Quick Guide to using these Procedures

Contents

1. What is the Status of this Manual?
2. Display and Browser Options
3. Printing and Retaining Copies
4. Extra Features
5. What is included in the London Child Protection Procedures?
6. Who are Tri-X-Childcare?

1. What is the Status of this Manual?

Until now, the London Safeguarding Children Board procedures have been available in 3 formats: 'Hard Copy' books and 2 down-loadable versions which are available from the London SCB website - either PDF or Word files.

In an effort to improve accessibility to professionals and the public, Tri-X-Childcare (See Who are Tri-X-Childcare?) have created this new, 'web-based' version.

This new version includes many extra features, such as 'Search', which are not available in the PDF/Word formats (see Extra Features)

We have faithfully duplicated the content of the London Child Protection procedures, including the latest updates (issued in January 2008), and we guarantee to keep them up to date in line with future updates or amendments.

2. Display and Browser Options

People with a visual impairment may have difficulty accessing this Manual, if they do, they can change the size of the text/layout - please use the accessibility buttons on the left hand side of every screen; these are the "letter a" buttons increasing in size;

Click a larger "a" button to increase your text size, the very largest being high visibility mode.

3. Printing and Retaining Copies

The Manual should normally be viewed on line.

However, users may print chapters, using the "print" icon in the top right of the manual;

Please note, the Manual will be updated regularly, so staff should avoid retaining printed versions - hard copies are only valid for 72 hours.

4. Extra Features

This new 'web-based' format offers many features designed to improve accessibility to these procedures and make them user friendly - thus improving outcomes for children.

SEARCH: If you know what you are looking for, it is probably best to go to the Contents List (see Contents button on the left hand side of every screen) and scroll down to the Section you require.

If you aren't sure which part of the Manual to look in, use 'Search' (also available on the left hand side.

You can Search for Section and Sub Section Headings - not for references embedded in the body of text.

KEYWORDS: The London Child Protection Procedures contains 2 Glossaries of key terms used in the Manual. Tri-X-Childcare have created a separate 'Keywords Index' containing the definitions for more than 600 other terms which users may find useful. NB: Where Keywords are used in the body of the text, they are highlighted like this Roles and Responsibilities, user may click on the term to access the relevant definition.

ACCESSIBILITY TO PEOPLE WITH A VISUAL IMPAIRMENT: By December 2008, all local government websites are required to be accessible to people with visual impairments.

This Manual already complies, people with a visual impairment can change the look and feel of these procedures - see DIspay and Browser Options.

AGENCY CONTACTS: The original London Child Protection Procedures include links to many useful websites, we have recreated these links and added more. NB: We have acted faithfully to ensure the contact details are correct, if users discover they are not, please notify Tri-X-Childcare and we'll put things right. (See Who are Tri-X-Childcare?)

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS? We welcome feedback on the accessibility and friendliness of this Manual, if you would like to make a comment or suggestion, please contact us. (See Who are Tri-X-Childcare?)

5. What is included in the London Child Protection Procedures?

These procedures use terms which are explained in section 1, under the Glossary (see Section 1.6)

Sections 1 to 9

If you want:

• To understand the Government strategy and initiatives, and the principles which underpin these procedures: read section 1. Preface and introduction.
• To know what your and other professionals' role and responsibility is to safeguard children: read section 2. Roles and responsibilities.
• Assistance in deciding whether to share information about a child and their family, and who to share it with: read section 3. Sharing Information .
• Assistance in recognising the signs in a child that they may be experiencing harm through abuse or neglect: read section 4. Recognition and response.
• To raise your awareness of the circumstances in which a child may be being abused or neglected and/or assistance in recognising the signs in a child that they may be experiencing harm through abuse or neglect: read section 4. Recognition and response and a relevant sub-section of section 5. Children in specific circumstances.
• To know how to respond if you are concerned that a child may be being abused or neglected: read a relevant sub-section of section 5. Children in specific circumstances and section 6. Referral and assessment.
• To know what will happen if you refer a child to LA children's social care: read section 6. Referral and assessment and section 7. Child protection enquiries.
• To know what will happen if LA children's social care are concerned that a child may be being abused or neglected: section 7. Child protection enquiries, section 8. Child protection conferences and section 9. Implementation of Child protection plans.

Sections 10 to 19

In these sections:

• section 10. Working with uncooperative families assists you to work with a family who is reluctant to co-operate.
• section 11. Mobile children and families assists you to respond when a child or family move across borough boundaries and there are safeguarding concerns.
• section 12. Unexpected death of a child explains what to do when a child dies.
• section 13. Risk Management of known offenders explains how to respond to a child or adult who poses a risk to children (see also the relevant section in section 5. Children in specific circumstances).
• section 13.4. Adult offenders provides help when you identify a situation of abuse involving one or more abusers and a number of children.
• section 15. Allegations against staff assists you to safeguard children when you are involved in an allegation of abuse made against a person who works with children.
• section 16. Supervision and training and section 17. Safer recruitment assist you to safeguard children when you are recruiting and supervising staff.
• section 18. Local safeguarding children boards, quality assurance and conflict resolution describes:
  • The responsibilities of a Local Safeguarding Children Board;
  • What to do if you disagree with how another professional or agency is responding to / caring for a child and their family;
  • How to respond to complaints; and
  • The whistleblowing arrangements which should be available to help you raise protection concerns about colleagues or managers.
• section 19. Serious case reviews explains when and how a serious case review should be conducted.

6. Who are Tri-X-Childcare?

Tri-X-Childcare were established in 2001. Initially, we provided a range of specialist services including Serious Case Reviews, Complaints Investigations and ‘face to face’ Training.

We still provide these services but our core business is electronic (e.g. web-based) procedures.  Having provided  manuals for more than 70 public and independent agencies*, we are the UK’s leading provider in the children’s sector and our presence is growing every year.

We are based in the West Midlands, working throughout the UK with more than a dozen consultants, including childcare lawyers and specialists in web and graphic design.

*We have produced Procedures Manuals for approximately a third of the London Borough's Children's Services - integrating their procedures with the London Child Protection Procedures.

CONTACT TRI-X-CHILDCARE: If you have any comment or suggestions about this Manual, please contact Tri-X-Childcare. If the comments relate to the Content, we will pass them to the London Safeguarding Children Board. If they relate to improvements that can be made to this 'web-based' version, we will collate and consider them.

You can contact us Tri-X-Childcare as follows:

Tri-X-Childcare website

Telephone: 024 7667 8053

Email: info@tri-x-childcare.co.uk

Office address: Kensington House, 50 Albany Road, Coventry CV5 6JU

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