circumstances where their specific skills and knowledge are helpful, e.g.:

• Children/young people with severe behavioural and emotional disturbance, such as eating disorders or self-harming behaviour
• Families where there is a perceived high risk of danger
• Very young children
• Where child or abuser have severe communication problems
• Situations where parent or carer feigns the symptoms of or deliberately causes ill-health to a child
• Where multiple victims are involved

Adult Mental Health Services

Drug Action Teams

Designated & Named Professionals

Introduction

Designated professionals

Responsibilities of designated professionals can be summarised as:

• Providing the strategic health-lead on all aspects of health service contribution to safeguarding children within the PCT area  (including all providers)
• Supporting named professionals in meeting child protection specifications
• Providing professional advice on child protection matters to the multi-agency network
• Representing all health service providers on the LSCB and ensuring that each Trust has a specified link to the LSCB
• Monitoring, evaluating and reviewing the health service contribution to the protection of children
• Collaborating with LSCBs in each area and named professionals in each Trust in reviewing the involvement of health services in serious incidents which meet the criteria for a Serious Case Review

Named professionals

Named professionals have a key role in promoting good professional practice within the Trust and provide advice and expertise for fellow professionals. They should have specific expertise in children's health and development, child maltreatment and local arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

The responsibilities of named professionals can be summarised as:

• Being a source of advice and expertise on child protection matters to all staff at the point of need
• Promoting good practice and effective communication within and between Trusts and all agencies on all matters relating to the protection of children
• Ensuring that arrangements are in place for child protection supervision and training of all staff involved in providing services to children and families and vulnerable adults who are parents or carers and/or who may pose a risk to children
• Ensuring child protection is an integral part of the Trust's risk management strategy and that key staff are aware of thresholds for triggering a Section 47 Enquiry and an assessment of risk
• Conducting the Trust's internal case reviews (except when they have had personal involvement when it will be more appropriate for the designated professional to conduct the review)
• Developing, monitoring and reviewing health service specifications and standards for child protection practice
• Ensuring there are effective systems of child protection audit to monitor the application of agreed child protection standards

Housing Authorities & Registered Social Landlords

Housing and homelessness staff in local authorities can play an important role in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children as part of their day to day work by:

• Recognising child welfare issues
• Sharing information
• Making referrals and
• Subsequently managing or reducing risks

Housing managers, working in a local authority or for a registered social landlord (RSL), and others with a front line role such as environmental health officers, also have an important role, e.g.:

• Housing staff, in day to day contact with families and tenants, may become aware of needs or welfare issues which they can either tackle directly e.g. by making repairs or adaptations to homes, or by assisting the family to accessing help
• Housing authorities are key to the assessment of the needs of families with disabled children who may require housing adaptations in order to participate fully in family life and reach their maximum potential.
• Housing authorities have a front line emergency role for instance managing re-housing or repossession when adults and children become homeless or at risk of homelessness as a result of domestic violence
• Housing staff through their day to day contact with members of the public and with families may become aware of concerns about the welfare of particular children -also, housing authorities and RSLs may hold important information that could assist Children's Social Care carry out assessments under s.17 or Section 47 Children Act 1989; conversely social care staff and other organisations working with children can have information which will make assessments of the need for certain types of housing more effective; authorities and RSLs should develop joint protocols to share information with other organisations, for example Children's Social Care or health professionals in appropriate cases
• Environmental health officers inspecting conditions in private rented housing may become aware of conditions that impact adversely on children particularly; under Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004, authorities will take account of the impact of health and safety hazards in housing on vulnerable occupants including children when deciding the action to be taken by landlords to improve conditions

Registered Social Landlords (RSL)

Staff, volunteers and contractors who provide these services will have various degrees of contact with children who use them, and appropriate arrangements need to be in place including:

• Procedures for staff and others to report concerns they may have about children they meet that are in line with 'What To Do If You Are Worried A Child Is Being Abused' and LSCB procedures, as well as arrangements such as those described above; and,
• Appropriate codes of practice for staff, particularly sports coaches, such as those issued by national governing bodies of sport, the Health and Safety Executive, or the local authority

Libraries

The Licensing Act 2003 modernised the legislation governing the sale and supply of alcohol and public entertainment licensing so that:

• Various existing pieces of legislation were consolidated
• Licensing decisions could be made according to local considerations
• Licensing hours could be de-regulated

There are 4 'licensing objectives' contained with the Act:

• Prevention of crime and disorder
• Public safety
• Protection of children from harm
• Prevention of public nuisance

Responsible Authorities

A number of specified 'responsible authorities' must be notified of all licence variations and new applications and include:

• Police
• Fire & Rescue; and
• 'A body which represents those who, in relation to any such area, are responsible for, or interested in, matters relating to the protection of children from harm, and is recognised by the licensing authority for that area for the purposes of this section as being competent to advise it on such matters'

Across Milton Keynes the 'responsible authorities' and relevant contact details for applications and correspondence are as follows:

• Chief Officer of Police
  • c/o The Licensing Unit
    Thames Valley Police
    Milton Keynes Police Station
    302 North Row
    Witan Gate East
    MILTON KEYNES   MK9 2DS
    MKLicensing@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

• Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority
  • Licensing Officer
    Brigade Headquarters
    Stocklake
    AYLESBURY   HP20  1BD
    licensing@bucksfire.gov.uk
• Chief Environmental Health Officer (Health & Safety)
  • Milton Keynes Council
    Civic Offices
    1 Saxon Gate East
    MILTON KEYNES    MK9 3HH
    envservices@milton-keynes.gov.uk
• Developmental Control (Planning)
  • Milton Keynes Council
    PO Box 112
    Civic Offices
    1 Saxon Gate East
    MILTON KEYNES   MK9 3HQ   
    planning@milton-keynes.gov.uk
• Milton Keynes Safeguarding Children Board
  • c/o Cripps Lodge Resource Centre
    Broadlands
    Netherfiled
    MILTON KEYNES   MK6 4JJ
    mkscb@milton-keynes.gov.uk
• Trading Standards
  • PO Box 105
    Milton Keynes Council
    Civic Offices
    1 Saxon Gate East
    MILTON KEYNES   MK9 3HH
    tsd@milton-keynes.gov.uk

Children's Services staff have a responsibility to share (via their nominated 'responsible authority') any child protection concerns about licensed premises, with the relevant licensing authority, e.g.:

• Premises having a reputation for under-age drinking
• Premises with a known association with drug taking or dealing
• Children present and a strong element of gambling on premises
• Young people being present when entertainment of a sexual or other adult nature is provided on premises
• Premises where children are regularly present when they would normally be expected to be in full-time education
• Excessive nocturnal noise outside licensed premises in residential areas
• Children living in licensed premises and inadequately supervised
• Known concerns of a child protection nature about an applicant for a personal license, or for staff working in licensed premises where children may be present

Each 'responsible authority' should define the issues to be considered in formulating its response to a licence application, e.g.:

• Direct or indirect sale of alcohol and other restricted goods to under 18s
• Use of illicit drugs on licensed premises
• Impact on local children of noise associated with premises
• Protection of children from gambling or unsuitable films
• Protection from the impact of adults' smoking
• CRB checks on those who have access to children
• Appropriate policies /procedures that recognise the need to protect children

Probation

In addition, probation provides direct services to children:

• To child victims of serious sexual or violent offences
• Supervising 16 and 17 year olds subject to a Community Punishment Order
• Seconding staff to join YOTs
• Supporting women victims, and indirectly children in the family, of convicted perpetrators of domestic abuse participating in accredited domestic abuse programmes

Offender managers should also ensure there is clarity and communication between Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) and other risk management processes e.g. in the case of safeguarding children, procedures (summarised in Management of Those Presenting a Risk to Children Procedure) covering:

• Registered sex offenders
• Domestic abuse management meetings
• Child protection procedures and
• Procedures for the assessment of persons identified as presenting a risk or potential risk to children

Prisons

Responsibility for children in custody

Management of the secure estate

Young Offender Institutions

Governors / Directors are required to have regard to policies agreed by the Prison Service and the YJB, for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children held in custody that are published in Prison Order 4950 (Juvenile Regimes'). Arrangements prescribed for juvenile establishments include the following:

• A senior member of staff, known as the 'child protection co-ordinator' or the 'Safeguards Manager', who is responsible to the Governor / Director for child protection and safeguarding matters; and a child protection committee whose membership includes a senior manager as the chair, multi-disciplinary staff and a representative of the LSCB who could be a member of the LSCB (i.e. someone from another organisation) or an LSCB employee
• A local, establishment-specific child protection and safeguarding policy, agreed with the LSCB, which has regard to the Prison Service's / YJB's overarching policy and which includes procedures for dealing with incidents or disclosures of child abuse or neglect before or during custody
• Suicide and self-harm prevention and anti-bullying strategies
• Procedures for dealing proactively, rigorously, fairly and promptly with complaints and formal requests, complemented by an advocacy service
• Specialised training for all staff working with children, together with selection, recruitment and vetting procedures to ensure that new staff may work safely and competently with children
• Action to manage and develop effective working partnerships with other organisations, including voluntary and community organisations, that can strengthen the support provided to the young person and their family during custody and on release;
• An initial assessment on reception into custody to identify needs, abilities and aptitudes of the young person and the formulation of a sentence plan (including an individual learning plan) designed to address them, followed by regular sentence plan reviews
• Provision of education, training and personal development in line with the YJB's National Specification for Learning & Skills and the young person's identified needs
• Action to encourage the young person and her/his family to take an active role in preparation and subsequent reviews of their sentence plan, so that they are able to contribute to, and influence, what happens following release.

Secure Training Centres

OFSTED has responsibility for the inspection and, for non local authority services, registration) of:

• All fostering services and agencies
• All children's homes and care homes that provide personal or nursing care or both
• Adoption and adoption support services and agencies
• 'Qualifying' boarding / residential special schools and further education colleges with boarding facilities for under 18s (inspection powers only)
• Residential family centres
• All childminders
• All day care services for children under 8

Registered childminders and day care providers must satisfy explicit criteria in order to meet the national standard with respect to child protection (standard 13). OFSTED seeks to ensure that day care providers:

• Ensure the environment in which children are cared for is safe
• Have child protection training policies and procedures in place, which are consistent with these procedures
• Are able to demonstrate that their procedures have been followed when an allegation is made

Where warranted, OFSTED will cancel registration and/or bring civil proceedings or criminal proceedings against registered or unregistered providers.

See also Protocol between OFSTED and LSCB's

Child Abuse Investigation Unit (CAIU)

In Thames Valley, the CAIU's terms of reference are to investigate possible offences which occur:

• Within the family or extended family
• In respect of a child being cared for by any person (voluntary or professional) entrusted with her/his care at the time of an alleged offence
• Where the victim is an adult but the abuse occurred whilst s/he was a child
• Where the victim of sexual assault is under the age of 18

Information Gathering

Notifications to Police

Inspector/Animal Collection Officer (ACO) reports direct to the Police immediately by dialling '999'.

In extreme cases considered/responsible intervention whilst awaiting the arrival of the Police may be appropriate

Procedure - Non-Emergency

Inspector/Animal Collection Officer (ACO) witnesses child welfare concern.

Detailed entry made in pocket notebook.  If a case file results, the preface report must contain reference to this pocket notebook entry.

Information is passed to the child protection team within the Police or Children's Social Care.  If there is concern that the officer's own investigation into an animal welfare issue may be compromised, they should seek guidance from the Regional Inspectorate Child Safeguarding Officer (RICSO), line manager or Regional Superintendent.

Inspector/Animal Collection Officer updates TAILS (the RSPCA database for logging complaints) indicating:

• The organisation information passed to
• The concern i.e. child welfare issues
• Date and time information passed

Chief Inspector will further update incident as appropriate

The information will be passed to the Chief Inspector verbally, as soon as is operationally possible.

The information will be recorded on form A (RSPCA Referral to Children's Social Care and/or Police) and passed to Chief Inspector within 24 hours of telephone referral.

The Chief Inspector countersigns the form A.

Chief Inspector faxes form A, within 48 hours of initial telephone referral, to named person in the local child protection team of Children's Social Care or equivalent in the Police.  The Chief Inspector will also telephone to advise that the fax has been sent.

The Chief Inspector sends form A to the Regional Superintendent.  The Chief Inspector does not retain a copy.  The Regional Superintendent retains form A and stores in a locked cabinet.  These forms must be reviewed from time to time by the Regional Superintendent and not retained longer than one year.  Forms should only be retained for more than one year if there is an ongoing animal welfare concern with the family.

The Regional Superintendent should twice-yearly make contact with the Child Protection teams to obtain general feedback on the validity of referrals from the RSPCA, either directly or via the Chief Inspector.

The reporting of animal welfare concerns by Children's Social Care/Police should be encouraged.  The Chief Inspector will have made contact with local Children's Social Care and established a named contact.  The following procedure should be promoted.

Named person in Children's Social Care/Police reports animal welfare concern to National Control Centre (NCC) identifying relevant Chief Inspector if possible, on form B (Children's Social Care/Police referral to RSPCA).

Call is tasked to an Inspector (not Animal Collection Officer, even if unwanted pet/welfare concern, etc).  Inspector informed of Children's Social Care/Police referral.

Children's Social Care/Police complete and fax form B to Chief Inspector.

Form B copied to Regional Superintendent.

Inspector updates TAILS as usual and provides outcome to Children's Social Care/Police, if requested.

Inspector requests copy of TAILS incident report for Chief Inspector and Regional Superintendent.

Regional Superintendent sends a statistical report to Chief Officer of Inspectorate's office, twice per year.

All agencies / groups should ensure that all staff and volunteers:

• Have been checked for suitability (including Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks) (Recruitment, Selection, Supervision and Training Procedure) for working with children and understand the extent and limits of the volunteers' role
• Are sensitive to the possibility of child abuse and neglect in all environments in which they have responsibility for children
• Have access to training opportunities to promote their knowledge
• Know how to report any concerns they have about possible abuse or neglect
• Are vigilant about their own actions so they cannot be misinterpreted

The agency / group should:

• Have guidelines about the care of children in the absence of parents, which respect the rights of the child and the responsibilities of the adults towards them
• Have guidelines about safe caring practices e.g. not being alone with children without alerting others to why, ensuring all allegations, however minor, are reported to the agency/ group manager / leader
• Nominate a senior member of staff to take responsibility for drawing up and maintaining policy for child protection
• Promote and maintain links with local statutory agencies in relation to both general and specific child protection matters