Many of you would have seen that the Department for Education published the revised statutory guidance for all safeguarding partners ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023’, for public consultation last week. This is a significant guidance document for all involved in safeguarding children and local safeguarding children partnerships. It can be viewed here: Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023: draft for consultation (education.gov.uk)   

 

The consultation can be accessed here: Working Together to Safeguard Children: changes to statutory guidance – Department for Education – Citizen Space and runs until 6th September 2023. The DfE is running consultation events as outlined below and, the link to sign up is: Free Online Working Together to Safeguard Children Events | Eventbrite 

 

Open event:  
Monday 4th September (15:00)

Single agency events:  
Thursday 13th July (14:30) Education
Wednesday 26th July (11:00) Police
Tuesday 15th August (15:00) Health
Thursday 17th August (14:00) Local Authorities

Thematic events with multi-agency/sector participation:  
Thursday 6th July (11:00) A shared endeavour
Tuesday 18th July (14:00) Help and support for children and their families
Wednesday 2nd August (11:00) Strengthening multi-agency safeguarding arrangements
Monday 7th August (11:00) Decisive, multi-agency child protection
The parent and carer event date to be confirmed.

 

Also published last week was a revised non-statutory guidance for all safeguarding partners – ‘Draft Information sharing advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers (education.gov.uk)’.  The consultation can be accessed here: Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners and also runs until 6th September 2023.

 

The City of London and Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership also published an updated report for the Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review for Child Q. Click here to be redirected to the website and Child Q reports.

 

The Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Youth Justice Service (YJS) received an overall rating of ‘Good’ following its inspection in March this year. The report highlights areas of outstanding work – including praising the dedication and skill of the Council’s youth justice staff who are described as ‘a committed, knowledgeable and innovative staff group’ as well as ‘a highly motivated and energetic team, in equal measure thoughtful and innovative’. This is an excellent outcome for the service and, I’m sure you will all join me in congratulating them and thanking them for the good work they deliver for children and families in Greenwich.  Read the report here.

 

Nicky Pace
GSCP Independent Chair