Contact:
  • Children and Families Services  Children and Families Services
  • Address:

    Bath & North East Somerset Social & Housing Services, P. O. Box 3343,Bath.BA1 2ZH

  • E-mail:
    children_family@bathnes.gov.uk 
  • Telephone:
    (01225) 397985 
  • Fax:
    (01225) 396115 
  • Minicom:
    (01225) 477815 
  • Page Updated:
    14/09/2007
  • Author:
    Ted Head 
A to Z Index

Local Safeguarding Children Board

Annual Report and Business Plan 2007 - 2008

Review of LSCB Work Programme during 2006/2007

The LSCB Business Plan Work Programme 2006/2007 was based upon seven key themes and associated outcomes:-

1.         Protection from violence, maltreatment, neglect and sexual exploitation – with the intended outcome that children and young people are better protected.

2.         Children are protected from accidental injury and death – with the intended outcome that fewer children are involved in road traffic accidents and other accidents at home, play and employment.

3.         That children and young people feel safe from bullying and discrimination – with the ended outcome that children and young people report that they feel safer and incidents of bullying and discrimination are reduced.

4.         Children and young people feel safer from crime and anti-social behaviour in and out of school – with the intended outcome that fewer children and young people will be victims of crime and anti-social behaviour; there will be safer places to play and hang out; fewer children and young people committing crimes against children.

5.         Children and young people have security, stability and are cared for – with the intended outcome that the Local Safeguarding Children Board work together to promote policies and strategies to promote security and stability.

6.         Establishing an effective LSCB – with the intended outcome that the LSCB aids service development, builds partnerships, and delivers the work programme; and that children, young people and parents voices are heard by the LSCB.

7.         Training – with the intended outcome that children and young people’s safety is enhanced by staff benefiting from an effective training programme that helps build their skills and confidence; that we have created an effective workforce to safeguard children.

To deliver these themes and achieve the intended outcomes the following work programme was devised.

  • The LSCB will review the work of the New Way Project and consider plans for mainstreaming its services.
  • The Child Protection Conference process will be reviewed to assess its form and function, and ensure that standards are met by all LSCB agencies.
  • The Common Assessment Framework/Lead Professional/Single Point of Entry processes will be implemented.
  • The Parenting Strategy will be implemented.
  • The Child Protection processes in Bath and North East Somerset will achieve the Children’s Rights Chartermark.
  • The LSCB will co-ordinate strategies and activities to reduce the number of children killed or seriously injured by 2010 compared to the average for 1994-98, with greater reductions in disadvantaged communities.
  • The Education Welfare Service will increase the number of children and young people in employment (as percentage of all 13-16 yr olds) who are registered to work.
  • The LSCB will ensure all agencies have appropriate procedures and support in place to prevent and reduce the incidents of bullying.
  • The LSCB will promote knowledge and awareness of the impact and importance of bullying for children and young people.
  • The LSCB will maintain robust links with the Community Safety and Drugs Partnership and the Youth Offending Team Steering Group in order to input to the Community Safety Strategy and the Youth Justice Action Plans, and the reviews of their implementation.
  • The Play Strategy will be fully implemented.
  • The LSCB will promote the security and welfare of children in private fostering arrangements.
  • The LSCB will promote and monitor the improvement of permanency planning for looked after children and young people.
  • The LSCB will promote the Parenting Strategy.
  • The LSCB will ensure that it has been established and operates in line with statutory requirements; that it has achieved the most appropriate and effective membership; that all agencies are signed up to the LSCB; that all members are actively engaged in the work of the LSCB; that the LSCB has established clear lines of accountability.
  • The LSCB will introduce an effective communication strategy.
  • There will be clear and demonstrable evidence of children and young people’s active participation of the LSCB. 
  • The LSCB will have received progress reports from the sub groups and the lead groups for the five staying safe aims. 
  • The LSCB will have introduced induction, training and annual appraisal arrangements for all LSCB members.
  • The LSCB will contribute to plans to improve the overall training of people working with children, young people and families. 
  • The LSCB Training Management Group will improve the ability to connect training needs with training activity. 
  • The LSCB will improve attendance at inter-agency safeguarding training.
  • The LSCB Training Management Group will focus on improving contributions to core assessments and child protection conference reports.

Progress

Progress with the implementation of this work programme was reviewed by each Local Safeguarding Children Board meeting in 2006/07, the Stakeholders’ Forum in November 2006, and the LSCB Development Day in January 2007.

All aspects of what was once again an ambitious work programme for 2006/07 have been implemented and progressed, the majority to completion.  Some outstanding tasks will be incorporated into the Work Programme for 2007/08.  The work programme has been supplemented by other key tasks and developments that have arisen during the course of the year and warranted immediate action or response. 

This progress can be evidenced by the following:-

  • The LSCB has received reports reviewing the progress of the New Way Project and endorsed its continuing development.  Options for mainstreaming the service are currently being explored. 
  • The Safeguarding Children Sub Committee has developed a methodology for reviewing the child protection case conference process and implemented arrangements for a quality assurance of all child protection reports and action plans.
  • The LSCB has contributed to the Common Assessment Framework/Lead Professional/Single Point of Entry implementation process and review led by the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership.
  • The LSCB has contributed to the development of the Parenting Strategy led by the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership.  The Parenting Strategy was launched by the Partnership in December 2006.
  • The Safeguarding Children Sub Committee is progressing work to achieve the Children’s Rights Chartermark for child protection conferences.
  • The LSCB has received progress reports from each of the newly established Lead Groups for the Staying Safe aims as follows:-
    • The Safeguarding Children Sub Committee (safe from maltreatment, neglect, violence and sexual exploitation);
    • Avonsafe (safe from accidental injury and death);
    • The Anti-bullying and Discrimination Group (safe from bullying and discrimination);
    • The Youth Offending Team Steering Group (safe from crime and anti-social behaviour);
    • Looked After Children Sub Committee (has security, stability and are cared for);
    • And established arrangements for contributing to the work of these Lead Groups and reviewing future progress reports.
  • The LSCB has contributed to the Community Safety Strategy, the review of the Youth Justice Plan 2006/07 and the compilation of the Youth Justice Plan for 2007/08.
  • The LSCB reviewed progress he LSCB has promoted procedures for private fostering arrangements across all LSCB agencies and promoted greater awareness across the wider community.   The LSCB reviewed progress through the consideration of an annual report compiled by the Children and Families Services and endorsed plans for effecting further improvements.  A first annual report has been submitted to the Lead Member for Children’s Services
  • The LSCB has completed work to ensure that it meets all statutory requirements and operates as an effective Board.  Core and Associate members have been established.  Membership has been reviewed to ensure that all appropriate stakeholders are represented – arrangements are now in place for local schools to be represented on the Board; local GP’s have also been invited to nominate a representative.  The Strategic Health Authority have identified an officer to act as a Core Member.  Chairing arrangements have been reviewed and the newly appointed Director of Children’s Services has delegated chairing responsibilities to the Assistant Director for Children’s Services.  Written terms of reference are in place for the LSCB, and the Lead Groups for the Staying Safe aims.  Finances and resources for LSCB activity have been reviewed and confirmed for 2007/08.  Continuing work is required with some member agencies who are under pressure to reduce their financial contribution.
  • The LSCB has established clear lines of accountability – reports have been compiled and submitted to the Integration Project Board and to the Lead Member for Children’s Services.  This annual report will be submitted to the Council Executive and the appropriate Overview and Scrutiny Panels.
  • Children and young people were actively engaged in work to review progress with the LSCB’s first Work Programme and contribute to the Work Programme for 2007/8.  Children and young people made contributions to the Annual Stakeholders Forum.  Arrangements are in place to receive feedback from young people on the quality of their participation.
  • The LSCB has continued to implement the Participation Strategy (as developed by the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership) in all its work.
  • The LSCB has implemented the strategy for involving parents and carers in its work through Family Centres, direct contributions to and active participation in the LSCB’s Stakeholders Forum.  Parents and carers have informed the review of the first Work Programme and the compilation of the Work Programme for 2007/08.
  • Progress has been made with developing the pilot to enable young people’s view to be heard in child protection case conferences; in evaluating how the Children’s Advocacy Service supports young people in the child protection process and extending it to a younger age range.
  • Clear reporting and linking mechanisms have been established between the LSCB, the Community Safety and Drugs Partnership, and the Partnership Against Domestic Violence and Abuse.
  • The LSCB considered a review of the local implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 and its responsibilities within this.  This will continue to be reviewed on an annual basis.
  • The LSCB continues to promote and endorse work of the Childsafe Partnership and the Travelsafe Partnership. 
  • The LSCB continues to promote the work of the Keepsafe Service – a multi-agency service working with young people who’s behaviour is sexually harmful.
  • The LSCB has made arrangements for its members’ contributions and performance to be reviewed within annual appraisal arrangements in each parent agency.
  • The LSCB reviewed its overall effectiveness as a Board within its Development Day in January 2007.
  • Further work has been undertaken to improve the content, timeliness and standards of reports and contributions to child protection case conferences.  Agencies have assumed responsibility for monitoring their own contributions and taking any corrective action.  The Safeguarding Children Sub Committee continues to undertake audits of quality and quantity of reports.
  • The LSCB Training Management Group has undertaken the annual audit of training needs across all agencies to ensure clear links between identified training needs and training activity; a comprehensive training programme has been implemented; work continues to improve attendance at inter-agency training courses; post course questionnaires have now been introduced to aid the evaluation of the impact of training upon practice and the outcomes for children and young people.
  • The LSCB Training Management Group continues to provide training to improve the quality of core assessments and written reports to child protection case conferences.
  • The LSCB has continued to review local practice in respect of safe recruitment of people working with children and young people, and implemented the standards for all local agencies.
  • The LSCB considered the Annual Report of the Avon and Somerset Multi-agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) and received a briefing regarding issues within Bath and North East Somerset.
  • The LSCB continues to contribute to the work of the Avon and Somerset Safeguarding Consortium comprising of the 5 LSCB Chairs and senior representatives from the Police, Health, Probation and the Crown Prosecution Service.
  • The LSCB was a member of the partnership of 11 local authorities in the South West of England which has established and introduced shared safeguarding procedures.  The South West Child Protection Procedures (SWCPP) were launched on 31 January 2007 as a web based, jargon free and inter-active guide.
  • The LSCB has conducted a Serious Case Review and received the Overview Report compiled by the NSPCC.  Action Plans have been compiled to respond to its recommendations by the Children and Families Services; the Education Service; the Primary Care Trust: the Police: the Health Care Commission, and the LSCB.  Further recommendations will follow from a report to be presented in April 2007 and updated action plans will be compiled.  An Executive Summary will be published to inform local and national practice.
  • The LSCB has established links with the Allegations Management Advisers and has introduced local arrangements for the management of allegations against people who work with children and young people in Bath and North East Somerset.
  • The LSCB has received progress reports in respect of actions to increase the number of young people in employment who are registered to work.
  • The LSCB has contributed to the development and implementation of the Play Strategy for Bath and North East Somerset

Performance Indicators

As detailed above, the remit of the LSCB covers the 5 aims within the staying safe outcome.  Lead groups have been established for each and they have adopted existing, and developed new local performance indicators to evidence their work.  These include number of 0-15 year olds injured or killed in road traffic accidents; percentage of 11-15 year olds who state they have been bullied in the last 12 months;, the number of looked after children who have lived in the same placement for 2 years.  The Lead Groups report their performance to the LSCB on an annual basis.  Targets for child protection, looked after children placement stability, and adoption of children looked after are detailed on page 27.

<<< Back to Contents page <<< previous page |  next page >>>