News archive
Safeguarding children abused through domestic violence
The London procedure for safeguarding children abused through domestic violence has now been approved by the London Safeguarding Children Board. This procedure is one of the series of supplementary procedures to the London Child Protection Procedures (2007), and is cross-referenced in the main procedures. The full document is available to download from the supplementary procedures section of this website.
London Safeguarding Children Health Professionals Network - papers online
All presentations and related documents from the February 21st meeting of the London Safeguarding Children Health Professional's Network, a mini-conference focussing on the alignment between serious case reviews and serious untoward incident processes, are now available to download via the link below.
Community Partnership Project - training powerpoint now available
The London Board have now produced a training powerpoint to accompany the recently published community partnership project report - this powerpoint, the full report and related resources are available in the community partnership project section of this website. The aim of the project was to improve partnership working between statutory bodies and local minority ethnic communities and faith groups for the safeguarding of London’s children, by gathering and sharing information and promoting improvement in practice across London.
Met Police Standard Operating Procedures - FGM
Please follow the link below to download a draft of the proposed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Metropolitan Police Officers investigating Female Genital Mutilation. Standard Operating Procedures is the term used for guidance for best practice in investigations.
FGM SOPs for consultation
FGM flowchart for consultation
The Child Abuse Investigation Command's Community Engagement Strategy outlines that views should be sought from people potentially affected by these procedures. This is to ensure that they develop the highest standard of guidance, likely to meet its main aims of adequately safeguarding children at risk and ensuring an effective and thorough investigation. The Met Police therefore would really appreciate any views you may have on the SOPS.
Please reply directly to DS Clare Chelsom by 14th March 2008 (Clare.Chelsom@met.pnn.police.uk).
Met Police Standard Operating Procedures for Safeguarding Children
The Metropolitan Police are currently consulting on their Standard Operating Procedures for Safeguarding Children, to support the implementation of Every Child Matters across the MPS.
This document details service procedures, roles and responsibilities for the safeguarding of children and young people, and seeks to bring together in one document all policies relating to the safeguarding of children and young people. Please follow the link below to download these procedures:
Please return your comments to DC Jo Clark by e-mail (Joanne.Clark@met.pnn.police.uk) by the 11th March 2008. Please also contact DC Clark if you have any queries about these documents.
National reviews of serious case reviews
The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has now published the latest two biennial reviews of serious case reviews. These reports are available to download at:
Community Partnership Project - final report
The final report of the Community Partnership Project was launched at the London Board's annual "Safeguarding London's Children" conference in December, and is now available to download via the link below:
Community Partnership Project - final report
The Community Partnership Project was a London Safeguarding Children Board action and audit project, jointly managed with eight London boroughs and funded by the London Board, the Department for Education and Skills, the Home Office and the participating London boroughs. The project commenced on 1st July 2006 and ended on 30th June 2007.
The aim of the project was to improve partnership working between statutory bodies and local minority ethnic communities and faith groups for the safeguarding of London’s children, by gathering and sharing information and promoting improvement in practice across London.
Child death review processes
The London Steering Group for supporting implementation of child death arrangements is developing child death review protocols for London, which are scheduled for London-wide consultation in March 2008. This group is chaired by Dave Hill, Director of Children's Services and LSCB Chair in Merton, who can be contacted at dave.hill@merton.gov.uk.
All papers and related information to emerge from this group will be posted on the child death review processes section of this website as they become available.
Safeguarding children week on Teachers TV
Monday January 28th will see the start of "Safeguarding Children Week" on Teacher's TV, during which the channel will be looking at how schools and other agencies can work with children and their families to safeguard children’s welfare.
Please follow the link below to download details of highlights of some of the programmes that will feature in the week. These programmes and more are available to watch and download online for free from the Every Child Matters microsite: www.teachers.tv/everychildmatters.
Safeguarding children week on Teacher's TV
Safeguarding London's Children conference - 13 December 2007
All presentations and related documents from the London Board's annual Safeguarding London's Children conference, held on Thursday December 13th 2007, are now available to download via the link below.
Safeguarding children who may have been trafficked - new government guidance released
In December 2007, the DCFS and Home Office produced a guidance document intended to help agencies and their staff safeguard and promote the welfare of children who may have been trafficked. It is supplementary to, and should be used in conjunction with, the Government's statutory guidance 'Working Together to Safeguard Children' (2006). Please follow the link below to download this guidance document:
Safeguarding children who may have been trafficked
London Child Protection Procedures
Unfortunately, our stock of hard copies of the London Child Protection Procedures has now been exhausted, and we have therefore stopped taking orders. If you would like a hard copy, please contact your Local Safeguarding Children Board. We may be going for a second print run of these documents early in the New Year, so please do let your Local Board know if you would like to have a copy ordered as part of this.
The procedures are also available to download free of charge from the Procedures section of this website, as a fully hyperlinked electronic version, in individual chapters or in ready to print format, together with a training powerpoint and handouts.
London Good Practice Guidance for Safeguarding Children Missing from School
The London Good Practice Guidance for Safeguarding Children Missing from School has now been approved by the London Safeguarding Children Board, and is available to download from the link below or via the Supplementary Procedures section of this website.
Safeguarding Children Missing from School
Safeguarding Children Missing from School - Appendix 3
This good practice guide is designed to support professionals in education services both within the local authority and in schools and other educational establishments, together with the Metropolitan Police, LA children’s social care and health services, in their combined efforts to safeguard children who are missing from school
The guidance is offered with the aim of providing a minimum standard of safety for children who are registered with London schools and who are or go missing from school, and give rise to concern that they may be classified as missing whereabouts unknown.
London Board datasets initiative
Information about the London Board's datasets initiative is now available online - follow the link below for steering group notes and the latest on the development of a consistent dataset for London.
FGM resource page
On June 1st 2007, the London Safeguarding Children Board published the supplementary child protection protection Safeguarding children at risk of abuse through female genital mutilation. Please follow the link below for a variety of resources aimed at helping LSCBs to implement this procedure and address the issue of FGM - this page can also be accessed via the link to the right, under "resource pages".
Child death review process
To assist London LSCBs in fulfilling their duty to establish child death review processes by April 2008, the London Board will be holding a number of events for professionals to meet and discuss the issues involved.
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On July 25th 2007, Dr Michael Durfee delivered a very informative presentation outlining the process in place in the USA - Dr Durfee's presentation and accompanying papers are available in the diary section of this website.
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On September 21st 2007, the London Board and CSIP arranged a morning for LSCBs and the London Safeguarding Children Health Professionals Network to meet and discuss the challenges around developing child death response teams. Papers and presentations from this event are available in the health network section of this website.
