Safeguarding children
The Safeguarding Children Service offers members of the public and other professionals specialist advice, support and guidance about:
- Child protection (safeguarding) advice
- Issues regarding children looked after by the Council
- Concerns regarding the behaviour of professionals or volunteers who work with children
The Safeguarding Children Service has responsibility for convening and chairing Initial and Review Child Protection Conferences.
The service maintains a list of children subject to a child protection plan: thought to be at risk of significant harm in the borough, and works to ensure that child protection plans are made and implemented on their behalf.
In addition to chairing child protection conferences, the Safeguarding Children Officers chair complex strategy meeting such as
- Where an allegation has been made against a professional or volunteer who works with children
- Children at risk of sexual exploitation
- Looked after children who abscond from their placement
