Audit tools
Government Office for London and the London Safeguarding Children Board have created this pack of multi agency safeguarding audit tools for LSCBs to use as part of their quality assurance activity. The work was requested by London Directors of Children’s Services and was the subject of five consultation workshops. The pack consists of:
Purpose Of multi agency auditing – which describes the rational for this approach to auditing and how it fits into the LSC improvement cycle
Guidance On Use Of The Audit Tools – which describes how to scope and set up multi agency audits.
A Multi Agency Early Intervention Audit Instrument.
Early intervention grading guidance
A Multi Agency Child In Need Audit Instrument.
Child in need grading guidance
A Multi Agency Child Protection Audit Instrument.
Child protection grading guidance
A Multi Agency Looked After Children Audit Instrument.
Looked after children grading guidance
An Example Of A Completed Overview Report.
LSCB self-assessment governance tool and effective practice case studies
A voluntary Challenge and Improvement Tool for LSCBs is available to download from http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/socialcare/safeguarding/lscb/, together with two chapters of material provided by LSCBs as examples of their effective local practice.
The Challenge and Improvement Tool focuses on effective governance as a starting point for establishing strong relationships, clear accountability and transparency of operation and purpose. LSCBs may wish to adapt the tool to their specific context or stage of development.
The first chapter of effective practice exemplars consists of 13 case studies covering areas highlighted in Local Safeguarding Children Boards: A Review of Progress (June 2007), ranging from addressing local governance, to engaging effectively with partners, to developing local procedures. The second set of 8 case studies focus on two areas: how the child protection system can intervene to safeguard children and young people at risk of becoming involved in gang activity; and how local services identify and safeguard sexually exploited young people.
