Below you will find the Terms of Reference for each of the Isle of Wight LSCB Sub-Groups. Full roles, responsibilities and expectations of Board members can be found within the LSCB Constitution.
LSCB Executive Group
The primary aim of the IOWLSCB Executive group is to ensure the delivery of the Business Plan and provide operational management of this.
Functions
· To be responsible for the production of the draft IOWLSCB Annual Report and Business Plan (subject to ratification of the strategic board).
· To draft the work plans of the Sub-Groups and to monitor progress against these.
· To appoint the Sub-Group Chairs and ensure multi-agency representation on these.
· To co-ordinate IOWLSCB Sub-Group activity and to consider reports from the Sub-Groups.
· To support individual agencies in developing action plans to address identified safeguarding issues and to challenge them where these are not considered to be effective.
· To propose the IOWLSCB annual budget to the Board and monitor the expenditure, ensuring the efficient use of IOWLSCB resources
· To provide an update report to each IOWLSCB Meeting
· To identify national and local initiatives requiring a response from the IOWLSCB
· To coordinate and oversee the performance management functions of the LSCB
Confidentiality
Sub-Group members shall keep confidential any information obtained as a result of inter-agency co-operation save to the extent that disclosure of the information is necessary in order to discharge the functions of the Sub-Group.
Quality Assurance Group
Purpose
The Quality Assurance Group is responsible for establishing, co-ordinating, implementing and monitoring quality assurance activity and performance issues across agencies in relation to safeguarding children.
Main Functions
· To monitor and provide an analysis of the relevant child protection interagency activity for the LSCB by audit.
· To require that monitoring arrangements are set up in each agency so that performance can be analysed;
· To continually evaluate and promote high standards of continuous improvement in respect of safeguarding and welfare of children on the Isle of Wight. This may be partially achieved by asking individual organisations to self evaluate under an agreed framework/benchmarks/set of indicators;
· To develop, evaluate, audit and monitor that organisations are fulfilling their statutory obligation to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children; (Performance Framework and Section 11)
· Review how SCR recommendations are disseminated through agencies and to review reports on how these have been implemented in agencies on behalf of the LSCB; This may involve requesting single or multi agency auditing
· Ascertain feedback from service users and carers to inform service improvement activity;
· Undertake an annual evaluation of safeguarding training to ensure quality assurance. This may be achieved by setting up a time limited validation group to undertake this work against specific terms of reference;
· To develop audit tools, facilitate, commission and coordinate multi agency audits as required
· To undertake work allocated within the LSCB Business Plan.
Role and Expectations of Members
· All key organisations working with or providing services to children and vulnerable adults, young people and families, including those experiencing domestic abuse, should be represented on the group
· To take organisational responsibility with regard to quality assurance for those who deliver safeguarding training in both a single and inter-agency capacity.
· To have sufficient authority to make decisions in relation to quality assurance and/or sufficient knowledge of quality assurance processes to enable them to make an informed contribution regarding the development and evaluation of LSCB plans.
· To contribute resources to the development and delivery of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and domestic abuse courses, including identification of quality assurance issues.
Frequency
The sub-group meets monthly to ensure consistency in work and the effective functioning of this group. Each representative should nominate an appropriate replacement only in the event of a prolonged unavoidable member absence. A minimum attendance at meetings requirement of 80% is applied for designated officers to ensure the group can fulfil its function.
Membership
· Members should include representatives from partner agencies who have knowledge, experience and expertise in child protection and performance management frameworks. Representation is required from statutory agencies, police, health, education, Children Services and probation; and YOT, Early Years, Children Centres and CAF Coordinator to the group as required.
· A nominated representative agreed by the Board will chair this group, and should be a senior manager or have significant expertise in safeguarding and performance management frameworks or quality assurance.
Quorum
The meeting can only be considered to be quorate when there is representation from at least two of the statutory agencies and there is also representation from the LSCB, Adult Safeguarding Board and Strategic Domestic Abuse Forum.
Sub-group members shall keep confidential any information obtained as a result of inter-agency co-operation save to the extent that disclosure of the information is necessary in order to discharge the functions of the sub-group.
Serious Case Working Group
SCR Referral
· The 4LSCB Serious Case Review Protocol will be used as guidance in the management of the SCR process. This guidance will be updated as necessary by the Serious Case Working Group (SCWG) in consultation with the other LSCBs and with the agreement of the IoW LSCB. The protocol will be updated in accordance with legal or DCSF policy guidance.
· Any professional who becomes aware of a case which may meet the criteria for a serious case review will refer it either directly (or via their agency representative) to the IoW LSCB Manager, thereafter referred to as the Business Manager. The Business Manager will then refer the case to the Chair of the Serious Case Working Group and also as necessary to the LSCB Chair.
· The SCWG will consider whether cases referred to it should be subject to a serious case review in accordance with Working Together and make a recommendation on each case to the Chair of the LSCB.
· If the case does not meet the criteria for a full serious case review but still gives rise to concern, the SCWG will consider whether agencies should conduct Individual Management Reviews (IMRs) or smaller scale audits of individual cases and make a recommendation to the LSCB Chair accordingly.
· The SCWG will give consideration to any concurrent criminal proceedings, CDOP findings/requests, Mental Health Reviews or MAPPA Serious Further Offences Reviews.
SCR Management
· If the LSCB Chair agrees to a SCR or other review being undertaken, the SCWG will draw up clear terms of reference covering relevant issues as outlined on Para 8.12 of Working Together 2006 and as detailed in the Serious Case Review protocol. All agencies should ensure that the Business Manager has all relevant information about any involvement by agencies in another LSCB’s area a particular case and the Business Manager will ensure liaison with that LSCB.
· Before commencing the Individual Management Reviews a meeting will be held with all the IMR authors to clarify the terms of reference, expectations of the IMR and timescales.
· The Business Manager and Panel Chair will decide the mechanism for informing the family on a case by case basis and how they wish to be engaged with the process.
· Each SCR will need an Independent Chair and Overview Report Writer as laid out in Ofsted guidance. A SCR Panel will be established for each serious case review. The SCR Panel will consist of social care, police, education and health representatives as a minimum and the SCWG will agree the members of the Panel.
· The SCWG will consider any issues regarding objectivity or involvement of a person undertaking an IMR or involved in an SCR Panel that might create a conflict of interest and that is not resolved within the individual agency or the specific panel.
· The SCWG will be responsible for developing, reviewing and updating IoW LSCB guidance regarding the procurement of any independent authors and Chairs with the support of the LSCB Legal Advisor and Business Manager
· It may become evident that the completion of the SCR will fall out of the timescale expected by Ofsted and following consultation with the Independent Panel Chair and LSCB Chair, the Business Manager will apply for an extension.
Monitoring of SCR Action Plans
· The SCR Panel will initially monitor action plans from serious case reviews for a period of 6 months from submission to Ofsted and will sign-off completed actions. Responsibility for any actions outstanding after 6 months will be handed to the SCWG to monitor. The SCWG or Panel will require evidence of implementation and completion of actions undertaken. The SCWG agency representative, or designated representative of those organisations and agencies not represented on the SCWG, will update the SCWG on evidence of progress of IMR or small scale audit action plans and any other single agency actions. This evidence will be collated in a file held by the IoW LSCB Manager.
· The Executive Summary of the overview report will be published in accordance with guidance from Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 and held by the Business Manager. The web-site will indicate the process for obtaining a copy of the Executive Summary.
· The SCWG will consider key themes arising from national reviews and in turn report to the IoW LSCB whether any of these recommendations should be adopted.
· The SCWG may identify or be asked to review other pieces of work submitted to the Committee. On an individual basis the SCWG will need to consider if it falls within the terms of reference of the SCWG or needs to be referred to other LSCB sub-committees, or Children’s Trust.
· The SCWG will be formed by a representative of each LSCB Partner agency except the Armed Forces who will be asked to attend when relevant. Each meeting will be attended by the Business Manager and Administrator.
· The SCWG will meet at regular, at least bi-monthly intervals, and will convene an extra meeting to consider specific cases as necessary.
· The Chair of the SCWG will be appointed by the IoW LSCB for a term of two years. A Vice-Chair will also be appointed for the same term. The chairing responsibility will rotate across the agencies after 2 years.
· The Chair of the SCWG will be a member of the IoW LSCB and will attend the IoW LSCB meetings to represent the SCWG.
· The Chair of the SCWG will make a report to each IoW LSCB meeting. The report will include regular progress reports on the status of SCRs and action plans.
Frequency of Meetings
The group will meet bi monthly but will schedule and may need to hold meetings in the intervening months should any new cases emerge.
Joint Safeguarding Training Group
The sub-group will be responsible for the development and co-ordination of the Safeguarding Training Strategy. The Chair of the Joint Safeguarding Training Group will be a member of the LSCB Executive.
Aim
Its aim is to train and develop the local workforce in relation to safeguarding children and young people, vulnerable adults and those experiencing domestic abuse, from harm.
· To take a lead role in the identification, planning and evaluation of training to ensure all those coming into contact/working with people experiencing domestic abuse, children and vulnerable adults are competent and up to date with current legislation and procedures to help them safeguard and promote the welfare of victims of domestic abuse, children and vulnerable adults effectively.
· To identify the priorities for safeguarding training based on an assessment of local need, and feedback from LSCB sub-groups, Adult Safeguarding Board and Strategic Domestic Abuse Forum, and lessons from Serious Case Reviews and Management Reports. The Joint Safeguarding Training Group needs to be assured that priorities are appropriately resourced and there is sufficient capacity available to take forward training and development work.
· To manage the identification of single agency and multi-agency training needs within the context of local and national, policy and practice developments and use this information to inform the planning and commissioning of training.
· To ensure the promotion of the training programme and to encourage agencies/teams to access training opportunities in both single and inter-agency arenas.
· To receive feedback from the LSCB Quality Assurance Group of their annual review and evaluation of the quality, scope and effectiveness of inter-agency training to ensure it is meeting local needs. LSCB, the Adult Safeguarding Board and the Strategic Domestic Abuse Forum to produce an annual report which includes an assessment of progress in ensuring that staff who work with or have contact with people experiencing domestic abuse, children and vulnerable adults are appropriately trained.
· To ensure collaboration and communication across agencies and disciplines in relation to planning, design, delivery, and administration of the training, and to ensure appropriate links are maintained with the LSCB, the Adult Safeguarding Board and the Strategic Domestic Abuse Forum.
· To ensure that training is delivered to a consistently high standard and that the agreed process for evaluating the effectiveness of training is maintained and evidences the impact of training
· To develop a Training Strategy, this is reviewed annually by the group.
· To identify key themes and new developments, which providers need to be updated on
· To set the agenda for the Joint Safeguarding Training Group ensuring that recommendations from inspections, audits and serious case reviews are reflected in LSCB, Adult Safeguarding and Strategic Domestic Abuse Forum inputs to training
· To ensure that safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, vulnerable adults and those who experience domestic abuse remains the focus of any training that the Joint Safeguarding Training Group either commissions or provides.
· Learning and Development Service, Isle of Wight Council will be a key member of the sub-group in respect of their responsibility to deliver safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and domestic abuse training.
· To take organisational responsibility for those who will participate in training and those who deliver safeguarding training in both a single and inter-agency capacity.
· To have sufficient authority to make decisions in relation to training and/or sufficient knowledge of training processes to enable them to make an informed contribution regarding the development and evaluation of a training strategy and training programme/plan.
· To contribute resources to the development and delivery of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and domestic abuse courses, including identification of trainers for single and inter-agency training.
The sub-group meets bi-monthly to ensure consistency in work and the effective functioning of this group. Each representative should nominate an appropriate replacement only in the event of a prolonged unavoidable member absence. A minimum attendance at meetings requirement of 80% is applied for designated officers to ensure the group can fulfil its function.
Training leads or officers from the following:
· Isle of Wight Council
· Isle of Wight NHS Primary Care Trust
· LSCB
· Voluntary sector
Accountability
To review and evaluate on an annual basis, the quality, scope and effectiveness of single and inter-agency training to ensure it is meeting local needs and to report on this annually to the LSCB, the Adult Safeguarding Board and the Strategic Domestic Abuse Forum.
In order to ensure core representation, there is a rolling two-yearly review of Chair of the sub-group.
The meeting can only be considered to be quorate when there is representation from at least two of the training leads for health or the local authority and there is also representation from the LSCB, Adult Safeguarding Board and Strategic Domestic Abuse Forum.
Group members shall keep confidential any information obtained as a result of inter-agency co-operation, save to the extent that disclosure of the information is necessary in order to discharge the functions of the sub-group.
E-Safety Group
The sub-group will be responsible for the development and co-ordination of the E-Safety Strategy. The group will also recommend actions, policies and procedures to the Safeguarding Children Board.
Its aim is to educate the local workforce, parents and young people in relation to safeguarding children and young people, vulnerable adults and those experiencing domestic abuse, from harm -when online.
Its purposes are to:
· Benchmark the status and effectiveness of e-safety activity in the Isle of Wight
· Develop an action plan to progress from the benchmarked level
· Identify gaps and improve policy, practice, systems, standards and training
· Raise awareness of the issues with practitioners and partners
· Develop and implement training and development programmes for practitioners and educational programmes for children, young people and their parents and carers
· Report on developments to the Safeguarding Children Board
· To take organisational responsibility for e-safety in both a single and inter-agency capacity.
· To have sufficient authority to make decisions in relation to e-safety processes to enable them to make an informed contribution regarding the e-safety plan.
· To contribute resources to the development of an e-safety plan with regard to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and domestic abuse courses, including identification of e-safety leads for single and inter-agency working.
This is a time-bound group and will meet at least once every 2 months.
E-Safety leads or officers from the following:
· Police
· Education Providers
· Parent/Carer Groups
· Governor Groups
The meeting can only be considered to be quorate when there is representation at least three of the e-safety leads and there is also representation from the LSCB. The sub-group will co-opt additional members for specific tasks as required.
Communications & Awareness Group – (Partnership Communications Steering Group)
The purpose of this group is to act in a consultative capacity for LSCB strategy and sub groups and to advise and offer practical support in order to enable the LSCB members:
· To be reactive when unforeseen media events arise
· To be prepared for anticipated publicity
· To be pro-active, identifying good news stories / media campaigns / features to raise the profile of LSCB and get the message across.
· To be opportunistic, piggy backing local media contact into national events / campaigns / news stories.
Its aim is to communicate issues with regard to safeguarding children and young people, vulnerable adults and those experiencing domestic abuse, from harm.
The main functions of the LSCB Communications group are to:
· Establish that there are communication networks in agencies in order to disseminate information effectively, which should include the communication of local safeguarding procedures and processes & thresholds.
· Create safeguarding awareness by promoting and publicising the work of the LSCB.
· Raise awareness within the wider community of the need to safeguard children and to promote their welfare and how the community can contribute to safeguard children.
· Raise public awareness about the possible signs of abuse.
· Inform the wider community of where to seek help if concerned about the safety of a child or young person.
· Ensure that materials are available in a suitable format to meet the needs of the main community groups on the Island.
