The New London Child Protection Procedures are now in force - have you got your copy?
What are the London Child Protection Procedures?
The London Child Protection Procedures are commissioned by the London Safeguarding Children Board on behalf of the Association of London Directors of Children’s Services, the Metropolitan Police Service, NHS London, the London area of the National Offender Management Service, the NSPCC and London’s voluntary and community child care services sector. They have been endorsed by Waltham Forest LSCB and staff in all partner agencies are expected to work to these.
Purpose of the procedures and who should read them
They set out how agencies and individuals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Their target audience is professionals (including unqualified staff and volunteers) and front-line managers who have particular responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and senior and operational managers in all agencies providing or commissioning services for children, families and adults who are parents.
Safeguarding children is a shared responsibility
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children – and in particular protecting them from significant harm - depends upon effective joint working between agencies and professionals that have different roles and expertise.
Individual children, especially some of the most vulnerable children and those at greatest risk of social exclusion, will need co-ordinated help from health, education, children’s social care, and quite possibly the voluntary sector and other agencies, including youth justice services.
For those children who are suffering or at risk of suffering significant harm, or causing or at risk of causing physical or sexual harm to others, joint working is essential, to safeguard and promote welfare of children and, where necessary, to help bring to justice the perpetrators of crimes against children.
Where can I find out more?
Check with your line manager to see if your service has received a copy of the procedures. We have copies of the procedure on CD-ROM (and a limited number of paper copies for services that have not yet received a copy)
The procedures are available on the London Safeguarding Children Web site at www.londonscb.gov.uk. However, we have also placed the procedured here:
London Child Protection Procedures 2007 (pdf, 3.9 Mb)
The London Safeguarding Children Board have also developed a Power Point Presentation which outlines the main featuires of the new proceudres.
Amended Quick Referral FlowChart
The Quick Referral flowchart on page 283 of the procedures has been amended. This now shows that where there is concern that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, you should proceed straight to a referral (without completing a common assesssment).
This is an important amendment. Please download the attched file and insert into your copy of the procedures.
Section 6.10: Quick referral flowchart (MS Word, 24Kb)
