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North SomersetSafeguarding Children Board Procedures Manual

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Amendments

May 2017 (additional Amendment added in June 2017)

Local Information

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Allegations Against Staff or Volunteers	A link to the North Somerset Safeguarding Children Board - Allegations Protocol has been added into Local Information.
Child Sexual Exploitation	Links to North Somerset Safeguarding Children's Board (NSSCB) & North Somerset Safeguarding Adults Board (NSSB): Sexual Exploitation Practice Guidance; and Sexual Exploitation Strategy have been added into Local Information.
Domestic Violence and Abuse	Links to North Somerset Safeguarding Children Board: Safeguarding Young People affected by Domestic Abuse; and Domestic Abuse Information have been added into Local Information.

Shared Information

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Children Missing from Care, Home and Education	This chapter was amended in Section 4, Children Missing from Care and Care Leavers and Section 5, Children Missing from Home to show that a Return Interview should be offered and carried out within 72 hours of the child being located or returning from absence.

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Responding to Abuse and Neglect	A new Section 12, Historical Abuse has been added. In Section 6, Professional and Agency Response information has been added on when a Strategy Discussion should be held.
Child Sexual Exploitation	This chapter has been updated with the revised definition for Child Sexual Exploitation in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015 has been added along with links to Child Sexual Exploitation: Definition and Guide for Practitioners (DfE 2017). This is non-statutory advice to help practitioners to identify child sexual exploitation and take appropriate action in response and includes the management, disruption and prosecution of perpetrators. This document replaces Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation (DfE 2009).
E-Safety: Children Exposed to Abuse through the Digital Media	This chapter has been updated and now includes information on the recently introduced 'outcome 21'. Where young people are voluntarily sending/sharing sexual images or content with one another the police may use this new recording code to record that a crime has been committed but that it is not considered to be in the public interest to take criminal action against the people involved. Information was added about the risk of child sexual exploitation in the online environment. This chapter also links to LawStuff which is run by Coram Children's Legal Centre and gives free legal information to young people on a range of different issues.
Female Genital Mutilation	This chapter has been updated with information about the four types of FGM as defined by WHO. Links have been added to both the new Home Office FGM protection orders factsheet; and to the guidance to the 'Statement opposing female genital mutilation' (often referred to as a health passport).
Forced Marriage	This chapter has been updated with further detail in the Risks, Indicators and Issues sections, to reflect relevant points from the 'Protocol on the handling of 'so-called' Honour Based Violence/Abuse and Forced Marriage Offences between the National Police Chief's Council and the Crown Prosecution' (November 2016). In Further Information, links have been added to Multi-Agency practice guidelines: Handling cases of forced marriage 2014 and to Apply for a forced marriage protection order (GOV.UK) and Karma Nirvana who support victims of honour crimes and forced marriages.
Honour Based Violence	This chapter has been reviewed and further detail has been added in line with the 'Protocol on the handling of 'so-called' Honour Based Violence/Abuse and Forced Marriage Offences between the National Police Chiefs' Council and the Crown Prosecution Service' (November 2016). Links have been added to Forced Marriage Guidance (Home Office) - information and practice guidelines for professional protecting, advising and supporting victims and to SafeLives Dash risk checklist for the identification of high risk cases of domestic abuse, stalking and 'honour'-based violence.
Pre-Birth (Safeguarding Unborn Babies)	Information has been added in to Section 7, Child Protection Concerns on the timing of the Initial Child Protection Conference. This section should be re-read.
New Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Dangerous Dogs and Safeguarding Children	This chapter has been added to the manual.
Modern Slavery (including the Exploitation of Children)	This chapter has been added to the manual and is being reviewed by the South West Child Protection Procedures Editorial Group.

Next Update: November 2017

Archive - Shared

2016 Amendments

November 2016

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Child Protection Conferences	This chapter has been updated throughout and should be re-read.
Children Missing from Education	This chapter has been updated as the The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006, have been amended by The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 and should be re-read.
Children Missing from Care, Home and Education	The DfE has updated the Children missing education: statutory guidance for local authorities (September 2016) the details of the change can be found in the Children Missing Education Procedure.
Domestic Violence and Abuse	This chapter has been updated to include the 'Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy 2016 to 2020 (Home Office, 2016)', and the 'Information Guide: Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse (APVA)'. Text has been added in Section 6, Issues, in the paragraph about 'risk assessment tools and their use'. Practitioners are reminded of the vulnerability of teenagers in abusive relationships.
Harmful Sexual Behaviour	This chapter has been substantially updated throughout and should be re-read. NICE have released guidance on Harmful sexual behaviour among children and young people.
Radicalisation and Violent Extremism - Safeguarding Children and Young People	Section 5, Issues has been updated to include a link to the GOV.UK website to report online material promoting terrorism or extremism.
Spiritual, Cultural and Religious Beliefs	Additional information has been added relating to possible concerns of when some faith groups have beliefs, which affect how they use health services and specifically treatment and immunisations for children. Children may also be put at risk of harm by the belief of physical punishment as a form of discipline.
Visits to Psychiatric Wards and Facilities by Children	This chapter has been updated to make it more child focussed.
Serious Case Reviews	A link has been added to the SCIE Serious Case Review Quality Markers which have been developed a set of Quality Markers to support commissioners and reviewers to commission and conduct high quality reviews.
New Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Concealed Pregnancies	This chapter has been added to the manual.
Visits to Prisons by Children	This chapter has been added to the manual.
Explaining the difference between a Policy; Strategy; Procedure; Protocol; Practice Guidance and Pathway when developing Procedures	This guidance has been added to the manual.

June 2016

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Responding to Abuse and Neglect	A new Section 13, Schools and Educational Establishments has been added to the chapter covering maintained, non-maintained or independent schools, including academies and free schools, alternative provision academies and pupil referral units. 'School' includes maintained nursery schools. All schools and colleges must have regard to the statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education: statutory guidance for schools and colleges when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
Assessment	In Section 3, Developing a Clear Analysis information was added for practitioners to be aware of factors that may indicate that the child is or has been trafficked, or is a victim of compulsory labour, servitude and slavery or factors that may indicate that a child has been exposed to some form of radicalisation or extremism.
Children Affected by Gang Activity and Youth Violence	Information was added in Section 4, Protection and Action to be Taken on the need for a referral to Children's Social Care when the Police issue an Osman Warning in regard to a young person. The Home Office has update the statutory guidance on Injunctions to Prevent Gang-Related Violence and Drug Dealing (Home Office) May 2016 to clarify the law in relation to reporting restrictions in the Youth Court. A practitioners' guide is also provided.
Children Missing from Care, Home and Education	A note was added that a child who is Absent may be at risk for example of CSE and Police Risk Assessments should take account of those situations and may need to change the category to missing.
Children Moving Across Local Authority Boundaries	In Section 1, Definition a paragraph was added covering additional circumstances that may be a cause for concern associated with children and families moving across boundaries. In Section 3, Protection and Action to be Taken a new section was added on Moving Abroad.
E-Safety: Children Exposed to Abuse through the Digital Media	A link was added to Child Safety Online: A practical guide for parents and carers whose children are using social media.
Female Genital Mutilation	The DoH have issued Female Genital Mutilation Risk and Safeguarding guidance and the Multi-agency Statutory Guidance on Female Genital Mutilation has also been updated. GOV.UK has produced a fact sheet on the New Duty for Health and Social Care Professionals and Teachers to Report Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) which clarifies the reporting process.
Forced Marriage	A link was added to the Forced Marriage Unit (FMU). Contact them if you're trying to stop a forced marriage or you need help leaving a marriage you've been forced into.
Safeguarding Children and Young people against Radicalisation and Violent Extremism	Links were added to the websites Educate Against Hate and the Home Office website Report online material promoting terrorism or extremism - for reporting illegal or harmful information, pictures or videos you've found on the internet.
Guidance for Safe Recruitment, Selection and Retention for Staff and Volunteers	Links were added to Whistleblowing Advice Line - Support for professionals who are worried about children in the workplace and the Guidance on Whistleblowing to Ofsted about Children's Social Care Services - Policy and Guidance for Whistleblowers.
New Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Bruising and Injuries to Non-Mobile Children	This procedure covers all actual or suspected injuries to non-mobile children. It has been developed for frontline workers and managers, for the management and investigation of bruising or injuries in children who are not independently mobile. Bruising or minor injuries in children who are not independently mobile is significant Early recognition and action in such cases is key to preventing further injuries.
Historical Abuse	Allegations of child abuse are sometimes made by adults and children many years after the abuse has occurred. Such cases should be responded to in the same way as any other concerns. This procedure covers these circumstances.
Pre-Birth (Safeguarding Unborn Babies)	Young babies are particularly vulnerable to abuse, and work carried out in the antenatal period can help minimise any potential harm if there is early assessment, intervention and support. This procedure sets out how to respond to concerns for unborn babies, with an emphasis on clear and regular communication between professionals working with the mother and her family.
Rapid Response and Child Death Protocol for Unexpected Deaths	This procedure relates to unexpected deaths of children up until the age of 18 and sets out the roles and responsibilities for those agencies who are involved with responding to unexpected deaths as part of the child death process.