Unfortunately, our free September CSA seminar, scheduled for the morning of Monday September 1st 2008, is now fully booked. All presentations and related documents will be posted online after the seminar, so watch this space for further details.

Restricted information guidance now open for consultation

This guidance was requested by the London LSCB Chairs group, and is offered as optional to LSCBs. The aim of the guidance is to guide LSCBs when deciding how widely to share certain documents, and should help to clarify the meanings of different protective markings – please note that this will not apply to sharing information about a child or family, which will remain as laid out in Section 3 of the London Procedures. 

We would urge LSCBs to ensure that all their partner agencies are given the opportunity to respond to this consultation, since they will be bound by the document should their LSCB choose to implement it. Please follow the link below to download the guidance, and return any comments or suggestions to Ian Dean at ian.dean@londoncouncils.gov.uk by Tuesday 30th September 2008. 

  Restricted information guidance - draft for consultation

Joint Protocol between the RSPCA and the London Safeguarding Children Board now open for consultation

The RSCPA and the London Safeguarding Children Board have agreed this protocol to ensure there is effective cooperation and communication, so that risk factors are identified and acted upon where these are likely to have implications for the wellbeing and safety of children and animals.

This protocol is referred to in the London Child Protection Procedures (2007) under the section 5.2 ‘Animal Abuse and the links to abuse of children and vulnerable adults’, and has been endorsed by the RSCPA as part of their policy on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

Please follow the link below to download the guidance, and return any comments or suggestions to Ian Dean at ian.dean@londoncouncils.gov.uk by Tuesday 30th September 2008. 

  RSPCA protocol - draft for consultation

Child sexual abuse conference - papers now available 

The London Safeguarding Children Board's 2008 summer conference, which focussed on safeguarding children at risk of sexual abuse, took place at the British Library on Wednesday June 18th. With presentations that highlighted the latest developments and emerging good practice from both the UK and abroad, the event was a great success and a number of presentations and supporting material are now available to download from the link below:

• Safeguarding children at risk of sexual abuse - conference presentations and supporting papers

 It is anticipated that additional papers will be made available via this link shortly, so watch this space for updates!

Metropolitan Police Female Genital Mutilation Prevention Campaign 2008

The Summer Holidays have been identified as a time when girls are particularly vulnerable to becoming victims of FGM by being flown out to countries which openly practice FGM, or by having the procedure conducted on them at home, utilising the holiday period as recovery time. 

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has developed Project Azure to tackle this issue, and have developed an electronic FGM Training and Briefing pack to be widely disseminated to any agency or voluntary organisation whose staff has contact with children - this is available to download from the FGM resources section of this website.

LSCB self-assessment governance tool and effective practice case studies now available to download

A voluntary Challenge and Improvement Tool for LSCBs is now 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.

 Safeguarding London's Children conference - Friday December 12th 2008

The London Safeguarding Children Board's annual Safeguarding London's Children Conference will take place at the QEII Conference Centre on Friday December 12th 2008. Further details, including booking information, will be posted nearer the time.

Competence Matters - a multi agency safeguarding children training framework for London

Competence Matters offers a framework for a London-wide comprehensive safeguarding children training programme. Used to inform local Safeguarding training strategies, it will provide a framework for a programme based on each London borough’s individual training needs. Please follow the link below to download a copy:

  Competence Matters - a multi agency safeguarding children training framework for London

This document is intended to assist Children’s Trusts and/or Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) Training Officers and Sub-Committees with the planning, commissioning and delivery of a comprehensive safeguarding children training programme. LSCB partners, and those with responsibility for staff learning and development within LSCB member agencies will also need to be familiar with this framework.

It is not intended that Children’s Trusts or LSCBs should attempt to adopt everything within this document – rather, local areas should use this as a framework around which to base their own training programmes.

Child sexual abuse - free quarterly seminars

Stop it Now! UK & Ireland, in conjunction with the London Safeguarding Children Board, will be holding quarterly seminars on child sexual abuse prevention and management throughout 2008. Each seminar will feature a presentation and discussion on different aspects of child sexual abuse - please download the flyer below for more information:

  Child sexual abuse - free seminars for London

The seminars will take place as follows:

• Mon Sept 1st 2008, 9.30am - 12.30pm - FULLY BOOKED
• Wed October 15th 2008, 9.30am – 12.30pm  

Agenda details will be posted around one month prior to each seminar.  Please see the child sexual abuse pages of this website for more information about the London Board's work in this area.