Contents

1. Introduction
2. The Structure
3. Scope of the Board
4. The Board’s Objectives
5. Accountability of the Board
6. Responsibilities of Membership
7. Inter Relationship with Other Bodies
8. Annual Business Plan

1. Introduction

The Children Act 2004 required that every area must have a Safeguarding Children Board. 

Walsall Safeguarding Children Board (WSCB) was established in February 2006 and replaced the Area Child Protection Committee (ACPC). The WSCB brings together agencies that work with children, young people and their families to ensure that they are working together effectively to keep children safe. 

Chapter 3 of Working Together sets out in detail the arrangements for the work of each Local Safeguarding Children Board. In addition, the Members Information Pack, which can be found elsewhere on the WSCB website, sets out in detail the terms of reference, membership and structure of the Walsall Safeguarding Children Board.  This chapter provides a summary only.

The WSCB will measure its performance against the ‘Staying Safe’ outcome – however, its work will take account and contribute to all five Every Child Matters outcomes.

2. The Structure

The full Board meets quarterly and currently consists of 24 members. A full list of Board members can be found in the Members Information Pack. The membership includes a young people’s representative. Other members represent Walsall’s Children’s Services, Housing, tPCT, Walsall NHS Hospital Trust, Education Walsall, Youth Services, Sports Development, Youth Offending Service, Police, Connexions, Domestic Violence Forum, CAFCASS, the Probation Service, Walsall Voluntary Action, Adult Services and the Fire Service.

There is an Operations Group which meets monthly and informs the Board and ensures that work progresses between meetings. There are currently 27 members, who are also listed in the Members Information Book.

There are also 5 Sub-Groups, each of which meets at pre-determined regular intervals. They focus on specific areas of work for the Board – namely, Training and Development, Serious Case Reviews, Child Death Reviews, Young People at Risk of Sexual Exploitation and Domestic Abuse. Membership and the terms of reference for each Sub-Group can be found in the Members Information Pack.

3. Scope of the Board

The Board has three broad areas of activity:

i.	Prevention which includes: mechanisms to identify abuse and neglect work to increase understanding of safeguarding issues in the professional and wider community ensuring organisations working with children operate safe recruitment and human resource issues monitoring the effectiveness of agency responsibilities under Section 11 of the Children Act 2004 ensuring children know who to contact when they have concerns about their own safety
ii.	Proactive targeted work which includes: developing and evaluating thresholds and procedures for work with children who have been identified as a Child in Need but not in need of protection work to safeguard children who are generally more vulnerable than the general population, for example disabled children, those living away from home or who may run away
iii.	Reactive work to protect children who are suffering or at risk of suffering Significant Harm, including children who are abused and neglected within families including those affected as a result of domestic violence or substance misuse abused outside families by adults known to them abused and neglected by professional carers abused by strangers abused by other children abused through prostitution young perpetrators of abuse

4. The Board's Objectives

Specific objectives of the SCB are:

• to develop and agree local policies and procedures for inter agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children
• to audit and evaluate how well local services work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children
• to put in place objectives and performance indicators for child protection
• to encourage and help develop effective working relationships between services and professionals
• to ensure a level of agreement and understanding across agencies about operational definitions and thresholds for intervention
• to ensure practice is informed by local experience, research and lessons learned from audit and review
• to undertake appropriate Serious Case Reviews and ensure lessons are understood and acted upon
• to help improve the quality of safeguarding children and child protection work and inter agency working through specified training and development
• to support the local community in safeguarding and promoting children’s welfare

5. Accountability of the Board

Whilst the SCB has a role in coordinating and ensuring the effectiveness of local individuals’ and organisations’ work to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, it is not accountable for their operational work.

Each Board partner retains its own existing lines of accountability for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children by their services.

The SCB does not have the power to direct other organisations.

6. Responsibilities of Membership

In order to facilitate the effective functioning of the Board, agencies are required to recognise the work time required by the Board representatives to fulfil their responsibilities. It is expected that Board members and members of the Operations Group will be second or third tier managers or above in larger organisations, or those with specific knowledge and responsibilities for safeguarding.

All Board members will be required to nominate one named person as their deputy, who will usually be a person managed by the Board member and will not be required to attend more than 20% of meetings.

Board members should therefore be able to:

• Speak for their organisation with authority
• Commit their organisation on policy and practice matters
• Hold their organisation to account

Walsall MBC will take lead responsibility for the Walsall Safeguarding Children Board.

The members’ job description is set out in full in the Members Information Pack.

The Chair will be the Director of Children Services (DCS).

7. Inter Relationship with Other Bodies

It is important that safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is seen as part of the wider context of the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership and that the Board’s policies, procedures and guidance reflect and contribute to the wider goals of improving the wellbeing of all children.

Through the Chair, the Board will report to the local authority’s executive management team, elected members and the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership.

8. Annual Business Plan

The WSCB will produce an annual business plan, agreed by all partners. This will be monitored on a half yearly basis.

End