London Safeguarding Children Board is a multi-agency, strategic group which seeks to enhance the safety and wellbeing of children in London. The board is chaired by Mike Cooke, Chief Executive at LB Camden. It has the following objectives:
- To support the development of consistent best practice.
- Provide impetus and strategic leadership to all member organisations in regards to their responsibilities to safeguard children and promote their welfare.
- Identify and develop appropriate responses to London-specific issues which impact on the safety and welfare of children.
- Lead the development of procedures, particularly multi-agency procedures, for safeguarding children and promoting their welfare.
- Promote the development of London wide protocols for the sharing of information to safeguard children and promote their welfare in London.
- Promote good practice to ensure that the voices of the individual child, and children collectively, are heard.
- Influence and inform the development of policy, practice and legislation relating to the safeguarding of children and the promotion of their welfare.
Board members are key decision makers from the full range of agencies working to keep children safe in London including:
- Directors and Assistant Directors of Children’s Services
- London Local Safeguarding Children Board Chairs
- The Metropolitan Police
- NHS London
- CAFCASS
- The UK Border Agency
- London Probation Service
- Crown Prosecution Service
- National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)
- Barnardo’s.
The Work of the Board
The Board currently has the following work areas:
- The management of the London Child Protection Procedures including 6 monthly updates and a programme for the revision of chapters and, where necessary , the writing of new chapters [available at www.londoncp.co.uk
- 3 Task and Finish groups chaired by senior leaders addressing the following issues:
- Female Genital Mutilation
- Child Sexual Exploitation
- Safeguarding Children from Extremism
- Support for a range of Pan-London networks of safeguarding professionals
Conference 21.3.16 - Safeguarding Children from Extremism
On Monday 21st March 2016, the Task and Finish Group which addresses the risks posed by extremism to children and young people held a half day conference at the QEII Centre in central London. The conference was attended by more than 140 professionals all of whom are involved in work to safeguard children from these risks. It showcased best practice and enabled the learning from this work to be shared across the capital. The speakers were all experts leading the way in this new safeguarding arena. Presentations from the day are available below [more will be made available over the coming days]:
Safeguarding Children from Extremism: Family Court & Legal Action - Ruth Kirby and Sahdiah Ikram
Early intervention and prevent work with children and young people - Liz Vickerie