LSCB Governance ArrangementsWelcome to the LSCB
The Luton Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) is the key statutory mechanism for agreeing how relevant organisations in Luton co-operate to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and for ensuring the effectiveness of what they do. The LSCB Strategic Board is made up of senior managers from key partner agencies as follows:
Chair – Professor Michael Preston-Shoot
Children and Learning Dept., LBC
NHS Luton
NHS Luton Community Services
Luton & Dunstable NHS Hospital Trust
Bedfordshire & Luton Partnership Mental Health Trust
Crown Prosecution Service
Bedfordshire Police
Bedfordshire & Luton Probation Service
Learning and Skills Council
CAFCASS
Lead Member for Children’s Services
Luton Youth Offending Service
Representation from the voluntary sector.
Two Head teachers representing primary and secondary schools
Early Years
Further Education
Two Lay members – To be appointed
The LSCB has established the following sub groups to carry out its functions and Business objectives:
The groups will carry out work as directed by the Board and the Board will receive regular reports of the progress being made.
| Sub Group | Chair |
| Executive | Anne Futcher |
| Operational and Procedures | Jenny Coles |
| Quality Assurance | Margaret Berry |
| Training Sub Group 2 | Leslie McNeil |
| Child Death Overview Panel | Jerry Taylor |
| Serious Case Review | Keith Ibbetson |
The LSCB will also establish time-limited project groups as appropriate.
1. Our Vision and Values
The LSCB vision is set in the context of the Luton Children and Young People‘s Plan The LSCB sits alongside the Children’s Trust Board and will contribute to the overall achievement of the 5 Every Child Matters outcomes but with a particular focus on the ‘staying safe’ outcome.
1.1 Mission Statement
The LSCB’s mission is to keep all Luton’s Children Safe.
In doing so we will:
1.Agree and monitor how local agencies co-operate to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
2.Engage in activities to ensure children grow up in circumstances consistent with safe and effective care.
3.Lead and coordinate proactive work to target vulnerable children and young people.
4.Lead and coordinate arrangements for responsive work to protect children who are at risk of suffering, or at risk of suffering significant harm.
5.Champion the message that safeguarding is everybody’s business.
1.2 How we will achieve our Mission
Through collaboration and cooperation, the Luton Safeguarding Children Board will work together to identify and achieve:
·Common aims
·Effective communication and information sharing practices
·Commitment and determination
·Appropriate safe working practices
·Accountability
·Effective governance
·Effective use of available resources
·Mutual respect and trust
1.3 Our Values
·Luton LSCB will always work in the best interests of children and young people.
·The child will always be at the centre of what we do.
·The LSCB will support children and families at the earliest opportunity appropriate with meeting their needs.
·We will respect the individuality of each child, young person and their family.
·We will assess children, young people and families’ needs, using the agreed assessment processes and, in partnership with children and their families.
·Professionals will collaborate with each other and work in partnership with children, young people and their families to deliver support.
·We will work to improve outcomes for children and young people.
·We will record and share information appropriately with children and families so that they receive consistent responses from professionals from all agencies.
·We will be open to learning and be willing to develop, responding to best evidence and best practice.
·We will work in an open and honest manner with children, young people, their families and with each other.
2 The Luton Safeguarding Children Board
The Luton Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) is established in accordance with the provisions of Sections 13 to 16 of the Children Act 2004. It has a statutory duty under the Children Act 2004 and the statutory regulations, which came into force on 1 April 2006, to ensure that its functions are discharged having regard to the need to safeguard children and young people and promote their welfare and to fulfil the requirements of ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ (HM Government).
2.1 The Statutory functions and core objectives of the LSCB s14(1) of Children Act 2004:
Core Objective 1 - To coordinate what is done by each person or body represented on the Board for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
The functions of the LSCB to achieve against core objective 1 are to:
1.1.Develop policies & procedures for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in relation to:
a)The action to be taken where there are concerns, including thresholds
b)Training of people who work with children and vulnerable adults who have contact with children
c)Recruitment and Supervision
d)Investigation of allegations
e)Privately fostered children
f)Co-operation with neighbouring authorities
1.2 Participate in the planning and commissioning of services for children locally
1.3 Communicate the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children across Luton
1.4 Establish Procedures to ensure a coordinated response to unexpected child deaths
Core Objective 2: To ensure the effectiveness of what is done by each such person or bodies for that purpose
The functions of the LSCB to achieve against core objective 2 are to:
2.1 Monitor and challenge the effectiveness of what is done to safeguard and promote the welfare of children locally (Laming 09)
2.2 Implement Serious Case Reviews where a child has died or has been harmed in circumstances where abuse or neglect is known.
2.3 Ensure the SCR process focuses on the effective learning of lessons and implementation of recommendations and the timely introduction of changes to protect children (Laming 09)
2.4 Collate and analyse information about child deaths in the area (joint panel with Bedfordshire LSCB)
2.2 The Board will seek to work with and influence partners across the statutory,voluntary, private, and independent sectors. There are three categories of Partner agency:
·Statutory members of the LSCB
·Other board members
·Other voluntary, community and business agencies that are not directly represented on the LSCB yet do have an interest in achieving good outcomes for children in relation to safeguarding.
The LSCB has recently developed its new Business Plan 2009-2012 and has identified the following 4 Strategic priorities to promote safeguarding across 4 key domains:
1.Early Identification
To identify the most vulnerable children and young people and target support to enable their safety and well being.
2.Prevention
To safeguard children and young people from abuse, neglect, crime, anti social behaviour, accidental injury, domestic abuse, substance misuse and bullying.
3.Scrutiny and Challenge
To scrutinise and evaluate the effectiveness of local delivery to safeguard children in line with statutory guidance and recommendations from the Laming report 09.
4.Participation and Communication
To engage key stakeholders (parents, carers, young people, adult services and the community) in the wider safeguarding agenda.
Contact Information:
Catherine Barrett – Business Manager
Olubunmi Ade – El – LSCB Administrator
Sally Bolton – Training Manager
Helen McGuire – Training Administrator
Richard Moseley - Training Officer
LSCB office – 1st Floor
2-12, Victoria Street
Luton
LU1 2UA
01582 547590 – Safeguarding Management
01582 547619 – Safeguarding Training