This page lists current NSDU consultations.
Local safeguarding children boards: Practice guidance for consultation
In his report The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report (2009) Lord Laming commented on the positive impact Local safeguarding children boards (LSCBs) are having on services for protecting children. He also found that there was greater potential for LSCBs to drive improvements more effectively.
Lord Laming recommended that, following the publication of Loughborough University’s research on LSCBs, the Government provide them with further guidance on how to operate as effectively as possible.
The interim findings of the research were published in June 2009, with the final report expected in May 2010. A research brief based on the final report’s findings has been published alongside the guidance.
As a preliminary step in the development of the guidance the National Safeguarding Delivery Unit (NSDU) issued A Summary Outline for consultation and a call for evidence in December 2009. The call for evidence invited examples of models or templates of effective local practice, exemplars of good practice and case studies.
Having received this evidence, the NSDU has decided to focus on a few key areas that have been identified by practitioners and available research as crucial in supporting LSCBs. The guidance and associated resource pack includes
- advice on measuring the effectiveness of LSCBs' strategic partnership working
- information on developing local measures which demonstrate the difference LSCB activity is making in specific safeguarding areas
- an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of different models of delivery in terms of Board structure and membership
- further advice on LSCB lay members and the LSCB annual report.
The Consultation
This draft practice guidance is being issued for consultation alongside the fully revised statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children. It should be read alongside Chapter 3 of that document, which sets out the statutory functions of an LSCB. The separate statutory guidance on Children’s Trust Boards is also relevant.
The NSDU welcomes comments on
- the coverage and content of the practice guidance
- further examples of local practice to add to the resource pack being published in parallel with this guidance.
The unit will set up a national practitioner group to develop final practice guidance over the next few months. This group will help identify key areas where guidance would be useful and will advise on the appropriate level of detail.
You can have your say and respond to this consultation by 9 June 2010 at lscb.guidance@nsdu.gsi.gov.uk.
