Newsletter – Autumn 2023

Introduction

Welcome to the TASP winter newsletter. We have now been running as an association for four years and are delighted to report that our membership has continued to grow and now stands at 100 LSCPs and a further 7 organisations with common goals and objectives.


TASP Annual AGM

Our Annual General Meeting is taking place on 7th December from 4:30pm to 6:30pm and can be attended by anyone for the first part where we will be pleased to be able to introduce Dame Rachel de Souza, England's Children's Commissioner as our guest speaker. Please do join us.

You can register your intention to attend here

REGISTER FOR AGM  

 

Comings and Goings

We are delighted to announce that we have recently appointed Caroline Toddington, as our  new communications and membership coordinator. This is a new post and the first new role we have recruited to since 2019. Caroline comes with a wealth of experience and we are really looking forward to her helping us developing new ways of reaching out to members, developing new services for them and getting our message across to the wider public.
 
Our delight at welcoming Caroline is offset by the news that our chair is standing down at the end of this year. Richard Burrows was a long-standing director of our predecessor body (AILC) and has been our chair since we were established as TASP in 2019.
 
Richard has had a lifetime of public service and has made a huge contribution to our work in making England’s child safeguarding system one of the best in the world.
 
This letter has an appropriate afterword from him, in which tells us some of his thoughts about his long career.

Two of other trustees , Maria Gresswell and Dr Deborah Hodes are also standing down as trustees and we wish all three friends prosperity and happiness in the next phase of their lives.

Research

Multi-Agency Reforms Evaluation Project - Deadline 30th Nov.

The research deadline for our MACS project is nearly upon us! Your insights matter in how an Evaluation Framework for LSCPs is developed. Colleagues who have completed the survey are quoting approximately 20-30 minutes. Please do share your views.

PARTICPATE HERE  

 

If this is NEWS to you and you don't know much about the project we have a very short (1min 30sec) video explaining the who, what, how and why!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH SUMMARY  

Webinars

November

Our Unveiling LADO: webinar was extremely popular with 212 attendees, and a plethora of engagement on our Webinar Forum. The key topics and themes that emerged from the data revolve around various aspects of the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) role, included engagement with different agencies, challenges in information sharing, resource constraints, decision-making processes, training and reporting structures. The Forum is still open for further thoughts XLEAP LOGIN  and a summary report will be published on our Webinars pages next week along with the recorded session. Members can access that here www.theasp.org.uk/webinars


December

With the AGM Event on the 7th December and seasonal holidays, there will be no further webinar this month.


January

Bookings are open for our January Webinar!

Safeguarding and the role of Grandparents: What are the child protection issues?

22 January, 2024 from 4pm to 5:15pm.

BOOK WEBINAR  

There are 200,000 thousand children in Kinship Care arrangements and 52% of those are grandparents. The role of grandparents is significant to the lives of children and young people and often overlooked. How do children and grandparents experience this space, including those grandparents that are not kinship carers.

TASP has invited Jasvinder Sanghera, National Rights' Campaigner, to join us for to discuss the work of "Grandparents United for Children" and support a dialogue around the implications for partnerships. 


February & March

We are planning a webinar around Early Help and also intend to plan one around Partnership Perspectives on the DfE's Revised Working Together. 


TASP Networks

 

 TASP Launches Independent Scrutineers Network

Scrutiny has remained one of TASP’s strategic focus since inception. In 2021 TASP collated the reflections of partnership’s scrutiny arrangements which pointed to the need for further exploration. TASP partnered with the VKPP & University of Bedfordshire and published in 2022 its research “Independent Scrutiny and Local Safeguarding Children Partnership Arrangements” which outlined the findings from the three core questions; “who is scrutinising LSCP activity?”, “how are LSCP activities being scrutinised?” and “what is being scrutinised?”. The project was generously supported by partners across England and provided a useful insight in the variety of approaches. We are also continuing our work with VKPP to develop Case Studies based around the findings of the 2022 report.

All reports available at www.theasp.org.uk/independentscrutiny

It is clear to us that the role of Scrutiny is pivotal in the evaluation and assessment of partnership working. It enhances accountability, offers a level of quality assurance, and can identify areas for improvement. But the permissive structure around Safeguarding Arrangements in creating variety, offers challenges, and the complexity of the arrangements and the varied approaches being employed underscore the imperative to provide assistance and backing to those involved in the scrutiny process.

We are delighted to announce that we are launching an Independent Scrutineer Network to bring together Scrutineers from across England to facilitate collaboration, share best practices, and discuss the pivotal role of scrutiny in effective partnership working.

We aim to start with an Afternoon Meeting inviting all scrutineers to join, to explore how TASP can support you in your role. We also welcome those who Chair the Partnership. The meeting will be jointly chaired by Jenny Pearce (Professor at Bedfordshire University and Scrutineer for London Borough of Havering) and Laurelle Brown (Co-Founder & Director of KIJIJI, Independent Consultant and Scrutineer for London borough of Tower Hamlets). The details and link to register are below.

Independent Scrutiny Network Meeting
Wednesday, 10th January 2024 from 4:30pm to 5:30pm

REGISTER HERE  

To clarify, you do not need to be a current member to attend. The intention is this will help inform a unique membership benefit for this cohort going forward.

We are considering a range of ideas to support you. Including:

  • Network opportunities with peers and experts in the field
  • Potential development of dedicated Webinars and/or Podcasts
  • Resource base for Effective practice

Business Managers Network

Our business Managers Network continues to thrive, offering an opportunity for all Partnership business managers and staff to come together and share practice and discuss local challenges.

November's meeting moved forward a week to allow for a schedule change in Webinars. It is now on Monday, 27th November from 4pm to 5:30pm. If you havent already registered you can do so below.

You can register here  

Stakeholder News

National Police Chiefs Council's Vulnerability Action Plan

In August 2023, The National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing (CoP) published their Vulnerability Action Plan.It focuses on seven strands of work:

  • Early Intervention
  • Risk Management
  • Information Management
  • Investigation
  • Leadership
  • Learning and Development
  • Communication

The  figure below illustrate ten systemic and perennial policing issues that the Action Plan seeks to deal with in enhancing their performance in relation to the seven strands of activity. The full report can be accessed here.

Diagnosis of underlying system issues:

Identifying and managing risk: The need to successfully identify and protect individuals at risk of harm

Victim engagement and care: The need to efffectively engage and care for victims and witnesses

Supporting vulnerable people: the need to support vulnerable individuals through the CJS

Using evidence in investigations: The need to make effective use of evidence and investigation

Collaborative working: The need to work with partners and other agencies to effectively protect the public

Crime prevention and long term problem solving: The need to focus on prevention and long term problem solving

Analytical capability: The need to understand problems and demands and their impact on policing activity

Developing the workforce: The need to support individuals to reach their potential through effective supervision and leadership

Staff wellbeing: The need to support staff wellbeing

Professional and ethical conduct: The need to scrutinise professional conduct and deliver

Children at the Table

The NCB (in coalition with a group of children's charities) has called for the next government to prioritize the well-being of children and young people, placing their needs at the forefront of policy decisions in their landmark report titled "Children at the Table,". The report highlights the challenges facing children today, including rising poverty, mental health concerns, and educational disparities, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive and committed approach to improving their lives. It urges the next government to implement an ambitious cross-government strategy, actively involve children and youth in decision-making processes, and increase investment in early intervention and prevention programs.

You can read the report here.

National Vulnerability and Exploitation Conference

7th - 8th March, 2024.

VKPP are inviting colleagues to attend their National Vulnerability and Exploitation Conference either in person for free (accommodation is not included) at the College of Policing in Ryton, or virtually.

The event is being hosted by the Hydrant Programme, Tackling Organised Exploitation (TOEX) Programme and Vulnerability, Knowledge, and Practice Programme (VKPP). The conference is focussed on protecting children and adults affected by vulnerability related risk and harm by looking at cross-cutting issues across the programmes, the Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce and the wider vulnerability and exploitation landscape. The conference is for both policing and wider stakeholders.

For more details and to register please use the link: Vulnerability and Exploitation Conference 2024

Families First For Children (FFC)  Pathfinder Sites

The FFC pathfinder was announced in February 2023 as part of the government’s children’s social care implementation strategy, Stable homes, built on love.
It responds to recommendations from the Independent review of children’s social care, the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel report on child protection in England and the Competitions and Market Authority’s market study of children’s social care provision. The pathfinder will test delivery of key strategy commitments.

  • family help
  • child protection
  • family network support packages (FNSPs)
  • safeguarding partners

Three areas are piloting this new approach:

  • Dorset
  • Lincolnshire
  • Wolverhampton

Seven further areas will adopt the approach in 2024 and findings will be published in 2025.

Child Death Overview Panel

Since 2019 the number of CDOP panels in England has declined from 98 panels to 58, in order each panel to comply with the requirement of reviewing 60 deaths a year. The National Cild Mortality database has recently released the data for child deaths in 2022- 2023. By downloading the data tables you can see the information relavant to your local CDOP. The report is available here

Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse (IICSA)

TASP is a member of the IICSA changemakers group, which seeks to ensure that recommendations emanating from IICSA are acted on. One of the more hotly debated issues is the utility and feasibility of introducing a requirement on the children’s workforce to report child sex abuse, with criminal sanctions for those who do not. The Government is currently calling for evidence concerning its proposals as to how it would deliver this recommendation. It is open till 30th November and you can access below. 

CALL FOR EVIDENCE  

JTAI of the multi-agency response to serious youth violence

Ofsted has published its guidance for carrying out a joint targeted area inspection (JTAI) of the multi-agency response to children affected by serious youth violence in September. The guidance can be found here. If colleagues want to share experiences in the process with other business managers, we welcome discussions at the Business Manager Network Meetings.

You can register for these here

www.theasp.org.uk/BMNetwork

 

Foundations

Some colleagues have been requesting information on the merger earlier this year of What Works for Children’s Social Care (WWCSC) and the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF). Foundations is the replacement organisation. Their website is www.foundations.org.uk and if you need to get in touch you can email [email protected]


Afterword

In life and love, you learn that there comes a time to let go and move on. (Taylor Swift)

It comes as some surprise to find that 43 years have been focused on hoping to have made some difference to the way we as a society look after and protect children.

During this time I have been privileged to work with many talented and inspirational people, including children, their families as well as professionals from all walks of life.

Although my academic background as an ancient historian and theologian probably suggests that change and progress are largely cyclical. I have always and remain an optimist looking for the best in people and circumstances. I am also a realist, which means that one has to confront weaknesses and failure, in order to strive to try harder to see if we can learn do things better and differently.

In this sense I continue to believe that organisations such as TASP and safeguarding partnerships are an essential part of our national response to safeguarding.
It seems a long time ago, when as an inexperienced, unqualified (and certainly naive) practitioner I was confronted with the realities of institutional care and the early emergence of “child protection”. It was striking at the then limited understanding of the harms that children experience. As well as how they did or did not feel able to tell others about this. This is why it remains so important to seek and act on the voices of lived experience.

It remains difficult, that we need to continue to ask ourselves why it appears that we have yet to find lasting solutions to persistent lessons that need to be learned. However there are good grounds to think that we not only know more, but that our response to a child at risk is substantively and qualitatively better than it once was. This rightly includes the recognition that we know when it is not good enough, and are able to take on the legacy of shame so that it inspires improvement. There remains further potential to invest in more coordinated and evidence based approaches to exploring and sharing learning about safeguarding and safeguarding arrangements. TASP is rightly proud of its work with a number of leading organisations in this field.

Understandably given that much of my career has been focused on partnership working and latterly arrangements, brings me to my hopes and fears for where we are now.
Organisations such as TASP and others embody and make a key contribution to a landscape and dialogue, that is intrinsic to the way in which our societal and professional response to safeguarding is structured.

At a time when in my view we have embarked on a significant new chapter in the journey from Area Child Protection Committees and past the LSCB era. It is now perhaps more important than ever that we do not lose sight of the important role partnership arrangements have and can play. In supporting the highest standards of practice and a consistency of approach across the wider agenda that seeks to address causation, confront  and resolve differences that can impact in a practical, strategic and systemic way.
As we appear to be moving on from a model of safeguarding partnership that took some recourse from a statutory status and had a clear role for independence. There is a need to more fully recognise the challenges and opportunities this new way of doing things represents. Whilst managing any risk however unintended that the outcomes from the new arrangements do not sustain or drive forward effective learning and improvement.

If there is a case for public accountability over and above that held by individual agencies and professionals, at a local level, which has been an attribute of past arrangements. This is an issue that would benefit from further consideration.  Experience also tells us that here is a key role for place based relationships and engagement on all aspects of safeguarding as a part of but distinct from other such forums. In other words given that as is so often cited “safeguarding is everyones business” there remains a case for continued consideration of how this impacts in the social and democratic context.

There is no doubt that across the local and national landscape awareness and expectations of safeguarding are of a different level than in the past. Many organisations and professions are willing and able to account for their actions, but it remains the case that collective accountability as well as the coordination and cooperation this implies can still be a challenge.

The future agenda for safeguarding partnerships is likely to continue to need to address transition as well as the other demands and stresses public services and systems face. There is perhaps a reasonable expectation that government in the way that it demonstrates its commitment to effective safeguarding arrangements. Will benefit from a more consistent and considered approach than has always been evident in recent years. It is also beholden on TASP and other major stakeholders to continue to come together. To ensure there is a balanced and long term approach to the role that safeguarding partnership arrangements have and may need to make to the effective protection of children. Whether in the context of day to day practice and in being able to assure the public. 

Richard Burrows

Vacancies

As many of you will know, TASP run a Vacancy section on the website where partnerships are able to advertise any current vacancies. This is open to both members and non-members (though there is a charge for non-members to post).

 We also keep examples of the job specifications and job advertisements for a variety of roles. As a member, you can get support in examples of roles by emailing Alison at [email protected] 

 

Your Views

 If you would like to contribute a short article to the newsletter, do a podcast or suggest a subject for our webinars , then we would be very keen to hear from you.

Please phone the Association on 07880 209 788 if you would like any help at all, or email Alison at [email protected] if you have queries.