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Contents

CSCB Relationship with Wider Arrangements

Principles and Values

Membership

Statutory Membership

Other Members

Accountability

Holding Partners to Account

Chair and Vice Chair

Frequency of Meetings

Subcommittees

Communication

CSCB relationship with wider arrangements

The CSCB will contribute to the broader delivery and commissioning arrangements for children services as defined in the Coventry Children's Plan and delivered through the children's trust arrangements.

The work of CSCB will contribute to the wider goal of improving the wellbeing of all children and young people however; it has a particular focus on aspects of the 'staying safe' outcome of Every Child Matters

The responsibilities of the CSCB are complementary to those of the Children's Trust to promote cooperation to improve the wellbeing of children in the local area across all five Every Child Matters outcomes. The CSCB is not an operational sub-committee of the Children's Trust Board. Whilst the work of the CSCB contributes to the wider goals of improving the wellbeing of all children, it has a narrower focus on safeguarding and promoting welfare. The Children's Trust Board - drawing on support and challenge from the CSCB - will ensure that the Children and Young People's Plan reflects the strengths and weaknesses of safeguarding arrangements and practices in the area and what more needs to be done by each partner to improve safeguarding and promotion of welfare. The CSCB is a formal consultee during the development of the Children and Young People's Plan.  As required, the CSCB chair is different from the chair of the Children's Trust Board.

The CSCB is the key statutory mechanism for agreeing how the different services and professional groups will cooperate to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and ensuring that arrangements work effectively to bring about good outcomes for children. Its function is to bring together representatives from agencies and professionals responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined in 'Working Together to Safeguard Children' 2010 for the purpose of the LSCB as:

• Protecting children from maltreatment
• Preventing impairment of children’s health or development
• Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
• Undertaking that role so as to enable those children to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully.

The Board will ensure that the duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children is carried out in such a way as to improve all six outcomes.

• Staying Safe
• Being Healthy
• Enjoying and Achieving
• Making a positive Contribution
• Achieving economic Wellbeing
• Supportive families, friends and communities

Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2010 defines safeguarding and promoting welfare as:

• Protecting children from maltreatment
• Preventing impairment of children’s health or development
• Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care,

and undertaking that role so as to enable those children to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully.

Child Protection is a subset of safeguarding and promoting welfare.  This refers to the activity, which is undertaken to protect specific children and young people who are suffering or are at risk of suffering Significant Harm.

Effective Child Protection is essential as part of wider work to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.  CSCB will aim to proactively safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people so that the need for action to protect them from harm is reduced.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children includes protecting children from harm. The main priority of CSCB is to ensuring that work to protect children is properly coordinated and effective. The board also has a wider expectation placed on them, which includes preventative work to avoid harm being suffered in the first place. 

Principles and values:

The CSCB believes that children have an absolute right to be safe and live without fear.

• The safeguarding and well-being of children is the Board’s main purpose
• Children are valued which means that:
  • Their rights will be respected
  • They will be provided with services openly and honestly
  • They will be listened to with understanding
  • They will be given information, explanation and choices
• The CSCB promote socially inclusive policies and underpinned by the recognition that the needs of children are best met within their family relationships and communities, including their cultural and religious context and their place within their own families.
• The CSCB policies, procedures and actions are in the spirit of relevant legislation informed by principles of anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice, and a commitment to equality of access to services.
• All children in the city should receive the same response and level of service, wherever they come from and whatever their background.
• The CSCB will ensure that family members know that the child’s safety and well-being must be the priority and all provision of services and support will be in partnership with parents, wherever possible and where this does not leave the child vulnerable to harm. All family members have a right to a courteous, caring and professionally competent service.

Membership

CSCB has representation from statutory and other relevant partner agencies and is supported by a number of subcommittees.

Members of CSCB are individuals with a strategic role in relation to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people within their organisation and are able to establish clear arrangements for communicating the decisions of the Board to their organisation.

Their role is to:

• Speak for their organisation with authority
• Commit their organisation on policy and practice matters
• Hold their organisation to account
• Collate management information to demonstrate effectiveness

Statutory Membership

The membership of the Board and the subcommittees will be drawn from each of the main agencies responsible for safeguarding children, whose roles and seniority enable them to contribute to developing and maintaining strong and effective inter-agency child protection procedures and ensuring that local child protection services are adequately resourced.

The statutory organisations, which are required to co-operate with the Local Authority in the establishment and operation of the CSCB, will have a shared responsibility for the effective discharge of its functions.  These organisations are set out in section 13 (3) of the Children Act 2004.

The membership of the CSCB will be kept under review through normal business processes of the Board and to ensure compliance with statutory and local requirements

The Board will include members who have particular knowledge and expertise in specific areas safeguarding work.

CSCB statutory members are:

• Children’s Services Directorate
• West Midlands Police
• West Midlands Probation
• Coventry Youth offending Service
• Coventry Primary Care Trust
• Strategic Health Authority
• University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 
• The Connexions Service (S114 of Learning and Skills Act 2000)
• CAFCASS
• Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust

As a result of Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2010, there is a requirement to appoint 2 lay members as full LSCB members.

There is also a requirement to include representation from schools on the CSCB, which is fulfilled by the appointment of three school head teachers as members of the CSCB's Education Sub-Committee.

The membership of CSCB will therefore be:

• Senior Managers of Children Services Directorate representing
  • Children’s Social Care Services
  • Services for Schools
  • Early Years and Child Care Service
  • Head of Commissioning
  • Legal Services
• Representative of the CYPS partnership
• Representative of Adults Social Care Services
• Representative/s of West Midlands Police of at least the rank of Superintendent;
• Representative of the National Probation Service (West Midlands Area) of at least Assistant Chief Officer level;
• The Chief Executive or their representative(s) from Coventry Primary Care Trust,
• Representative of the Strategic Health Authority
• Representative of Housing Services
• Chief Operating Officer or their representative for UHCW NHS Trust
• A representative of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Services (CAFCASS);
• A representative from Domestic Violence and Abuse Partnership
• A representative of the Youth Offending Service
• A representative from Connexions
• Chairs of all Subcommittees
• A representative of the local NSPCC services
• The Chief Executive (or their representative) of Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust

In addition the following staff will act as professional advisors to the Board.

• Designated Doctor Child Protection - Coventry PCT
• Designated Nurse Child Protection - Coventry PCT
• Head of Safeguarding Children Service
• Safeguarding Children Development Officer

 Professional advisors may be invited to attend meetings in a consultative capacity where this will assist the Board in its work

Other members

A number of services/organisations/agencies have been identified as significant to the work of CSCB and are required to have links to the LSCB and/or its subcommittees

Agencies that are not represented on the full Board but are referred to in the government guidance will be invited to contribute as appropriate and where their input will be beneficial.

Wider membership to the CSCB will be developed through an Associate Membership scheme to ensure wider dissemination of inter-agency procedures and training information. Organisations affiliated to the Board will provide a lead liaison representative as a direct contact point for the CSCB development officer. 

Accountability

CSCB is accountable for its work to its constituent agencies, whose agreement is required for all work and has implications for policy, planning and the allocation of resources.  The planned programme of work, and a report on progress the previous year will be set out in the CSCB Annual Business Plan.

The plan contributes to, and works within, the frameworks established by the inter-agency children's services plans and makes links between related activities to ensure co-ordinated service provision that promote the welfare of children

There is also a requirement for the LSCB to produce and publish an annual report with a copy to be sent to the Children's Trust Board to influence and contribute to the Children and Young Person's Plan.

Each constituent agency is responsible to its own governance arrangements for the agreed work that has implications for policy, planning and allocation of resources.

The Director of Children’s Services (DCS) is accountable to the Chief Executive and, through him or her, to the Lead Member for Children’s services and the Cabinet and scrutiny committees.

Holding Partners to Account

The CSCB also has a role in ensuring partner agencies are accountable for their work to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.  

Where it is found that a partner is not performing effectively in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people the CSCB Chairperson will in the first instance raise the issue with the most senior individual in the partner organisation and agree a plan of action to improve performance in this area.

After this discussion if the Chairperson considers that action taken locally will be insufficient to address the concerns, then s/he in consultation with the Director of Children’s Services and Lead Member, is able to contact the relevant inspectorate and/or Government Department.

Chair and Vice Chair

The Chair of the CSCB, is the Director of Children, Learning and Young People’s Directorate. For further information please refer to the Constitution of the Board which is available on the website at the bottom of this page.

The Chair and the Vice Chair will not be held by members of the same constituent agency.

The Vice Chair of the CSCB will be appointed at the first meeting of each calendar year and reviewed annually at that meeting.

The Vice Chair will be appointed with the consent of a majority of voting members.

Either the Chair or Vice Chair should always be present at any meeting.

Role of Chairs of Subcommittees

1. To ensure that at least 6 meetings are held per year
2. To monitor and be accountable to the CSCB for the Business Plan and ensure that specific tasks are competed within set timescales.
3. To monitor agency representations and issues of attendance
4. To provide written reports on progress to the work plan of the sub committee (on agreed templates)
5. To ensure that a record of the work is maintained
6. To monitor and control expenditure against set budgets and forecast future financial demands subject to CSCB approval and regulation.

Role of Vice Chairs of Subcommittees

1. To assist the Chair in ensuring that the Business Plan is delivered
2. To deputise for the Chair
3. To ensure service user and stakeholder views are incorporated
4. To assist the Chair in achieving the objectives of the subcommittee and monitoring progress against the Business Plan 

Frequency of Meetings

The main CSCB will meet bi monthly, six times a year. 

Additionally, the Safeguarding Children Manager will meet with the Chairs of the Sub-Committees together with the relevant staff of the CSCB between the meetings or for the purposes of steering the work of the CSCB.

Subcommittees

The Board has established subcommittees to complete its work-plans, which will be defined in terms of the objectives and functions of the Board.

The Board will review the tasks and functions of its subcommittees as appropriate.

The Board will determine the structure and terms of reference of its subcommittees, and review their operation. The terms of reference and functions of each of the subcommittees are outline below.

Subcommittees will comprise representatives from the partner agencies of CSCB and any other such representation as is deemed necessary to complete work plans. 

Subcommittees will report progress to the Board. An account of work undertaken in the previous year by each subcommittee and an updated work-plan for the year ahead will be included in the Annual Business Plan

CSCB will have the following subcommittees:

• Serious Case Reviews Subcommittee
• Procedures Subcommittee
• Training Strategy Subcommittee
• Quality Assurance Subcommittee
• Promoting the Wellbeing of Children and Young People
• The Health Panel (Child Protection)
• The Safeguarding Children in Education

Each Sub-Committee will present a detailed work-plan to CSCB annually, itemising the tasks to be accomplished in the year ahead and progress achieved in the previous year.  This information will be included in the annual report and business plan of CSCB.

Each Subcommittee will update full meetings of the Board on the progress being made in implementing its work-plan.  Details of additions and amendments to the plan will be submitted for approval in writing.

Each Subcommittee will have its own Chair and will review its chairing arrangements on an annual basis.

Chairs will meet the Safeguarding Development Officers before every full meeting of the committee to agree agenda items.

Where and when appropriate CSCB may establish short-term task groups to complete a specific area of work.

The Chairs of the Sub-Committees must be members of the main CSCB and responsible for making written reports to the CSCB. 

The Chairs of Sub-Committees will be from a variety of agencies and appointed by the main CSCB.

The Chair (or his/her deputy) of each Sub-Committee shall attend periodic meetings with the Chair of CSCB for the purposes of progressing work of the CSCB.

The Chair of the subcommittee shall be supported by an identified vice Chair from another agency to that of the Chair of the Sub-Committee.

The purpose of each subcommittee is listed below: 

Procedures Subcommittee
Purpose:

Have an overview of policy and procedural development in child protection;

Advise Coventry Safeguarding Children Board of emerging local and national issues as they arise;

Maintain up to date inter-agency child protection procedures ensuring they are clear and accessible;

Enable staff and organisations to implement new policies and procedures.

Serious Case Review subcommittee
Purpose:

Review where abuse or neglect of a child is known or suspected, or where a child has been subject of a serious injury;

Co-ordinate and manage reviews into a child’s death;

Ensure that lessons learned from local serious case reviews are disseminated across agencies in Coventry;

Consider learning identified from serious case reviews undertaken elsewhere in the country where there are lessons to be learned for Coventry.

Quality Assurance Subcommittee
Purpose:

Audit and evaluate how well agencies work together to protect children;

Develop and agree basic measurable standards for child protection practise;

Set standards and seek to improve inter-agency working;

Promote and support the wider study and research of child protection issues and practise in Coventry;

Monitor and evaluate the impact of new policy and procedure;

Developing a strategy to listen to and consult children and young people 

Undertake and /or commission audits of inter-agency child protection services;

Handle any complaints received by the CSCB regarding the process of children becoming subject to a Child Protection Plan.

Training Subcommittee
Purpose:

Develop an inter-agency training and development strategy that is compliant with governmental requirements and meets the needs of Coventry.

Develop and recommend a framework for all child protection training to ensure consistent standards across the city.

Audit, evaluate and review the inter-agency training programme.

Provide a forum for trainers that will ensure that they are adequately supported and kept up to date with local and national developments with opportunities for sharing/learning issues from training delivery.

Promoting Children and Young People’s Wellbeing Project 
Purpose:

To implement a common assessment framework across Coventry;

To promote a culture of strong multi agency working and information sharing;

 To identify and co-ordinate earlier and more effective multi agency support to families thereby reducing the need for child protection interventions;

To train and enable children and young people’s practitioners to use the Promoting Children and Young People’s Wellbeing model across agencies.

Health Panel (Child Protection)
Purpose:

Link with Designated Professionals and Named Professionals in the Trusts to promote safeguarding children;

Maintained and developed open and clear communication between the Coventry Safeguarding Children Board, NHS Trusts and provider units (Trusts and GP practices) in Coventry for both clinicians and managers;

Set up and maintain networking systems to ensure that information relevant to fieldwork staff is channelled from Coventry Safeguarding Children Board in a timely way;

Develop a training strategy for all Health professionals employed by the Trusts and GP's.

Safeguarding Children in Education
Purpose:

To acknowledge the responsibility of the LEA governing bodies and schools in respect of ‘Safeguarding Children in Education’ and to develop and maintain a training strategy to meet the requirements of the guidance;

Ensuring open and clear communication is maintained and developed between the Safeguarding Board and the Education Service in its widest context;

Having in place the widest possible dissemination of information and communication between the Education Service and the Safeguarding Board. 

Communication

The Safeguarding Children Board will address its communication needs through the Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership Communication subgroup in order for all communications to be streamlined regarding Children and Young People.

Purpose:

• Operate from a clearly agreed definition of safeguarding and promoting welfare;
• To raise awareness within the wider community of the need to safeguard children and to promote their welfare;
• To explain how the wider community can contribute to safeguard children;
• To raise awareness of safeguarding and promoting welfare within partner agencies and the wider communities;
• To inform the wider community of where to seek help if concerned about the safety of a child/young person;
• To ensure that materials are available in a suitable format to meet the needs of the main community groups in Coventry;
• To raise awareness amongst children and young people about how to seek help. Ensure the views of children and young people are taken into account in planning and delivering safeguarding and promoting welfare services;
• To develop and maintain the CSCB Website.

Address issues of diversity and vulnerability throughout its communicating and raising awareness function

If you would like to know more about the work of Coventry Safeguarding Children Board please visit the website at the bottom of the page or alternatively contact us in the following ways located at the bottom of this page.

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