Multi-agency Safeguarding Arrangements
SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER
The aim is to provide a composite overview of some key multi-agency working arrangements in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018.
AMENDMENTS
In May 2021, this chapter was updated to reflect the changes to Working Together in December 2020.
Contents
- DSCP Safeguarding Arrangements
- DSCP Annual Report
- Statement of Licensing Policy 2019-2024
- Relationship between the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and the DSCP
- Relationship between the Secure Establishment and the DSCP
- Further Information
1. DSCP Safeguarding Arrangements
The Durham Safeguarding Children Partnership (DSCP) is established in accordance with the Children Act 2004 (as amended by Children and Social Work Act 2017) and Chapter 3 Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018. The DSCP provides the safeguarding arrangements under which the safeguarding partners and relevant agencies work together to coordinate their safeguarding services, identify and respond to the needs of children in County Durham, commission and publish local child safeguarding practice reviews and provide scrutiny to ensure the effectiveness of the arrangements.
The 3 Statutory Safeguarding Partners in Durham are:
- County Durham Integrated Care Boards;
- Durham County Council (Children and Young People's Service);
- Durham Constabulary.
The Safeguarding Partners share responsibility for ensuring effective local safeguarding arrangements. In situations that require a clear, single point of leadership, all three Safeguarding Partners should decide who would take the lead on issues that arise. These three Safeguarding Partners are charged with supporting and enabling local organisations and agencies to work together in a system where:
- Children are safeguarded and their welfare promoted;
- Partner organisations and agencies collaborate, share and co-own the vision for how to achieve improved outcomes for vulnerable children;
- Organisations and agencies challenge appropriately and hold one another to account effectively;
- There is early identification and analysis of new safeguarding issues and emerging threats;
- Learning is promoted and embedded in a way that local services for children and families can become more reflective and implement changes to practice;
- Information is shared effectively to facilitate more accurate and timely decision making for children and families.
In order to work together effectively with local organisations and agencies the Safeguarding Partners will develop processes that:
- Facilitate and drive action beyond usual institutional and agency constraints and boundaries;
- Ensure the effective protection of children is founded on practitioners developing lasting and trusting relationships with children and their families;
- DSCP supports, oversees, challenges and facilitates these systems at a strategic level. In addition to monitoring safeguarding activity, the Partnership has a role in challenging single agency practice in relevant circumstances;
- The business of the Durham Safeguarding Children Partnership is carried out by DSCP Safeguarding Executive Group and the relevant partner agencies.
To be effective, these arrangements should link to other strategic partnership work happening locally to support children and families. This will include public boards, including Health and Wellbeing Boards, Adult Safeguarding Boards, Channel Panels, Improvement Boards, Community Safety Partnerships, the Local Family Justice Board, MAPPAs and, where relevant, Violence Reduction Units.
2. DSCP Annual Report
The Durham Safeguarding Children Partnership (DSCP) has a statutory duty to prepare and publish an Annual Report which describes how our partners safeguard vulnerable children and young people.
Our primary responsibility is to provide a way for the local agencies that have a responsibility in respect of child welfare, to agree how they will work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and to ensure that they do so effectively.
The Annual Report should demonstrate the extent to which the functions of the Durham Safeguarding Children Partnership, as set out in the national statutory guidance, ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children' (July 2018), have been effectively fulfilled.
3. Statement of Licensing Policy 2019-2024
This statement of licensing policy has two main purposes. Firstly, it provides a decision-making framework for the council to use when responding to licence applications. Secondly, it advises businesses and the public on the authority's position concerning the Licensing Act 2003, including details of how the licensing objectives should be promoted in County Durham.
This policy guides applicants on how to apply for a licence in accordance with the council's expectations. Importantly, it will help applicants and others to identify important factors that should be considered when drawing up an application for licensed premises that with operate in County Durham, an area that is diverse and contains many different types of premises and localities.
Statements of licensing policies promote the four licensing objectives: Prevention of Crime and Disorder, Public Safety, Prevention of Public Nuisance, and Protection of Children from Harm. Our licensing policy aims to balance the legitimate needs of businesses and public demand for leisure and cultural activities alongside the need to mitigate against potential adverse effects.
Durham County Council considers that achieving good practice in connection with the licensing objectives involves focusing on these objectives whilst at the same time considering the issues specific to different areas of local authority and different types of licensed premises. In this way the policy aims to positively influence the level of focus required on each objective in each area.
The council's minimum expectations of what is expected from applicants and licence holders is stated within this policy. It offers suggestions, recommendations for what applicants should consider including in their application to ensure that the objectives are carried out and many examples of good practice are provided for consideration. The policy also contains details of schemes available in Durham which applicants can participate in to assist in carrying out the objectives.
The council expects all applicants and licence holders to use their initiative to assess whether the licensable activities and premises' location means that they will face any specific issues and whether this will influence the level of focus they may need to place on any of the objectives.
This is five-year policy, scheduled for revision in 2024. However, in producing this Statement of Licensing Policy, the council is aware that Central Government may amend certain aspects of the Licensing Act 2003, associated regulations and other related legislation. We will keep this policy under review and should changes to this legislation take place, we may need to revise and amend this policy prior to 2024.
This Licensing Policy is a key tool in ensuring the different circumstances and situations within our neighbourhoods and towns are thought through when considering licence applications, by all parties.
4. Relationship between the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and the DSCP
The relationship between the Local Authority Designated Officer and DSCP is as follows:
- Provide an overview of the management of allegations against the children's workforce and the role of the LADO to the Safeguarding Partners in the form of an annual report making recommendations where applicable;
- Refer any cases for consideration for a Child Safeguarding Practice Review or Learning Lessons Review. (See Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews Procedure);
- Discuss any cases with the Head of Safeguarding (Children's Social Care and Police) to determine whether the case needs to be escalated in line with the Organised and Complex Abuse Procedure;
- The Safeguarding Partners and Relevant Agencies will identify a Senior Nominated Officer on behalf of their agency and form a Senior Nominated Officers Group chaired by the LADO to share relevant information in respect of the LADO role and allegations management.
5. Relationship between the Secure Establishment and the DSCP
In line with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018, the Safeguarding Partners reviews the use of restraint within the secure establishment in County Durham and this information is included in the DSCP annual report. The findings of the review are also shared with the Youth Justice Board.
Further Information
Working Together to Safeguard Children, Chapter 3: Multi-agency safeguarding arrangements