ChildSafeguarding.com’s Post

Sharing this document from the UK Government related to information sharing, particularly for safeguarding practitioners, especially those who are working with and for children, young people, parents, and carers. This is also a useful guide for frontline service providers working with and for, on the population mentioned above. I have said it before, and I will say it again - while SEAH can happen to anybody, the condition and situation becomes more sensitive when children are involved. And to level off - children means any individual below 18 years of age, regardless of the local age of consent. https://lnkd.in/gUfYsiM9

The same failings continue to undermine Child Protection in England Safeguarding Children. Children in England deserve better. Despite decades of effort, information sharing challenges continue to leave them vulnerable. Is it time to finally address the greatest perennial problem in safeguarding? Download our FREE white paper to explore: • Why information sharing remains a major hurdle. • The 3 key barriers hindering data exchange. • How Safeguarding Partnerships can benefit from a centralised data capability. Together, let's create a safer future for all children. Download the white paper here➡️ https://lnkd.in/exm93y_A

LAUNCH DAY! Today (01/10/24) was the pilot session of our: Safeguarding Against Exploitation in Education across #sussex. Any and all education sector staff who come into contact with children in years 5, 6, 7 can gain access to our programme. Supporting participants through shared and thorough understanding of how exploitation may present. The methods, tactics and environments used within community and organised illicit spaces, whether in real life, or online. How to apply contextual safeguarding practice within schools and other education settings. Much of this is missed we feel. Lots of awareness raising about contextual safeguarding, not enough support for practical application. We’re changing that. Local context: we’re sharing contextual information on trends of harm and organised criminal groups #ocg impacting children and young people in their localities - Brighton&Hove, East Sussex, West Sussex. As well as this, we’re showcasing relevant support services and systems, from the #nationalreferralmechanism to local youth groups in the area. Session A is above, Session B really going deep into PRACTICAL application of the aforementioned. All part of our two Wraparound Services in Sussex. 18 months of focussed, nuanced and localised practice development for Children’s Services, Education staff, police custody, HMP Lewes and Health….. Get in touch to hear more or how we can support, across 2025 our calendars are getting booked out.

The DfE has published the updated version of the Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners: https://lnkd.in/e4zpZ7tK This has been updated following a public consultation last year and replaces the 2018 version of the advice. This advice outlines the importance of sharing information about children, young people and their families in order to safeguard children. It should be read alongside the statutory guidance Working together to safeguard children 2023: https://lnkd.in/ej-ZYXm7 This advice is for: -individuals who are directly involved in safeguarding children, including frontline practitioners, managers and senior leaders -individuals and organisations that work with children, parents, carers and families, in sectors such as social care, education, health, justice and voluntary organisations It may also be helpful to practitioners who work with vulnerable adults and adults who could pose a risk to children.

Interesting take on #MandatoryReporting from the annual report of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel - "..we shared our view that mandatory reporting is unlikely to make a substantial difference to the effectiveness of children’s safeguarding in statutory agencies where there is already a professional duty to report – but we also noted that some aspects of safeguarding practice could be improved through a mandatory reporting system, such as by increasing information sharing." https://lnkd.in/e4Pni2cJ

In this final part, Rachel Buckler asks how leadership can deliver safeguarding and child protection responsibilities

So what does 2024-25 have in store for us in safeguarding? Sadly, we cannot predict (or prevent) everything. Working in Safeguarding can be incredibly challenging and lonely but remember to reach out to your trusted adults, it can be for advice, challenge or just someone to hear you when you need to talk - no one should need to manage safeguarding in schools alone. Remember your "why" and in order to be at our best to support our children & families we need to ensure that we have the support we need as DSLs. #Togetherwesafeguardourchildren

One of the biggest challenges of my career so far has been leading the transformation of a national charity from safeguarding children and young people exclusively to safeguarding adults as well. The scale of change was immense, and the learning curve was steep — but it was also deeply rewarding. A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of hosting a panel event on Professional Curiosity as part of National Safeguarding Adults Week. It was a powerful reminder of how much there is to learn, share and improve in this space. Over the next week, I’ll be sharing some of the key lessons I’ve learned about safeguarding adults. Here’s my first learning: There’s an inherent bias in adult safeguarding that can limit our perspective. Too often, we rely on predefined risk profiles — such as learning disabilities, comorbidities or extreme poverty — to identify those who may be at risk. While these markers are important, the majority of adults who experience abuse or exploitation don’t fit neatly into these categories. Many may appear to have capacity to consent, making it easy to overlook the underlying risks they face. Effective safeguarding requires us to go beyond thresholds and risk markers, ask deeper questions and remain professionally curious. It’s about ensuring that everyone’s safety is truly seen and prioritised. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this—how do you navigate these complexities in your work? #Safeguarding #AdultSafeguardingWeek #ProfessionalCuriosity #Leadership #ContinuousLearning

The same failings continue to undermine Child Protection in England Safeguarding Children. Children in England deserve better. Despite decades of effort, information sharing challenges continue to leave them vulnerable. It's time to finally address the greatest perennial problem in safeguarding. Download our FREE white paper to explore: • Why information sharing remains a major hurdle. • The 3 key barriers hindering data exchange. • How Safeguarding Partnerships can benefit from a centralised data capability. Together, let's create a safer future for all children. Download the white paper here: ➡️ https://lnkd.in/enCQGZR9 #safeguarding #whitepaper #datadriven #dataforgood #childsafeguarding

As we are fast approaching the end of this academic year, I thought it might be worth discussing some frequently asked questions about Child Protection Records: 1.Should schools retain copies of child protection files? There's no definitive statutory guidance on this matter. Practices vary, but typically, primary schools transfer all records to secondary schools. However, some primary schools retain photocopies until the individual's 26th birthday, while others keep the originals until then. For specific advice, maintained schools should consult the Local Authority, while academies, Free Schools, and Independent Schools should seek guidance from their legal providers. 2. Why does retention policy differ? Interpretations of the Data Protection Act vary. Some argue for a single safeguarding file accessible only by the school where the child is placed, while others believe that the school creating the data should retain ownership. 3. Is there statutory guidance on file retention? The 2010 Department for Children, Schools and Families guidance recommended copying child protection files when children leave a school. While 'Keeping Children Safe in Education' guidance omitted the term 'copied' in 2015, it still emphasises the transfer of records to the new school. 4. What about retention periods? While no definitive statutory guidance exists, many schools adopt the Information Management Toolkit for Schools by the Information and Records Management Society. This suggests retaining records until the individual's 25th birthday, with a review thereafter. 5. Considerations under the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR: With the introduction of the DPA 2018 and GDPR, organisations must establish clear retention policies. Consent to share personal information is not always necessary, especially in cases where gaining consent could endanger a child's safety. 6. What about students transitioning to higher education or employment? Child protection files typically remain with the school and aren't forwarded to universities or employers. These records are considered educational and aren't transferred for employment or apprenticeship purposes. In summary: Navigating child protection record retention is complex, emphasising the need for schools to establish and adhere to clear policies consistently. Read: https://lnkd.in/eASsCRMq