Safeguarding children
The
protection of children in England: Action plan
The Government's response to Lord Laming's report on child protection -
May 2009
The Government has now published an action plan, setting out its detailed
response to the recommendations in Lord Laming's report, The protection
of children in England: A progress report (March 2009). The action plan is
available to download free of charge from ECM
publications, or hard copies can be purchased from The
Stationery Office.
The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has
written to front-line professionals, emphasising their important role.
Further documents:
- Letter
from Sir Roger Singleton, chief adviser on the safety of children, to
the Secretary of State, Ed Balls.
- Letter
from Moira Gibb, Chair of the Social Work Taskforce, to Ed Balls and
Alan Johnson.
- The
Secretary of State's letter of 17 November to Lord Laming,
commissioning his report.
- The
Government's interim response of 12 March to Lord Laming.
- Slides
from the action plan launch event held on 6 May.
For more information, see the full DCSF
press notice.
First
Report of the Social Work Task Force - May 2009
The Government has also published the first report of the Social Work Task
Force - a letter from Task Force Chair, Moira Gibb, to Ed Balls and Alan
Johnson. The letter sets out the Task Force's advice on implementing Lord
Laming's recommendations, including about the future of the Integrated
Children's System. The Task Force's letter also sets out the key
messages emerging from its extensive consultation with front line workers,
service users and others across children and adult's services, and opens
the Task Force's Call for Evidence. For more information or to contribute
to the Task Force's Call for Evidence go to the DCSF's Social
Work Task Force page.
Safeguarding
arrangements (Singleton review) - May 2009
Sir Roger Singleton, as Chair of the Independent Safeguarding Authority, has
led a review of safeguarding arrangements in independent schools,
non-maintained special schools and all boarding schools in England. The
Government has also accepted all Sir Roger Singleton's recommendations and
published a full response on 6 May. Both the review and response can be found
at the Keeping
our schools safe page on Teachernet.
Social Work Transformation Fund - May 2009
The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) has been asked to take
forward many of the activities announced as part of the Social Work
Transformation Fund, including the Return to Social Work campaign. If you are
interested in finding out more, including how to get involved, further
information is available at the CWDC's Social
Work Programme and Return
to Social Work Pilot Programme pages.
The
protection of children in England: A progress report - March
2009
Lord Laming's far-reaching report, The protection of children in England: A
progress report (12 March 2009), was commissioned by the Children's
Secretary Ed Balls in November 2008. For more information on the
report, and the Government's
response, please see the relevant DCSF Press Notice. A letter
from the Secretary of State to Lord Laming, setting out the
Government's immediate response to Lord Laming's report, is also
available. A statement on Lord Laming's report by Ed Balls can be
viewed at the DCSF's
Speeches page.
A copy of the report can be downloaded free of charge at ECM
Publications
To purchase a hard copy of the report, contact The
Stationery Office (TSO)
Safeguarding
the young and vulnerable
The Government's response to the third joint Chief Inspectors' report
on arrangements to safeguard children (15 December 2008)
Parental Learning Disability and Children's Needs - 2008
Child Protection, Domestic Violence and Parental Substance Misuse - 2008
Keeping
Children Safe - September 2008
The Government has launched a 12-month child sexual offender disclosure pilot,
Keeping Children Safe. A briefing
has been sent to key stakeholders.
Safeguarding Children In Whom Illness Is Fabricated or Induced - March 2008
Safeguarding children who may have been trafficked - December 2007
Statement on the duties of doctors and other professionals in investigations of child abuse - July 2007
Safeguarding
children from abuse linked to a belief in spirit possession - May
2007
Section 11 of the Children Act 2004 places a statutory duty on key people and bodies to make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Revised Statutory guidance on the duty was issued in April 2007.
Schools and further education providers have an equivalent duty through the Education Act 2002, and must have regard to the statutory guidance, Safeguarding Children in Education, issued in September 2004.
Local authorities and key local partners will need to address the following specific areas:
-
Working Together to Safeguard Children
We have now published an updated version of this guidance, which sets out how to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
-
Local safeguarding children boards (LSCBs)
Every local area now needs to have an LSCB in place. Guidance on local safeguarding children boards was
published earlier in the year and now forms chapter 3 of Working Together to Safeguard Children.
-
Vetting and Barring Scheme
Following the Bichard Inquiry Report, we are planning the introduction of a new scheme involving the new Independent Safeguarding Authority for vetting people whose jobs will bring them into contact with children and vulnerable adults.
-
What to do if You're Worried a Child is Being
Abused
This document provides best practice guidance for those who work with children in order to safeguard their welfare.
-
Missing
children notifications
The Department for Children, Schools and Families holds a list of all the designated managers in local authorities in England who are responsible for ensuring that missing children notifications are dealt with properly. The list can be used to notify local authorities about children who have gone missing from their local authority area.
-
Private fostering
New private fostering guidance and the national minimum standards for private fostering came into force on 1 July 2005.
-
Looked-after children
Partners will need to review support for looked-after children in light of the duty to promote their educational achievement as well as safeguarding and promoting their welfare.
-
Child death review procedures
The child death review procedures will become mandatory in April 2008. In this section you can find further details and information on the work underway to support implementation including resources.
Partners will also need to consider the statutory guidance on the role of the director of children's services and the lead member, as well as the rest of the interlocking Children Act guidance.
Documents
Statutory
Guidance on making arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of
children under section 11 of the Children Act 2004
Making
Safeguarding Everyone's Business - The Government's Response to the
Second Joint Chief Inspectors' Report on Arrangements to Safeguard
Children
Safeguarding
Children and Safer Recruitment in Education Statutory Guidance
Protocol
for Managing Serious Incidents
This page was last updated on 07 May 2009
