For children to be kept safe from harm it is essential that the local workforce of practitioners and managers, including volunteers and workers in faith settings, are well informed and understand the agreed local child protection procedures.
Southwest Child Protection Procedures:
Somerset is part of the Southwest consortium that has developed the Southwest Child Protection Procedures (in conjunction with Tri.x). Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership and its member agencies are signatories to the Southwest Child Protection Procedures (SWCPP) as our local procedures.
> You can access the Southwest Child Protection Procedures HERE
The Southwest Child Protection Procedures are based on current legislation and the latest edition of national statutory guidance: Working Together to Safeguard Children
Local Policies, Procedures and Guidance:
Local Policies and Procedures:
- Somerset Effective Support for Children and Families – (Threshold Document)
- Family Strengths & Needs Toolkit – (Recognising & Responding to Neglect)
- Family Strengths & Needs – Practitioner Guidance – (Recognising & Responding to Neglect)
- Multi-agency Step Up Step Down Protocol
- Resolving Professional Differences Protocol
- Somerset Pre-Birth Planning Toolkit – (Safeguarding Unborn Babies)
- Somerst Harmful Sexual Behaviour Protocol
- Somerset Multi-agency Child Exploitation Screening Tool
- Children Missing from Home or Care in Somerset – protocol
- Allegations Management – Please see the Allegations Management page for guidance and local procedure
- SSCP Information Sharing Agreement (ISA)
- Somerset Pre-Birth Workbook – modular resource to support practitioners
- Somerset Children & Young People’s Plan
- Team Around the Family (TAF) Guidance
- Somerset Lead Practitioner Guidance
- Somerset Strategy Discussions – Practice Guidance
- Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners (HM Gov)
- Gillick competency and Fraser Guidance factsheet (NSPCC)
Child Death Review:
Since April 2008 there has been a legal requirement for all child deaths to be reviewed to see whether we can learn lessons in order to improve the health, safety and well-being of children. This process is called the Child Death Review – please see NHS Somerset ICB website for further details on Child Death Review
Notification of a child death
Any agency becoming aware of a child death occurring in Somerset, or a death of a normally resident Somerset child occurring elsewhere, should make a notification using the eCDOP website: https://www.ecdop.co.uk/PANDorsetSomerset/Live/Public