In this issue:
Local protocols for Leeds practitioners, Leeds Safeguarding Week, Top tips for strategy meetings, Baby Week, 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and LSCP safeguarding training
Local protocols for Leeds practitioners
Local protocols are current guidance and procedures which all practitioners in Leeds should follow to support their work with children and young people. They are developed using a multi-agency task and finish approach and reflect current legislation, accepted best practice and comply with the government guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Our local protocols for Leeds are regularly updated, so you can be sure that the guidance you are using is the most up to date version. Updates are publicised in the Latest News section of our website and in this newsletter.
From the Concerns Resolution Process to Guidance on Supervision and many others. Make sure you’re familiar with the information in the Guidance and Protocols section on the LSCP website.
Leeds safeguarding week
This is your last chance to book on to one of the many sessions taking place during Leeds Safeguarding Week starting on 18 November.
Here’s a snapshot of what’s on offer:
Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC)
Monday 18 November at 10:30-12:00
This is an opportunity to develop an understanding of the Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) model and service within Leeds and the role within pre-proceedings and care proceedings for families and children.
The FDAC Team aim to create sustainable change for families around drug or alcohol use, mental health and domestic abuse.
This session will also provide an understanding of the differences between standard care proceedings vs FDAC proceedings along with the support the FDAC team gives to parents and families.
Book your place on: What is Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) Team Briefing
Illegal money lending/ loan shark
Monday 18 November at 13.00 - 14.00
This session will help you to understand what a loan shark is, identify the signs that someone may be involved with a loan shark and confidently signpost for support.
Delivered by Trish Cassidy, Liaise Officer for Leeds, Illegal Money Lending Team
Book your place on the Illegal money lending/ loan shark session
Child sexual exploitation hasn’t gone away
Thursday 21 November at 12.00 - 14.00
In recent years the profile and referrals for CSE have fallen whilst the profile of issues of serious youth violence and criminal exploitation have grown.
This session will seek to help professionals recognise and respond to CSE in its various forms, drawing on first-hand experience from a team of specialist child sexual exploitation workers.
Delivered by Rebekah Vickers-Patel, Basis Yorkshire
Book your place on the Child sexual exploitation hasn't gone away session
Information sharing
Wednesday 20 November 2024 at 9:00 – 10:00am or Thursday 21 November 2024 at 2.00 – 3:00pm
When working with children and families, making decisions about when, how and why to share information, can present real challenges. To help make that decision making easier we’ve developed the Information Sharing Tool box a resource that can actively help you when you’re making decisions every day.
In this session you will:
- explore the changes in the recently updated Information Sharing Guidance (2024)
- discover how the changes can inform and support you to make appropriate and secure decisions when sharing information to keep children and young people safe
- hear about the new Information Sharing Tool box and how you can use that in your teams or practice
Delivered by Kirsty McMullan, Leeds Safeguarding Children Partnership
Book your place on either: Wednesday 20 November or Thursday 21 November
See the LSCP website for the complete Leeds Safeguarding Week programme.
Top tips for strategy meetings
Whenever there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm there should be a strategy discussion which involves local authority children’s social care (including the residential or fostering service, if the child is looked-after), the police, health, and other bodies such as the referring agency.
This might take the form of a multi-agency meeting or phone calls and more than one discussion may be necessary. A strategy discussion can take place following a referral or at any other time, including during the assessment process and when new information is received on an already open case.
(Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children 2023).
This helpful checklist is for multi-agency practitioners to assist when undertaking strategy discussions.
Baby Week 2024
Baby Week 14 - 20 November 2024 aims to bring sectors and services together to promote the best start in life. By celebrating services and raising awareness about the importance of early childhood, Baby Week aims to make UK the best place to grow up in.
Over the past eight years, hundreds of citywide events have been held with thousands of attendees including parents, expectant parents and practitioners.
Each city hosting the week has the opportunity to celebrate and bring together the work of maternity and early years services, helping to raise awareness of the critical developmental growth stages and a real focus on the 1001 days in order to give every baby the best start in life.
This year’s theme is focusing on the Best Start. See the events taking place in Leeds during the week.
16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign commencing on 25 November that calls for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls (‘VAWG’). It begins on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10th December, Human Rights Day.
During the 16 Days, UN Women encourages people across the globe to orange the world. As a bright and optimistic colour, orange represents a future free from violence against women and girls.
Together we can create a world that is free from violence against women and girls. Take action and show you care through the 16 Days of Activism.
White Ribbon Day is also marked on 25 November; the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls and the start of the 16 Days of Activism. On White Ribbon Day everyone, but especially men, are invited to make the White Ribbon Promise. That is: to never use, excuse or remain silent about violence against women.
If you would like further information, please contact SaferLeedsSafeguardingandDVTeam@leeds.gov.uk
LSCP safeguarding training
We provide a series of multi-agency safeguarding learning and development opportunities for Leeds practitioners. Spaces are currently available on the following:
Introduction to child exploitation
Safeguarding children and young people refresher training
Training for Trainers
New briefings
Preparing for engaging in child protection conferences (ICPC)
Dates for your diary
11 - 15 November Anti-bullying week
14 - 20 November Baby week
18 - 22 November Safeguarding week
25 November - 10 December 16 Days of action against domestic violence