October 2019 Newsletter

 

Message from the KRSCP Strategic Partner, James Thomas I am delighted that we have now made the smooth transition into our new Safeguarding Children’s Partnership, and on behalf of all the statutory safeguarding partners want to express my thanks to all those who have helped us to build our renewed approach with a clear focus upon the children and young people of Kingston and Richmond and how we can work together to ensure that they are protected from abuse, neglect and exploitation. In my view, we have struck a sound balance between change (strategic leadership arrangements; a learning hub approach; independent scrutiny) and continuity (our business plan and priorities; the core of our sub-group arrangements; the support of the safeguarding team). Our Strategic Leadership Group will be convening in November and benefit from the commitment of the senior leaders from the statutory safeguarding partners, as well as from representatives from children’s social care, schools and the health service.  We will aim to bring greater rigour and clarity focused upon our two core areas of work, namely scrutiny of partners’ performance data, quality assurance findings and feedback from children and families so that we have clear sight of what we are doing well and what we need to be worried about; and close attention to ensuring we secure and maintain the engagement of all partners working with children and families across each borough. We will also be starting the process of thinking how best to renew our business plans for 2020/22 and the resetting of our priorities, as well as confirming the arrangements for our first learning hub deep dive into adolescent risk which will culminate in a partnership learning event on 23rd January. We look forward to working together with you all and to building the best possible Partnership for our children and families! James Thomas Interim Director of Children’s Services, Richmond Council

MARVE We have refreshed our MARVE (Multi-Agency Risk & Vulnerability to Exploitation) Protocol to include all major forms of child and adolescent vulnerability – Harmful Sexual Behaviour, County Lines, Modern Day Slavery, Child Criminal Exploitation, Child Sexual Exploitation, Trafficking, Gangs and Groups, and Serious Youth Violence. Please find the new protocol and MARVE referral forms and assessment guidance here: https://kingstonandrichmondsafeguardingchildrenpartnership.org.uk/news-resources/policies-and-procedures-87/child-sexual-exploitation-88.php. We are thrilled that this will be launched in our free multi-agency Contextual Safeguarding Conference on 23rd January 2020 with Carlene Firmin, from the University of Bedfordshire speaking: Watch this Ted Talk to find out more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCFZQcaIgDM AND SAVE THE DATE!

eSafety Credit Card Please click this link to see a useful resources for parents and carers regarding keeping children safe online: https://kingstonandrichmondsafeguardingchildrenpartnership.org.uk/parents-carers/helping-your-child-stay-safe-online-16.php

Annual Report The last Annual Report and safeguarding assessment for the partnership is here for 2018-19: https://kingstonandrichmondsafeguardingchildrenpartnership.org.uk/about-richmond-lscb/annual-report-42.php. There were lots of positive points around multi-agency working and local performance. We wanted to work together  more around school exclusions, Initial Health Assessments for Children Looked After,  EHAs (Early Help Assessments) GP engagement in child protection processes, and children who are educated at home, as numbers are rising in our boroughs, following national trends. To find more about Ian and our strategic partnership please see this page: https://kingstonandrichmondsafeguardingchildrenpartnership.org.uk/about-richmond-lscb/our-vision-35.php. The below image show the Kingston and Richmond Safeguarding Children Partnerships Structure:

 

 

Youth Needs Consultation Information Event 14th November 2019 at 10 am oneRichmond (RPLC and Hampton Fund) has commissioned Rocket Science to conduct a youth needs consultation in Richmond, with a focus on enhancing life opportunities for vulnerable children and young people. Rocket Science will be reviewing good practice in addressing young people’s needs and concerns; and will be engaging directly with young people in Richmond between December 2019 and February 2020 through interviews, focus groups and peer research. The Information Event on 14th November will cover the following: The background and context for the research Findings from Rocket Science’s review of good practice and mapping of youth need and service provision in Richmond The approaches which will be used to gather the views of young people. You will be encouraged to ask questions; feed into research design and focus; and provide suggestions for recruiting peer researchers and approaching young people for the consultation. If you would be interested in attending the event, please register through the following link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/richmond-youth-needs-consultation-information-event-tickets-77273654581. If you have any questions, please contact Dina Papamichael at Rocket Science, either at dina.papamichael@rocketsciencelab.co.uk or on 0207 253 6289.

Sexual Health Services:  Many professionals and volunteers have the opportunity to signpost children and young people to sexual health services. There are several levels of sexual health support available, including outreach in some secondary schools by School Nurses. Many Local pharmacies and chemists offer free emergency contraception and sexual health services. Click here to see a table of sexual health services in both boroughs.

Hospital Clinics The Hospital clinics are our ‘acute’ sexual health services based at West Middlesex Hospital and the Wolverton Unit in Kingston Hospital As these clinics are based at a hospital they can do a range of tests not available at our other clinics. This means if anyone has  symptoms or signs of a sexually transmitted infection, these are  the best clinic to attend as they have doctors available at every walk in session, and with most infections they can provide diagnosis and treatment on the same day.   They provide all contraception and sexual health services with a specific remit for more specialist and complex issues and care. They are open access via booked or walk in clinics and see anyone over 13 years of age. A consultation will always explore an individuals physical and mental health and aim to identify any specific risks or vulnerabilities with respect to sex and their sexual health. They should be considered the provider of choice for: Symptomatic individuals / Individuals with same sex partners / Transgender individuals / Anyone paying or being paid for sex. They can provide preventative care where appropriate including: PEP (post exposure prophylaxis to protect against HIV where there has been a sexual risk) / PrEP (pre exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV before a sexual risk) / Hepatitis & HPV vaccination (specific populations as identified during consultation) / Long term management or prophylaxis for recurrent infections. They can provide ongoing support with respect to: Sexual assault / Sexual exploitation / Harmful risky behaviours / Difficulties with healthy relationships issues / Psychosexual issues. Onward referrals to other services will be discussed and facilitated as necessary. These units’  greatest strengths are ease of access coupled with the ability to discuss all aspects of sexual health in an open and approachable manner. Many individuals don’t feel comfortable discussing such issues with anyone in their life yet doing so can help ensure ongoing optimal levels of physical and mental health. www.sexualhealthkingston.co.uk / https://www.sexualhealthhounslow.org.uk

Elective Home Education  The Education Welfare Service in AfC provides support and guidance to all schools and families and relevant agencies on issues relating to Elective Home Education. Education is compulsory, attending school is not. Although the majority of parents choose to send their children to school, a number of parents choose to educate their children at home. This is called Elective Home Education. Find our more here: https://kr.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/local-offer/information-and-advice/education/elective-home-education. Please find information for parents here: https://5f2fe3253cd1dfa0d089-bf8b2cdb6a1dc2999fecbc372702016c.ssl.cf3.rackcdn.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/2560/EHE_Guidance_for_parents__April_16.pdf   For some children, there are increased risks for being educated at home and there is key national learning from some case reviews about this. Universal Services, particularly schools, can help to support vulnerable families and provide early help when concerns arise. Find out more here: Enfield LSCB- a 16 year old died at home, where she was educated. The extended family had concerns but did not refer and ST was not seen by universal services.  http://library.nspcc.org.uk/HeritageScripts/Hapi.dll/retrieve2?SetID=AA8079E2-7310-43AF-BBD9-E2054099B221&SearchTerm0=elective%20home%20education&SearchPrecision=20&SortOrder=Y1&Offset=7&Direction=%2E&Dispfmt=F&Dispfmt_b=B27&Dispfmt_f=F13&DataSetName=LIVEDATA     Derby LSCB published this report about the death of an adolescent girl. There is learning for us to ensure that information about vulnerable children being educated at home is passed on to education welfare services: http://library.nspcc.org.uk/HeritageScripts/Hapi.dll/retrieve2?SetID=A9707312-026A-44C4-AB5F-955006620AE1&SearchTerm=DERBY%20SAFEGUARDING%20CHILDREN%20BOARD&Fields=P&Media=%23&SearchPrecision=10&SortOrder=Y1&Offset=5&Direction=%2E&Dispfmt=F&Dispfmt_b=B27&Dispfmt_f=F13&DataSetName=LIVEDATA

Upcoming KRSCP Training The KRSCP offer some online safeguarding training, please use this link to create an account: https://richmondlscb.melearning.university/user/self_register. The KRSCP also offers face to face training to all working with children and families. Here is a list of available courses until the end of November: 05/11/2019 – Safeguarding Children: A Shared Responsibility Level 2 (Kingston) 07/11/2019 – Understanding and Managing Childhood Neglect (Level 3) 13/11/2019 – Neglect Toolkit: A bitesized Session 14/11/2019 – Harmful Practices – Forced Marriage and So Called Honour Based Violence Awareness 27/11/2019 – Safeguarding Children: A Shared Responsibility Level 2 (Kingston) 27/11/2019 – Working Towards Ending Harmful Practices Asian Women’s Resource Centre 28/11/2019 – Domestic Abuse Update: A Bite Size Session The KRSCP are also running the following conferences to all practitioners in the boroughs; Safe in Faith – 06/11/2019 – Kingsgate Church Kingston, 161a Clarence St, Kingston upon Thames KT1 1QT Contextual Safeguarding – 23/01/2020 – St Mary’s University, Twickenham If you work within education and are interested in going on any of these courses and you can apply here: https://www.afccpdonline.co.uk/earlyyears/courses/bookings/default.asp?curpage=2 Otherwise you can apply for any here: http://kingstonandrichmondlscb.org.uk/training.php

January 2019 Newsletter

What is Self-Harm?
The phrase ‘self-harm’ is used to describe a wide range of behaviours. Self-harm is often understood to be a physical response to an emotional pain of some kind, and can be very addictive. Some of the things people do are quite well known, such as cutting, burning or pinching, but there are many, many ways to hurt yourself, including abusing drugs and alcohol or having an eating disorder.
Sometimes, it’s more important to focus on how someone is feeling rather than what they do to themselves. Quite often, people find that more helpful.

Everyone has accidents from time to time resulting in cuts and bruises – but it’s the injuries that are caused on purpose that are considered to be acts of self-harm. Self-harm often happens during times of anger, distress, fear, worry, depression or low self-esteem in order to manage or control negative feelings. Selfharm can also be used as a form of self-punishment for something someone has done, thinks they have done, are told by someone else that they have done, or that they have allowed to be done to themselves.
 www.selfharm.co.uk
 papyrus-uk.org

INITIAL RESPONSE TO A YOUNG PERSON ON DISCLOSURE OF SELF-HARM
If you are aware that a student, child or young person, has self-harmed this is the recommended approach:
 Listen calmly (Assess);
 Seek first aid treatment, if necessary (Manage);
 Contact parents/carers as soon as possible (Inform);
 Contact other professionals for advice (Assess);
 Work with the young person and their families to ensure appropriate support is in place to address both the self-harming and the underlying issues (Manage);
 Monitor the situation and communicate regularly with parents/carers (Inform);
 Consider other children and young people who may be affected (Assess).

USEFUL LINKS

The Samaritans offer training to professionals and outreach in public places, including schools. If there is a critical incident in a school, community meeting or workplace they can provide immediate support and advice, this is not only for suicide.
They have a guide for preparing a response plan in schools, details of support for students, parents and carers as well as professionals: www.samaritans.org

Support for children

Support for parents and carers

Practitioners

The LSCB offers the following free training
Youth Mental Health First Aid

November 2018 Newsletter

Message from Chris Robson, LSCB Chair

I am pleased to send this newsletter out as we launch our Neglect Strategy in Kingston and Richmond today at our LSCB Conference. I would like to thank Tracey Welding, Daksha Mistry and Ellie Boorer, LSCB, Sara Doyle, AfC and Andrea Knock, Designated Nurse, CCG for all their hard work in preparing this launch for our partnership.

Neglect in Richmond and Kingston
Neglect is an important local issue for us. Do you wonder why?
We know outcomes for children who are neglected are poorer than for the general population. There has been a 4% rise in referrals for neglect nationally last year in the UK. 20% of referrals last year in Richmond were about neglect, and 13% for Kingston.

Difficulties in working with neglect are common for practitioners in the UK yet it is the most common reason for there to be a Child Protection Plan and the lifetime cost has been estimated to be £89,000 per person.

Oldham LSCB has carried out a case review following a non-accidental head injury to an 11-week-old boy as a result of shaking. Children’s Social Care had been involved with family previously over concerns about the neglect of three older siblings, who were later removed from mother’s care. The mother was charged with neglect & the father with neglect and Section 18
wounding.

Find out more here: NSPCC 2018 Oldham Child H SCR Overview.pdf

Upcoming LSCB Training​
The LSCB offers training courses to all working with children. Here is a list of available courses in November and December;
• Safeguarding Children: Child Protection Process Refresher (Level 3) (Richmond) – 26/11/2018
• GDPR Update and Effective Recording – 06/12/2018
• Working with Boys and Men – 06/12/2018
• LSCB Safeguarding Children: Child Protection Process Level 3 (Kingston) – 07/12/2018
• Safeguarding Children: Child Protection Process Level 3 (Richmond) – 11/12/2018
• Safeguarding Children: Child Protection Process Refresher (Level 3) (Kingston) – 11/12/2018
If you work within education and are interested in going on any of these courses and you can apply here.

Otherwise you can apply for any here: http://kingstonandrichmondlscb.org.uk/training.php

So what is neglect?​
Neglect is the constant failing to meet a child or young person’s basic needs, resulting in serious effects on their health, development or learning. Neglect can occur in pregnancy through maternal substance abuse. The impact of neglect of children is often accumulative, advancing gradually and unnoticed and therefore there is a risk that agencies do not intervene early enough to prevent harm. It is common for evidence of neglect to present through signs and symptoms which may be noticed by different agencies in relation to different children in the family at different points in time. Agencies need to feel confident in the recognising and the naming of neglect.

It is important that all agencies, Health,schools /Education, Police, Probation, Housing, Voluntary and Community, Faith Organisations identify emerging problems and potential unmet needs and seek to address them as early as possible. It is equally important that practitioners are alert to the danger of drift and ‘start again’ syndrome.

Children being neglected, or at risk of being neglected, need to be seen, heard and helped. If we call all adopt these aims below, then we can make a difference
• Seen: in the context of their lives at home, friendship circles, health, education and public spaces (including social media).
• Heard: to effectively protect children and young people, all professionals need to take time to hear what children are saying and put themselves in the child or young person’s shoes and think about what their life might truly be like.
• Helped: by remaining professionally curious and by implementing effective and imaginative solutions that help children and young people. Professionals should give parents and families clear information in relation to expectations and improvements.

Visit our Neglect Huddle for guidance on our website and look at our strategy, short film and toolkit: http://kingstonandrichmondlscb.org.uk/practitioners/what-is-child-abuse-and-neglect-113/neglect128.php

If you are worried about a child or young person in Richmond or Kingston contact the SPA (Single Point of Access) 0208 547 5008 (working days 8am-6pm) Out of Hours 0208 770 500.

Road Safety Week
Road Safety Week is just around the corner this month, so if you haven’t registered for a free action pack you can sign up here: http://www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk/

This year’s theme is Bike Smart. Please sign up to support and promote this initiative within your organisation to help improve road safety for all.

The London Fire Brigade also has a page on road safety which includes a section on bikes and motorbikes, this page can be found here: https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/road-safety/