Specialist

Safeguarding Children

Haringey Local Safeguarding Children Board (HLSCB)

Introduction

Haringey Local Safeguaring Children Board is the inter-agency forum for agreeing how the different services and professional groups should co-operate to safeguard children and young people in Haringey, and for making sure that such arrangements which are agreed work effectively to bring about good outcomes for children. It has replaced what was known as the Area Child Protection Committee.

Working Together To Safeguard Children (DOH 1999) outlines the roles and responsibilities of the Local Safeguarding Children Board.

This is being reviewed in the light of government regulations around the establishment and functioning of the London Safeguarding Children Boards.

Responsibilities

The Haringey Local safeguarding Children Board will be responsible to Haringey Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership.

The Haringey CYPSP will monitor the effectiveness of the Haringey LSCB through receipt of an annual report.

Terms of Reference

Aims and Objectives: (London Child Protection Committee Procedures July 2003). The overall aims of the LCSB must be to ensure the effective collaboration of all agencies so as to:

Protect children from abuse, neglect and consequent significant harm
Bring about positive outcomes for children in the local authority area

Specific objectives of all LSCBs are to:

Develop and agree, inter-agency policies and procedures consistent with Working Together to Safeguard Children (1999)
Audit and evaluate how well local services are working together
Put in place performance objectives and indicators for child protection in the context of the local Children and Young Persons’ Strategic Plan
Encourage and develop effective working relationships between different services and professional groups
Ensure agreement and understanding across agencies about operational definitions and thresholds for intervention
Apply lessons learnt from national and local research and experience
Undertake appropriate case reviews and ensure lessons are understood and acted upon
Specify and ensure delivery of effective inter-agency training
Raise community awareness of need to safeguard and contribute to children’s welfare

Governance

The Haringey LSCB will (where relevant):

Support effective stakeholder involvement, including the provision of revenue support where appropriate, e.g. for interpreting.
Enshrine the role of stakeholders, including service providers, by the use of clear decision-making protocols and systems for registering dissent.
Declare any conflict of interest, pecuniary and non-pecuniary.
Elect a Vice Chair at the first meeting of each municipal year from the membership. The Vice Chair can serve a maximum of three years.
Use the agreed partnership logo and slogan on papers relating to the business of all committees
Ensure that only the Chair or delegated representative represents the HLSCB to the press.
Ensure that any member of the HLSCB who fails to attend three consecutive meetings or any three from six meetings will have their membership formally reviewed by the Chair, Vice Chair and by the Chair (of the Executive). Recommendations for action to be agreed by the HLSCB.
Recognise that members may be called upon to subscribe to a partnership response that is not in line with that of their employing/host organisation. Such instances of dissent should be recorded in the minutes and not impede the partnership action.
Members may arrange for a regular alternate or deputy to attend on their behalf. This person should be formally notified to the distribution officer at least five working days before a meeting.
Decisions will be arrived at by consensus. In exceptional circumstances, if at least three members request it, a vote may be taken. In this case the Chair will take a vote by a show of hands, with each member having one vote. Decision will be by simple majority. Observers are not eligible to vote.
If necessary, because of urgency and the timing of meetings, decisions may be taken by e-mail on the basis of a report and recommendations. Decisions will be by simple majority. Abstainers will be recorded.
Agendas and reports to be considered at meetings will be circulated at least five working days before the meeting, in accessible formats.
Any documents that may involve the disclosure of exempt or confidential information will be amended prior to public access, with an explanation of the reason(s) for this censorship.
Additional/late items will be at the discretion of the Chair.

The Board will commission time-limited task groups and project boards which will be established as and when projects to implement business and other objectives arise. Membership of these tasks groups and project boards will be invited from the pool of members in the Stakeholders Forum to ensure a cross-representation of statutory and non-statutory bodies. Sufficient notice/invitation to participate in these groups will be sent from the Safeguarding Board Development Unit.