Southwest Child Protection Procedures
Somerset is part of the South West consortium* that has developed the Southwest Child Protection Procedures (in conjunction with Tri.x).
Each Partnership has its own site, which provides a ‘gateway’ to the shared consortium procedures, with the facility to house information specific to individual Partnerships avoiding confusion for users. Materials will be updated twice yearly to ensure all guidance remains current and relevant for practitioners.
*Devon; Plymouth; Cornwall; Torbay; Somerset; South Gloucestershire; Wiltshire; Bath and North East Somerset; North Somerset; Swindon; Gloucestershire and Bristol.
Local Guidance
Alongside the overarching Southwest Child Protection Procedures, there are local practice guidance and protocols which compliment them:
Resolving Professional Differences (RPD)
Resolving Professional Differences Protocol Reviewed December 2018. Updated October 2019
Resolving Professional Differences flow chart Updated April 2020
Previously known as Escalation Process.
Neglect
Somerset Neglect Toolkit For assisting with the identification of Child Neglect. Updated May 2020 – new interactive version which can be completed electronically.
Somerset Neglect Strategy Somerset Safeguarding Children Board Strategy for tackling neglect is currently being updated
This toolkit should be used in conjunction with the pre-birth (safeguarding unborn babies) guidance, detailed within the SSCP’s manual in South West Child Protection Procedures. Updated October 2019.
Working with non compliance or disguised compliance by parents or carers
Guidance to assist staff working with hostile/threatening and non-compliant parents/carers, and those who use disguised compliance. Published May 2019
Private Fostering Arrangements – a quick guide
Guidance to assist staff in recognising and responding to private fostering arrangements. Published July 2019
Strategy Discussions
A quick guide to Strategy Discussions. Published May 2019
Somerset Think Family Strategy
The aim of the strategy is to encourage all partners to ‘Think Family’ and actively work together to secure better outcomes for children, young people and their families across Somerset.
Video introducing the Think Family Strategy, Richard Painter June 2018Launched June 2018
Prevent toolkit version 2 Feb 2019 Prevent and Channel Referral guide Prevent Leaflet for Professionals in Somerset Elearning is accessible via the Home Office https://www.elearning.prevent.homeoffice.gov.uk/edu/screen1.html If you’ve any questions please either email the Public Health Training Administrator at publichealthtraining@somerset.gov.uk or contact the Local Authority Prevent lead prevent@somerset.gov.uk Prevent and Channel referral tools
Somerset Participation Strategy
An example of best practice when looking to consider the child’s voice in individual cases. Please note, that whilst this is a CAMHS example, it could easily be adapted for other agencies/professions and is useful as a guide when developing the influence of the child’s voice.