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Newham Safeguarding Children Partnership
Welcome to the Newham Safeguarding Children Partnership
A message from Newham’s Independent Chair,
Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to the July 2024 NSCP newsletter.
As it now looks as though summer is actually here I’ve been reflecting on the huge amount of activity that has been undertaken across the NSCP in recent months.
I would like to welcome Laura Eden as the Corporate Director for Children and Young People services to the NSCP executive. Laura who was previously the Director for Safeguarding in Islington is already bringing her expertise and passion to the partnership discussions.
At the time of the last newsletter in October 2023 we were embarking on the thematic review which has now been completed. This was a review of seven children at risk of extra familial harm who would experience intra familial harm, specifically physical abuse. Within this newsletter you will see a summary of the conference that took place in April where the initial learning from this review has been shared. The work undertaken to complete this review has been significant. A particular strength within this review has been the focus on the voices of children, young people and their families.
We are also about to complete two Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews: a 10-year-old girl who died suddenly last year, who suffered from a lifelong health condition and it is likely that her death was linked to the management of this condition; and a CSPR joint with Lambeth of a 13-month old boy who had sustained Non-accidental injuries.
Please do look out for the learning events which will be associated with these reviews as a critical part of these is to ensure that practice is enhanced.
As an executive we have reviewed the business plan and good progress is being made on our 2 priorities of child sexual exploitation and children’s mental health. We also continue to work closely with the NSAB on the joint priority of all age exploitation focusing on 16 to 25-year-olds. Because of resource challenges there had been a delay on progressing the joint priorities of modern day slavery and cuckooing however with the community safety partnership and the adult’s partnership now taking the leads on these areas we will be able to report more next time.
In December 2023 Working Together to safeguard children was published and the partnership needs to publish the arrangements for the implementation of this by December 2024. A transitions subgroup has been established which is reporting regularly to the NSCP executive. One of the key changes has been regarding the structure of local safeguarding children’s partnerships. There will be two levels of representation from the three statutory safeguarding partners; lead safeguarding partners who must be the most senior member, from the local authority, the ICB and police; and delegated safeguarding partners. One of the delegated safeguarding partners will be appointed as the partnership chair. Working this out across the complexity of London is proving to be a challenge however we are confident that with our current NSCP executive which includes representatives from the education sector; and our extended executive meeting which includes many more partners we can morph into the new arrangements. There is an enhanced role of scrutiny within the guidance and the intention will be for an independent scrutineer to be appointed. The operational changes include Early Help – Strengthening the role of education and childcare settings, improving engagement with family networks and promoting family group conferences. Section 17 child in need assessments and support Work no longer has to be led by a social worker and work is being undertaken to develop a protocol as to how all partners could potentially act as a lead practitioner in supporting the children and their families. There is also a set of new multi-agency child protection standards which sets out expectations for local authority staff.
In due course a series of briefing sessions will take place to all partners to ensure that we implement these new changes successfully in Newham.
Finally, I would just like to take this opportunity to thank you all for the work that you undertake day in day out to safeguard children and young people and support their families in Newham. I hope that the information that you find in this newsletter helps you with this
Best wishes
Julia Stephens-Row
On behalf of Newham NSCP Executive
Independent Chair of Newham Safeguarding Children Partnership
The National Panels Latest Publication
Last week the National Panel published the national review into the tragic murders of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson (link). It aims to make sense of what happened to Arthur and Star, to learn from their deaths and to secure the improvements to the safeguarding system. Importantly the national recommendations build on the Panels extensive evidence base spanning all serious safeguarding incidents for the last three years and proposes strengthening the child protection system at all levels.
Other National Panel Report Links:
Correspondence between the Secretary of State for Education and the panel setting out the terms of reference for the national review into safeguarding children with disabilities and complex health needs in residential settings
Updated:
An independent review into safeguarding children under 1 from non-accidental injury caused by male carers.
Updated:
New review investigates babies harmed by fathers and stepfathers
Correspondence between the Secretary of State for Education, the Department for Health and Social Care and the panel about the second national child safeguarding practice review.
Updated:
Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel: second national review
National review into babies seriously harmed or killed by their father or male carer.
Updated:
Safeguarding children under 1 year old from non-accidental injury
Correspondence between the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel chair and government ministers about the first national child safeguarding practice review.
Updated:
Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel: first national review
‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ – A Youth Work Response to Gangs and Exploitation during COVID-19
https://nya.org.uk/2020/06/hidden-in-plain-sight/
Publication of a Serious Case Review, Family K
Newham LSCB jointly with Hounslow LSCB commissioned a Serious Case Review in July 2018 following a serious incident (in Hounslow) when an infant suffered severe knife injuries when his father attacked him and his mother. The family had recently relocated in Hounslow from Newham at the time of the incident. An update on the recommendations will be monitored and updated by the NSCP safeguarding child practice review group, when completed the actions will be passed to the NSCP performance and quality assurance group to test the embedding the embedding of the recommendations across the partnership when undertaking partnership audits.
To read the full report click the link below.
The Mayor of Newham’s Youth Safety Board
Making Newham a great place to grow up is a priority for the Mayor, the Council and its partners.
The Board was set up in March 2019 in order to identify and accelerate actions to improve safety for children and young people who live, work or study in Newham.
It is co-chaired by Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz and Duncan Bew, Clinical Director for Trauma at Kings College Hospital, London. Members include young people, family members and residents, and police, education and health representatives.
The Board published its report and recommendations in December 2019. You can read the report, a short summary and the evidence briefing on the Newham Council website and the latest publication for 1 year on 2021 here
Newham Council launches Young People’s Charter
Newham Council has published a pioneering Young People’s Charter.
The Council’s Cabinet committed to the Charter on Tuesday, 8 March 2022. At the same meeting, the Cabinet also approved a draft summary Children and Young People’s Plan with the full plan set to be launched later this year following further engagement and consultation with young people and key partners.
The Charter has been co-created by young people since last September, when it was first discussed at a meeting of Next Gen Newham, an initiative which allows children and young people to shape the future of the borough.
Both the Plan and the Charter are core to the borough’s commitment to be the best place for Newham’s children and young people.
Newham Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz said: “Nothing is more important than our young people and that’s why we have invested more than £36 million in services for young people since 2018, increasing the budget by 33 percent. The number of youth workers has also increased from three to 43.
“My priority has always been to make Newham the best place for children and young people to grow up, to play and be happy, healthy, thrive and able to reach their full potential.
“Our Young People’s Charter has been created with young people at its heart and we will continue to engage with them fully to develop our ambitious Children and Young People’s Plan. We are committed to increasing opportunities for all young people and ensuring there is a relentless focus on putting them first.”
The 11 equally important principles of the Young People’s Charter come under the headings of: Change, Creativity, Relationships, Community, Health, Diversity, Keeping Us Safe, Independence, Quality, Environment, and Privacy.
The Charter plans to encourage people and organisations to be accountable and fulfil their commitment to the borough’s young people and to champion and advocate for children and young people in Newham.
It also aims to reinforce the message that this is “Everybody’s business”, demonstrate the Council’s commitment to listening to and amplifying the voices of Newham’s young people and supporting and engaging them in a way with which they resonate.
The Children and Young People’s Plan will focus on five key outcomes for Newham’s children and young people to:
- Be cared for, safe and protected from harm,
- Be happy and enjoy improved health and wellbeing,
- Be proud of and protect the environment they grow up in,
- Access, participate and receive a great education, and
- Thrive and achieve their full potential.
Safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility and the purpose of these web pages is to encourage the widest possible participation in the work of Newham Safeguarding Children Partnership.
» NSCP Learning & Assurance Event Slides May 2022
»Newham Safeguarding Children Partnership Published Arrangements
» Newham’s New Multi Agency Safeguarding Arrangements June 2019
» Waltham Forest Serious Case Review Child D – www.walthamforest.gov.uk/strategicpartnerships
The core objectives of the NSCP:
As part of this, the board will :
- develop child protection procedures and policies
- ensure child protection work is of a consistently high standard
- arrange training for staff who work with children, parents and families
- raise awareness generally about the need to protect children and how members of the public can help
Click here for NSCP Newsletter October 2023
Click here for NSCP March Newsletter March 2023
Click here for NSCP Newsletter October 2022
Click here for NSCP Newsletter May 2022
Click here for NSCP Newsletter February 2022
Click here for NSCP March Newsletter 2023
Click here for NSCP Newsletter November 2022
Click here for NSCP Newsletter May 2021
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Learning & Training Courses
Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018) states “There is a shared responsibility between organisations and agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in a local area”. A wide range of multi agency training is available to all providing a service to Newham’s children, young people and families. Click the link below.