Local Protocols

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 automatically updated on our website, with updates publicised in the Latest News section and in the LSCP Newsletter.

If you notice that any information contained within any of the guidance is out of date please inform us at the LSCP Business Unit.

The responsibilities for partner agencies and organisations with regards to dissemination and implementation of the guidance is identified at the beginning of each policy. If you are the safeguarding lead for your organisation, please ensure that you disseminate and implement each local protocol as per the instructions and update your Organisational Safeguarding Assessment to provide assurance to the LSCP.

Bruising in Non-independently Mobile Children Protocol

Provides frontline staff with a knowledge base and action strategy for the assessment, management and referral of children who are Not Independently Mobile (NIM) who present with bruising or otherwise suspicious marks.

Burns and Scalds

The purpose of this protocol is to provide guidance to practitioners when dealing with a child who has sustained a burn or scald injury.

Child Exploitation Practice Guidance

This document is intended to be used by practitioners and managers across Leeds who work with Children and Families. This can include but is not limited to: Children’s Social Work staff, Family Practitioners, Early Help, Youth Justice Service, the Youth Service, the Police, Education, Third Sector agencies and Health workers.

Child Protection Medical Pathways

Leeds Multi-Agency Procedure for Professionals Requesting Child Protection Medicals

Safeguarding Children with Complex Medical Needs who Travel Outside of the Local Authority or Abroad

This guidance provides practitioners with a clearly defined procedure, addressing the management of travel abroad, ensuring consideration of the implications of any forthcoming travel for children.

Concerns Resolution Process

The process of resolving disagreements between practitioners on the best way to address concerns regarding a child, young person or their family.

Domestic Violence and Abuse: School and Further Education Notifications (Leeds Joint Agency Protocol)

This updated protocol sets out a joint-agency approach to provide, by early intervention, appropriate support for children and young people who have experienced domestic abuse in their household.

Female Genital Mutilation

Workflow for managing concerns regarding Female Genital Mutilation for under 18 year olds.

Guidance for The Relocation of Families due to risk

This guidance assist agencies and practitioners in supporting the relocation process and to ensure information is shared across local authorities appropriately and safely.

Interpersonal Violence and Abuse (IPVA) Young People’s Relationships

This guidance is for practitioners and managers who may encounter situations where a young person under 18 years of age has been harmed through interpersonal domestic abuse from a partner (boyfriend or girlfriend).

Intimate Care Policy

This document provides all agencies who may provide a level of intimate care to children and young people with clear guidance when developing an internal set of good practice guidelines.

Neglect - Recognising, Responding and Assessing

This document supports the Neglect Strategy and provides guidelines for the recognition, assessment of, and the response to neglect for all staff working with children and their families across Leeds.

Paediatric Examination Guidance

This guidance reminds staff of the legal position of paediatric examinations, and in particular, the need for the examining doctors to have appropriate legal authority for such examinations, both during and outside care proceedings.

Recording of meetings/ conferences by parents/ carers

This guidance supports practitioners and agencies in responding when birth parents and others with parental responsibility, want to record a multi-agency meeting. This is not guidance about the local authority or other agency making a recording of a meeting.

Removal at Birth Inter-Agency Procedures

When a decision has been reached to remove a child at birth following a multi agency assessment the following procedure must be followed by all agencies involved.

Safeguarding from the threat of violent extremism

This protocol supports practitioners in identifying people vulnerable to people extremism and how to respond and support them.

Self Harm and Suicidal Behaviour

Supporting young people who self-harm or feel suicidal: A guide for professionals in Leeds working with young people aged 25 and under’ is aimed at anyone who works with children, young people and young adults in Leeds. This booklet is available via the Mindmate website.

Supervision: Policy and Guidance

This guidance identifies the minimum standards for the supervision of staff and / or volunteers who work directly with children, young people and families and / or those whose work brings them into regular contact with children, young people and their families.

Think Family, Work Family

This document supports the implementation of the `Think Family, Work Family’ approach developed to improve the support offered to children, young people and adults at risk within the same family.

Working Restoratively

This policy focusses on supporting practitioner engagement with families, parents and carers in order to form restorative relationships and in turn support the safeguarding of children and young people.

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