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Contents

1. Introduction
2. Accessing and Updating Procedures
3. Terminology
4. Context
5. Relationship of Policy, Procedures and Guidance

1. Introduction

Welcome to this latest edition of the electronic Procedures Manual for the West Mercia Consortium of Safeguarding Children Boards, namely the Boards covering the areas of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Worcestershire. 

The manual is for application by all those working, including volunteers, in SCB partner agencies and in private, voluntary or community sector organisations with responsibilities for children living or present in the four SCB areas.

The electronic format has been designed to make the procedures easy to access and allows you to move readily between linked sections via hyperlinks.

The Chapter called Quick Guide (accessible from the left hand side of the page) explains how the manual has been constructed and the key features which have been included to assist you in navigating the chapters.

2. Accessing and Updating Procedures

The manual is permanently available via the websites for each SCB to facilitate ready access and permit regular updating.

The websites are:

Herefordshire Safeguarding Children Board (HSCB)

Worcestershire Safeguarding Children Board

Telford and Wrekin Safeguarding Children Board

Child protection in Shropshire

Please do not make copies of the manual or parts thereof as these are likely to become out of date.  It will be updated regularly by the Consortium and the amendments will be available from the websites.  When amendments to procedures are made, they will be highlighted on the Contents page to draw your attention to where they are. The main changes in each edition will also be listed in the Quick Guide.

If you do come across any errors or omissions when using the manual, or if you become aware of a necessary revision to the manual, please inform the appropriate officer at your SCB in writing (see the chapter Contact Details).

3. Terminology

A glossary of significant terms or abbreviations is provided in the Keywords Appendix.

4. Context

The development of the procedures is one of the core functions of each SCB in its role to coordinate the work of local agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

The procedures aim to encourage close working between agencies to facilitate early intervention and support to meet the needs of children, young people and their families.

The procedures have been written so as to be part of the wider goal of improving the overall wellbeing of children and achieving the five ‘Every Child Matters’ outcomes.  They focus on the ‘Staying Safe’ outcome and provide a framework for an integrated approach to safeguarding children from harm. 

The procedures reflect current legislation, accepted best practice and comply with the government guidance: Working Together to Safeguard Children published in March 2010.

Further professional guidance is available from “What to do if you’re worried that a child is being abused” which was updated and re-issued by the DfES in December 2006.

In addition the chapters in relation to children in special circumstances contain links to relevant government guidance and other useful documents on the specific issues covered.

5. Relationship of Policy, Procedures and Guidance

5.1 Policy Framework

These procedures should be read within the context of the Policy Framework chapters, which are set out in Part 1 of the manual. 

Where agencies develop supplementary ‘internal’ policies, they must be consistent with those in this manual.

5.2 Procedures

Procedures indicate the role and responsibilities of practitioners in specific circumstances and define the limits of professional discretion.

The procedures have the status of instructions to practitioners in the four SCB partner agencies. Safeguarding Children Boards have a responsibility to ensure the effectiveness of these procedures and monitor their compliance.  For further information, see Local Safeguarding Children's Board – Role and Functions Procedure.

Any supplementary internal procedures developed by organisations should also refer to, and comply with, these procedures.

The procedures are designed to ensure that:

• Practitioners and volunteers are clear about the actions which must be taken when there are concerns about a child;
• All of the relevant information about a child and his or her family, where there are concerns, is shared so that it can be evaluated;
• Information is recorded accurately and in a timely way;
• Staff know what decisions they may make themselves and what decisions must be referred to a more senior member of staff;
• Information is brought to the attention of managers and staff with the appropriate level of experience and knowledge, who are responsible for making decisions;
• Professionals who are working together to safeguard and promote the welfare of a child are clear about their roles and responsibilities and those of other professionals;
• Actions have a clear purpose and time scales are set within which objectives are to be achieved;
• Intervention is evaluated to ensure that it is achieving the effect of safeguarding and promoting the child’s welfare and if it is not, then changes are made without delay.

5.3 Guidance

Whereas procedures indicate the actions to be taken, guidance provides contextual information and explains or advises on points of best practice.

End