For professionals and volunteers

The NSCP publishes procedures and practice guidance, regular newsletters and learning bulletins which draw on learning from reviews and case audits. The following resources and information may also be helpful.

Adverse Childhood Experiences 

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are highly stressful, and potentially traumatic, events or situations that occur during childhood and adolescence.

We all recognise that repeated and sustained adversity in childhood can lead to emotional harm but did you know it causes physical changes too? ACEs lead to a biological toxic stress response which then causes a trauma response to everyday life challenges.  This is a normal natural response to toxic stress. 

This then affects our physical psychological health, social and financial function meaning we’re more likely to make poor choices such as health-harming behaviour and substance misuse. This effect can also lead to poor physical and mental health outcomes across the life course. All of this combined will have an impact on relationships and with socialising, learning and earning. Four or more adverse childhood exposures significantly increase the impact later on in life. See poster for more information and examples of what kinds of experiences are adverse (see attached poster).

Watch a short and powerful video clip on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) which illustrates the impact of ACEs and of equal importance to us as professionals, how noticing difficulties in children’s lives and responding to them with support and early help can change the outcome for their adult lives.

Addressing childhood adversity and trauma infographic [PDF].

Child exploitation and online protection command (CEOP)

The National Crime Agency’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command (CEOP) (formerly the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) works with child protection partners across the UK and overseas to identify the main threats to children and coordinates activity against these threats to bring offenders to account. They protect children from harm online and offline, directly through NCA led operations and in partnership with local and international agencies. 

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Concerns Network (Operation Striver)

Nottinghamshire Police have introduced a new way to improve the sharing of low level non-emergency intelligence concerning child sexual exploitation between partner agencies in Nottinghamshire. An Operation Striver information sheet [Word] has been developed to record information that relates to people, places, activities, or vehicles which may be involved with or connected to CSE. Once completed the information sheet should be sent via secure email to cnm@nottinghamshire.pnn.police.uk.

Please note that this process does not replace the requirement to refer cases under the inter-agency safeguarding children procedures to children’s social care or the police and that any immediate risks should be reported via 999 or 101 to the police control room.

The information provided will contribute towards the collation of intelligence regarding children and young people exposed to or at risk of CSE, the development of disruption strategies and inform current and future investigations concerning the sexual exploitation of children and young people. 

This method of information sharing has already been adopted successfully within Nottingham City and I would be grateful if you would disseminate details of this approach within your organisation and encourage the use of the information sheet template as appropriate.

Should you have any queries regarding this please contact Hazel McKibbin, Service Manager, email: hazel.mckibbin@nottscc.gov.uk

More information

Contextual Safeguarding

Is an approach to understanding, and responding to, young people’s experiences of significant harm beyond their families. The relationships young people form outside of their families (whether online or community) can sometimes expose them to violence and/or abuse. These threats can take a variety of different forms and children can be vulnerable to multiple threats, including exploitation by criminal gangs and organised crime groups such as county lines, trafficking, online abuse, sexual exploitation and the influences of extremism leading to radicalisation.

The NSCP provides a range of guidance and training on issues that fall under the heading of contextual safeguarding [PDF] and now a new booklet is available that provides the definition of each threat or risk, high risk indicators, steps to take and where to go for further advice.

County Lines

County Lines is the term used to describe urban gangs supplying drugs to suburban areas, as well as market and coastal towns, by using dedicated mobile phone lines or “deal lines”. Gangs use children and vulnerable people to move drugs and money to these areas. Once caught up in County Lines, exploited individuals are at risk of extreme physical and/or sexual violence, gang recriminations and trafficking.

The Home Office have produced a Partners Pack [PDF] to help raise awareness. Download Local interagency guidance Child Criminal Exploitation (proceduresonline.com) covering criminal exploitation. 

EMCYPSAS - East Midlands Children and Young People's Sexual Assault Service

EMCYPSAS provides medical care and holistic assessment following sexual abuse for children and young people up to the age of 18 years, or up to 24 years of age if a young adult has a learning disability. It offers comprehensive services from initial medical examination through to follow-up care and therapeutic support. The service runs from two centres in Nottingham and Northampton. Anyone can make a referral and the service accepts referrals 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, including bank and public holidays. 

The single point of access is: 0800 183 0023

This is the channel to get the right help for children and young people at the right time. The advisor can offer you advice, or can guide you through the referral process, taking account of the referral pathway and local safeguarding procedures. 

For guidance on medical assessments read our inter-agency safeguarding children procedures

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

FGM comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It has no health benefits and harms girls and women in many ways. It involves removing and damaging healthy and normal female genital tissue, and hence interferes with the natural function of girls and women's bodies. The practice causes severe pain and has several immediate and long-term health consequences, including difficulties in childbirth also causing danger to the child.

FGM constitutes a form of child abuse and violence against women and girls.

The NSCP safeguarding guide on FGM provides further information and guidance and it can be found within the interagency safeguarding procedures. The Home Office has a free e-learning module which you can access on our external training opportunities page 

The Serious Crime Act 2015 amended the FGM Act 2003 and introduced a mandatory reporting duty which requires regulated health and social care professionals and teachers in England and Wale to report 'known' cases of FGM in under 18s which they identify in the course of their professional work to the police. Please see the Home Office Mandatory Reporting of Female Genital Mutilation - procedural information [PDF].

Guidance for professionals and organisations

Indicators of possible Child Abuse (green card)

Indicators of possible child abuse (green card) [PDF] provides indicators of physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and emotional abuse. 

Information Sharing

Information sharing is vital to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. A key factor identified in many serious case reviews has been a failure by practitioners to record information, to share it, to understand its significance and then take appropriate action.

For more information please see the chapter within the Inter-agency Safeguarding Children Procedures and see the Information Sharing Questions and Answers [PDF]

In addition, see the HM Government Document:- Information sharing. Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, and carers [PDF]

This advice is non-statutory, and has been produced to support practitioners in the decisions they take when sharing information to reduce the risk of harm to children and young people. It is for all frontline practitioners and senior managers working with children, young people, parents and carers who have to make decisions about sharing personal information on a case by case basis. It might also be helpful for practitioners working with adults who are responsible for children who may be in need.

Managing allegations against adults working or volunteering with children in Nottinghamshire

In Nottinghamshire the work of the LADO is undertaken by LADO Allegations Officers (AO). The LADO AOs provide advice and guidance to employers and voluntary organisations where there are allegations or concerns about a person working or volunteering with children and young people.

For more information, read

Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA)

Nottinghamshire Probation Trust works with the Police and Prison Service to manage the supervision in the community of the most dangerous offenders, including violent and sexual offenders.  These three agencies are known as the Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements responsible authorities. 

The National MAPPA Team has published the MAPPA Thresholding Document, a resource for any agency or individual with an interest in MAPPA, available via the MAPPA website.  The purpose of this document is to provide all MAPPA partners with a clear, succinct and accessible guide to assist in deciding the most appropriate level of management.  The different levels of management under MAPPA are set to ensure that resources are properly targeted at those offenders who pose the highest risk and that multi-agency meetings are focused on the most complex cases.  The document contains a clear description of the management levels alongside a number of illustrative case scenarios to demonstrate how MAPPA partners can apply them.

Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)

Children's MASH is the county's first point of contact for new safeguarding concerns and has significantly improved the sharing of information between agencies, helping to protect the most vulnerable children and adults from harm, neglect and abuse. 

MASH receives safeguarding concerns from professionals, such as teachers and doctors, as well as members of the public and family members. For those concerns that meet the threshold for social care involvement, representatives from the different agencies in the MASH and outside will collate information from their respective sources to build up a holistic picture of the circumstances of the case and the associated risks to the child or adult. 

As a result, better decisions will be made about what action to take and support will be targeted on the most urgent cases. Feedback will also be given to professionals reporting concerns. Better co-ordination between agencies will lead to an improved service for children and families. 

Neglect Toolkit and Separate Guidance 

The neglect toolkit and separate guidance document are provided for professionals across Nottinghamshire and Nottingham City to use in partnership with families when there is concern that the needs of a child are being neglected. It is designed to enable honest conversations with families around areas of strength in their parenting and areas which need to change.  The language in the toolkit has been refreshed towards a strength based approach, and additional sections have been added on parental conflict and positive values.  The section on the parents/carers ability to achieve change has been expanded.  The requirement to complete the whole toolkit has been removed, in acknowledgement that professionals are likely to have helpful information focussed in only a few areas of the toolkit.  The toolkit and guidance have been produced jointly by the Nottinghamshire Safeguarding Children Partnership and Nottingham City Safeguarding Children Partnership.

Guidance For Neglect Toolkit [PDF]

Neglect Toolkit [Word]

Pathway for non-mobile baby with bruising or a suspicious mark

This pathway describes the action that a practitioner should take if they become aware of a bruise or suspicious mark on a non-mobile baby.   A new animation film, developed by a multi-agency partnership group led by Dr Becky Sands (Designated Doctor for Safeguarding), is now available to help promote the pathway.  The film provides advice to practitioners about seeking an explanation from the babies carers  and what action to take if no explanation is provided or an unlikely or inadequate explanation is given. 

Please take a look at the animation and share it with your colleagues 

The Bruising in babies pathway [PDF] can be found in the resources section of the procedures 

Pathway to Provision

Pathway to Provision is a set of guidance for agencies to use when they are concern about a child. It identifies different levels of need and the responsibilities of those working with children and young people in addressing these. 

Private fostering

A private fostering arrangement is one that is made privately (not through the local authority), for the care of a child under 16 years (or under 18 if the child has a disability), by someone other than a parent or close relative with the intention that it should last for 28 days or more.

To help keep children safe and support families, all parents and private foster carers must notify the local authority of their intention to enter into a private fostering arrangement.

Local authorities are required to satisfy themselves that the welfare of children who are, or will be, privately fostered within their area is being, or will be, satisfactorily safeguarded and promoted.   After an initial visit to assess the suitability of the arrangement every child in a private fostering arrangement should be visited by an officer of the local authority at intervals of not more than 6 weeks in the first year and intervals of not more than 12 weeks in any second or subsequent year.

Sometimes private fostering arrangements are not notified to the local authority by parents and private foster carers and this can leave a child in a vulnerable position.  If you believe a child is being privately fostered and the local authority is not aware please contact the MASH who will then be able to enquire if the arrangement falls under the private fostering regulations and if so arrange for children’s social care to check the suitability.

Poster raising awareness of Private Fostering and booklet for Young People who are being privately fostered.

Quick safeguarding checklist for sports groups, voluntary sector organisations and faith groups

This safeguarding checklist [Word] is designed to allow you to check that the activities you undertake are compliant with current legislation and best practice. This sets out that policies and systems should be in place to safeguard and protect children from harm.

If you are part of a bigger organisation or affiliated to a governing body, you should first check your own, specific safeguarding guidance and training requirements, as this checklist is intended as a starting point for groups who are wanting to think about and develop their safeguarding arrangements and do not have resources supplied to them already.

Relationships Really Matter

We all have arguments and fall out with people, it’s a natural part of relationships.

We all know that tension can happen for different reasons between parents, such as having a new baby, illness, losing your job, money worries, death of someone close or separating. When arguments aren’t managed in a healthy way the tension can affect both the adults and children.

The information on Relationships Really Matter is about managing everyday disagreements in a more positive and healthy way. 

It’s not about abusive relationships.  When a relationship hurts a person physically or emotionally this is a sign of domestic abuse.

For more information, go to Relationships Really Matter 

Report Templates - Child Protection Conferences and Looked After Children Reviews

For any organisations and professionals who will be attending a Child Protection or a Looked After Children Review meeting, a report template has been designed for you to complete if you don't already have your own organisation report template. 

To download a copy of the report templates below:  

The templates have been completed in line with the strength-based agenda for these meetings. 

Rethinking Did Not Attend

A short film has been developed by colleagues at Nottingham City Safeguarding Children Board to promote the message that children who miss appointments should not be recorded as ‘Did Not Attend’ and instead the term ‘Was Not Brought’ should be used. Using this wording acknowledges that children need an adult to take them to appointments and that if they miss appointments professionals should look at the reasons behind it and consider any safeguarding or welfare issues.

Safeguarding children and young people against radicalisation and violent extremism 

Radicalisation is defined as the process by which people come to support terrorism and extremism and, in some cases, to then participate in terrorist groups.

Extremism is vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We also include in our definition of extremism calls for the death of members of our armed forces, whether in this country or overseas (HM Government Prevent Strategy 2011).

Keeping children safe from these risks is a safeguarding matter and should be approached in the same way as safeguarding children from other risks.

The NSCP safeguarding guide on radicalisation and violent extremism provides further information and guidance and it can be found within the interagency procedures. Notts & Notts City SCB Contents (proceduresonline.com)

A new website has been launched to raise awareness to members of the general public on hatred and extremism. The site is also accompanied with a national advice line that will provide direct access to Prevent specialists who are trained to guide people through the process of sharing concerns about a person at risk. www.actearly.uk

Safeguarding in Sport

Safeguarding in Sport - useful contact details [Word]

Safer Sleeping Risk Assessment Tool

In Nottinghamshire there are on average 6 deaths each year of babies where an unsafe sleep environment is a modifiable factor in the child’s death.

Safer sleep advice is given out to all new parents in pregnancy and the first few days and weeks of a baby’s life by universal health services. To prevent further deaths we need everyone working with families in Nottinghamshire to help ensure safe sleep advice is followed.

To help tackle this a safer sleep risk assessment tool has been developed, which is open for anyone to use. The tool explains what safer sleep is and helps you identify risk factors for unsafe sleeping. It also provides information to help you support families and includes links to resources that you can download for parents.

The tool and guidance for using it can be accessed here:

Safer sleep risk assessment tool [PDF]

Safer sleep risk assessment guidance [PDF]

 

If you haven’t seen it, there is a new animation on safer co-sleeping by Lulluby Trust on YouTube. 

The Voice of the Child & Working with Young Children

The child's voice is a phrase used to describe the real involvement of children and young people. It means more than seeking their views, which could just mean the child saying what they want, rather than being really involved in what happens.

When considering capturing the Voice of the Child there are many resources available of which practitioners can use. Listed below are some resources of which Nott’s County Council staff often use, which may also be useful for partner organisations .

These information gathering tools were developed to help primary school age children talk about (and record) three key assessment questions:

  • What is working well
  • What are you worried about
  • What needs to happen/how would things look in a perfect world

The tools can be re-used to see how circumstances have changed for the child.

Beginning with the ‘Good Things’, questions should be directed around positive things that the child enjoys doing. After this stage you should progress to discuss the ‘Worries’ and find out if there are things that worry the child or things that they don’t like. Finally the ‘Dreams or wishes’ explores thoughts and ideas the child has about what would be happening if things were the way the child wanted it to be. A description is built up detailing who would be present and what types of behaviours would occur.

Reference: Derived from tools by Durie, M. (1998) Whai ora, Maori Health Development. Oxford University Press. Auckland. De Shazer, Steve (1985)

Working with children online

The guide helps your understanding of why online safety considerations are vital before you embark on your digital journey, whether or not you plan to engage with children and young people directly.  It helps you to engage in online activity that is as enjoyable and safe as possible for the communities you work with, and particularly children and young people, and provides checklists and useful resources.

 

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