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 April 2021
Previously known as Escalation Process.
TAF One minute guide
Guidance to assist staff working in a Team Around a Family (TAF), or as Lead Practitioner. Published March 2021
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 – Practice Guidance
This guidance is for all agencies who are invited to attend strategy discussions, and covers the purpose of strategy discussions, preparation for discussions and next steps. It also sets out expectations for all those who attend to ensure optimal outcomes for children, young people and families