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The Portal can be accessed via the West Sussex website (link below).
Request support or raise a concern about a child
The website has also been updated to provide professionals and members of the public with useful information. Please direct families to this website if they need advice or to make a request for service. You will notice some changes to the Request for Service Form:
There is a move away from “consent”, to parent / carer agreement for information to be shared and support implemented, unless the child is at significant risk of harm. This is in line with GDPR.
There is now a question that asks if a referral to Single Point of Access (SPOA) has been made in relation to requests for service for young people’s mental and emotional health.
Important things to remember:
- Although you can not save the request for service until the end, the portal page does not time out.
- Please save a copy of your Request for Service form – there is the option to save a PDF version at the end.
- If a Request for Service is not accepted into the IFD, it will not be recorded, and we will not be able to access it. Therefore, a new Request for Service will need to be completed if re-referring, with all the information (not jut updated).
- This is a new process, and it will need time to embed, so please be patient.
- If you are unsure about making a request for service or have any issues, please do contact the IFD on 04103 229900.
- When you complete a Portal Referral, you have the option to print or save a copy of the referral to PDF from the acknowledgement notification.
There has been great feedback from partners who have visited the IFD and observed how the IFD operates. If you would like to arrange a visit please email Andrew.webber@westsussex.gov.uk to arrange this.
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This was an incredibly rare and distressing review where an innocent young man lost his life in October 2020. He was fatally stabbed by his partner’s 14-year-old daughter, Child A.
To read this CSPR click on the link below -
Child A - Child Safeguarding Practice Review (CSPR)
Please ensure you look after yourself and know where to access support should you need it. CSPRs understandably have extremely emotive content that can occasionally trigger memories or experiences from your personal life or previous cases you may have held. Your first port of call for support should be your manager.
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If your training course is held on the Learning Pool, please remember to book your training place through the Learning Pool. If you are not yet signed up you can request a new user account . Here are also a few tips to help make this sign up easier for you -
- When setting up an account, you will be asked to add your line manager. If you do not have a line manager you are able to to tick - “L&D Approver”
- Please do not share the training link provided to you with colleagues. Attendees are added to the register at the point of having a place allocated so if colleagues just turn up they will not be able to receive a certificate of attendance (and may be turned away before the training starts).
- Please take a few minutes to complete the evaluation that has been emailed to you after the event. This information helps to ensure the content and delivery is fit for purpose and meets the needs of those attending in the future.
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The WSSCP is delighted to be delivering a range of short briefings on a selection of different safeguarding topics. Each briefing is only 1 hour long, so easy to fit into the busiest of diaries and will be delivered by a subject specialist. Topics being covered during this week are:
Exploitation and Extra Familial Harm Understanding Adolescence & Contextual Safeguarding Pan Sussex Pan Sussex Conference: Neglect and Co-Existing Factors Domestic Violence & Abuse – The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Parental Drug Use and the Impact on Children and Families
(please be aware there is a waiting list for the Pan Sussex Conference, so please email WSSCP@westsussex.gov.uk if you wish to be added).
All Briefings are free to attend and can be booked using the link below -
WSSCP Safeguarding Week - Event Guide
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Conflict between parents is normal, but if exposure is frequent, intense and poorly resolved, this can have a damaging impact on children, resulting in long-term mental health issues and emotional, social and behavioural and academic problems as they grow up.
Parental conflict can be reflected in a wide range of behaviours, from constructive (helpful) to destructive (harmful) behaviours. Harmful behaviours in a relationship which are frequent, intense and poorly resolved can lead to a lack of respect and a lack of resolution.
There are a wide range of resources on the WSSCP website for all practitioners to access. These include an animation which can be used with children, parents and professionals, a webinar delivered by Tavistock, practical resources including Getting on Better cards, a relationship app and a range of other useful tools to support your work with families.
To access all of these resources click on the link below -
WSSCP Reducing Parental Conflict - Information, tools and resources
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Keeping your safeguarding knowledge up to date is a key part of ensuring you are using the most recent information, tools and resources. The WSSCP has a wide range of training sessions available for all those working with children and young people across West Sussex to access. All of our training is delivered by a range of multi-agency professionals and subject specialists.
Some of our course below include -
- The Role of the LADO in Keeping Children Safe
- Positive Contributions to Safeguarding Reviews
- Safeguarding Children with Additional Needs
- Elective Home Education (EHE) Briefing
- Supporting LGBT+ Children and Young People in a Safeguarding Context
- Addressing Barriers to Safeguarding Children Effectively
- A Basic Awareness of Trauma Informed Practice (TIP)
- Trauma Informed Approached in a Multi-Agency Context
- Improving Outcomes for Children Who Are Looked After
To view the full range of courses click on the link below -
WSSCP Training Calendar
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The House of Commons Library has published a briefing on reporting child safeguarding concerns in England. The briefing sets out the current position on reporting concerns and discusses the UK Government’s commitment to introducing a mandatory reporting duty.
To view this briefing click on the link below:
Duties to Report Child Abuse in England
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Please see below some awareness raising communication from the LADO service -
As you may know the role of LADO is set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 and is governed by the Authorities duties under s.11 of the Children Act 2004 and requires that the Local Authority has a LADO.
The LADO will be involved in the management and oversight of individual cases, providing advice and guidance to employers and voluntary organisations, liaising with the police and other agencies, and monitoring the progress of cases to ensure that they are dealt with as quickly as possible and consistent with a fair and thorough process.
As well as managing allegations we offer support through a consultation process for lower level concerns, which can be done anonymously if needed. Please do feel free to make contact with us to introduce yourself or to discuss further how we can support your organisation.
For further information please refer to West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership website, allegations management section which also has link to Pan Sussex Child Protection Procedures (s.18.1 Position of Trust). To view this click on the link below:
https://www.westsussexscp.org.uk/professionals/professional-disagreements-and-concerns/ladoinformation
To make a referral or have a consultation with the LADO please email LADO@westsussex.gov.uk or call our dedicated phone line on 0330 222 6450
If you would like us to deliver any LADO awareness raising workshops in West Sussex then do please ask. Please share this information with colleagues and partners widely across West Sussex.
We look forward to working with you.
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New training sessions are now available to book on the Learning Pool with expert trainers from the Community Safety and Wellbeing Team.
Modern Slavery – Basic awareness Saturday 2nd December is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, yet there are still over 60 million people enslaved around the world and an estimated 130,000 in the UK in 2023.
As professionals in public organisations, we have a duty to notify the relevant authorities when we are concerned that someone we work with is involved in modern slavery or is a potential victim of trafficking, so this 2.5-hour webinar will support you in gaining awareness of what it is, how to recognise it and what to do about it.
The current webinar dates are below and can be booked through the Learning Pool
- Tuesday 14 November 2023: 1pm – 3.30pm
- Tuesday 12 December 2023: 10am - 12:30pm
- Wednesday 17 January 2024: 1pm – 3.30pm
- Monday 12 February 2024: 1pm – 3.30pm
Serious and Organised Crime (SOC), including county lines
Serious Organised Crime (SOC), county lines and cuckooing are all issues that take place in West Sussex, and this webinar will give you the means to identify it and the knowledge to act in order to safeguard young people, vulnerable adults and communities.
After this 2.5-hour session you will be able to identify the vulnerabilities of individuals who are affected by SOC, identify the signs and symptoms of those who become involved in county lines, know what methods gangs use to "recruit" and know what to do in order to safeguard potential victims. The current webinar dates are below and can be booked by visiting the Learning Pool
- Wednesday 22 November 2023: 10am – 12.30pm
- Wednesday 13 December 2023: 1pm – 3.30pm
- Tuesday 23 January 2024: 10am – 12.30pm
- Thursday 15 February 2024: 10am – 12.30pm
Both the Modern Slavery and SOC training is free to staff of West Sussex County Council, district and borough colleagues, parish council members and our statutory Safer West Sussex Partnership exec partners.
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Safeguarding Adults Week is taking place on Monday 20 November 2023 to Friday 24 November 2023. During this time, we'll be sharing daily newsletter bulletins with you related to the Ann Craft Trust themes, including articles from Board partners and subject experts:
- What’s my role in safeguarding adults?
- Let’s start talking – taking the lead on safeguarding in your organisation
- Who cares for the carers: secondary and vicarious trauma
- Adopting a trauma-informed approach to safeguarding adults
- Listen, learn, lead – co-production with experts by experience
Board partners will receive these bulletins directly to share within their organisations, but you will also be able to access them via our website, on the WSSAB 'Safeguarding Adults Week' page
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