Safeguarding Children Partnership newsletter – June 2025

E d i t i o n 5

It was a packed agenda which reflected the level of partnership activity since the last Board in March 2025. It was also an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the fantastic work by the Partnership in delivering against the SCP priorities and core functions over the last year.

Key areas for discussion and consideration:

NEL SCP Performance Dashboard: The Board considered the latest
dashboard which supports the SCP to understand the effectiveness of
safeguarding arrangements. The dashboard is greatly informing the
work of the Safeguarding Practice Learning and Development Group
and the Safeguarding Performance Practice Assurance Group and
SCP priority delivery groups. An example of how data is informing
practice is the increase in the number of referrals and assessments in
respect of child sexual abuse which is related to recent training and
the development of the CSA toolkit.

As part of the SCP governance arrangements, the Board is required under “Working Together 2023” to
develop and publish an Annual Report by end of September and our Local Arrangements by the end of
December each year. The board endorsed the following documents:
SCP Annual Report 2024/25: The report sets out what we have done as a partnership as a result of our
Local Arrangements 2024/25 and evidences the impact of the work on outcomes for children and families from early help to children in our care and care leavers. The report highlights a number of achievements including the review and delivery of an enhanced education and training programme, progress against the delivery of all four SCP priorities, and the impact of learning Rapid Reviews and independent scrutiny activity.
Local Arrangements 2025/26: This key document sets out our local arrangements to safeguard children,
including but not exhaustive, the commissioning and publishing of local child safeguarding practice reviews and local arrangements for scrutiny and assurance, including independent scrutiny. The document identifies our four priority areas of focus identified through data analysis, assurance activity and learning from practice, as follows.

The four priority areas remain the same as 2024/25 but with a focus on embedding the strategies,
raising awareness and embedding associated practice tools. The four priorities are:

• Embed the SCP neglect Strategy, with a focus on the impact of the neglect training and tool
• Embed the Child Sexual Abuse Strategy with a focus ion awareness raising and assessment of risk and
  need
• Embed the Early Help Strategy with a focus on supporting children and families at the earliest opportunity and to reduce the need for statutory intervention
• Further develop the multi-agency approach to Child Exploitation, including Sexual Exploitation, with a focus on transitions

Voice and engagement: The police presented their voice of the child principles and how they observe and record the voice of the child. Children’s Services presented an executive summary of the “Your Voice Matters” annual report 2024/25 which evidenced work undertaken in respect of voice and engagement at all levels. An example was your voice your vote, where there was engagement with 6000 young people in identifying top priorities including safety, bullying, mental health, which are informing local youth events

Scrutiny and Assurance

Learning and Practice
The Board signed off a rapid review action plan which has been completed. and which demonstrated where the actions had informed practice, including the delivery of neglect training to over 600 practitioners across the partnership. Please see the link to learning from practice Learning from practice
Independent scrutiny of the SCP Local Arrangements
One of the three SCP independent scrutineers was commissioned to undertake a review of the leadership provided by the three delegated safeguarding partners and effectiveness of Local Arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in April 2025.
The overall conclusion of the report was that Local Arrangements within NEL SCP appear to be strong and there has been significant developments in striving to improve outcomes for children and young people in this area. In addition to what is working well there were a small number of areas of consideration and development, both of which are detailed in the SCP Annual Report
“What is overwhelming evident within the documents that I have viewed, is that there is a high level of professional respect and regard for each other demonstrated at senior level. This level of respect is also conveyed to the workforce via the quality of the newsletters that are produced and published for the workforce to access. There is warmth and a genuine celebration of all successes achieved. This is to be commended and will undoubtedly help to generate a reputation of NEL being a good ‘place to work’”
Domestic Abuse Update Report
A report on the findings and recommendations from a review undertaken in respect of the local approach to domestic abuse was presented by Public Health who commissioned the review. The actions from the review and the current revision of the Domestic Abuse Strategy will inform the local delivery of services and practice in responding to domestic abuse.
Children with Disabilities and complex needs
A further assurance report was received following the previous report in December 2024. This was in response to the Governments requirement for Delegated Safeguarding Partners to consider the effectiveness of local arrangements in relation to children with disabilities and complex health needs in external residential settings. The Board were assured around the work undertaken to ensure that children externally placed in dual registered child homes and special schools are receiving safe care and education.
Yorkshire and Humber Probation Service Assurance Report
A detailed presentation on the progress made by the Probation Service was provided to the three Delegated Safeguarding Partners at a meeting on the 7 May 2025. This was in response to the Board requesting assurance on the action taken in response to Her Majesties Inspectorate of Probation inspection and the concerns raised in respect of safeguarding children. The presentation provided assurance to the partners around the progress and improvements made since the inspection.
Reports received for information
The following reports provided assurance to the Board

• DFE serious Incident Summary 2024 briefing

• DFE Child Safeguarding Learning Support and Capability project briefing

National Reforms and Reports
Information was presented to the Board on the key elements of the national reforms in the context of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill which is going through Parliament, specifically focussed around the Families First Partnership Programme. Key areas of focus were highlighted in relation to family group decision making, multi disciplinary family help teams, multi-agency child protection teams and multi agency safeguarding arrangements. The Board welcomed the opportunity to build on existing arrangements in meeting the expectations, and endorsed the plans for further exploration and development. A partnership event will be held in the Autumn as part of consultation in respect of the local response to the reforms. Further details of the reforms can be found in the attached document. The Families First Partnership (FFP) Programme Guide
National Audit Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Summary and the Governments Response – Published June 2025
The national audit undertaken by Baroness Louise Casey is the latest in a long line of initiatives and measures looking into child sexual exploitation (CSE) undertaken since the government adopted its first definition of CSE in 2009. The summary provides the key findings of the audit and the Governments response to the 12 actions which the Government fully accepted. The SCP will fully consider the findings of the audit and the Government response in informing the local response to child sexual exploitation. As such, this will be considered by the SCP Safeguarding Practice Thematic Strategic Group and the SCP Child Exploitation Strategic Group in informing the strategic delivery plans. Please see the summary of the audit.
The full report can be found at:
National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse – GOV.UK

Communication and Stakeholder Engagement

Children and adults and VCSE sector networking event 8 April 2024
A networking event, which was jointly developed with the SCP, Adult Services and the VCSE Sector, was held on the 8 April 2025. It was part of Making it Real which is a series of events designed to build stronger connections to support the voluntary and community sector to develop professional alliances, that focus on the wellbeing children and families. The purpose of the event was for agencies across children’s services, adult services and the VSCE sector to come together to network, promote the role and remit of their organisation and to signpost to available service provision for children and families. There were 30 stalls, and attendance during the day from over 150 practitioners attending from across partner agencies. Feedback was excellent and will be used to inform future joint networking events.
Headline feedback included:

“Brilliant, it’s been great day, meeting lots of people and sharing knowledge and services”

“Well organised, good communications before and during the event. Lots of positive things happening in our community which should be celebrated”

SCP New Website Launch Event 6 May 2025
The launch of the new dedicated SCP website and SCP logo designed by children and young people was held on the 6 May 2025. It was a fantastic event with attendance being representative of agencies across the partnership. There was also a focus on child exploitation, where guest speaker Gavin McKenna shared his experiences, as well as there being a local perspective on child exploitation. There was also a focus on the revised Harmful Sexual Behaviour guidance and process and headline achievements in delivering the SCP Local arrangements. The slides from the event were circulated across the partnership. The feedback from the event was very positive, and examples of key takeaways included:

“The great ideas and insights from Gavin. The analogy of crabs in a bucket and doing what I can to give children a way to get out of the bucket”

“The vulnerabilities of child exploitation, what to look out for, and how a small input can make a massive difference. Don’t be complacent”

“We need to ensure we put ‘love’ into our work with children, young people and families and stop getting tied up in bureaucracy”

SCP Training and Education Offer

REMINDER: All our training is now free of charge to attend

The SCP education and training brochure is updated on a monthly basis and provides details of education and training opportunities, including face to face training and webinars aligned to the SCP four priorities and key areas of safeguarding children. Please follow the links to see what’s available and to book on:
SCP June 2025 – 1 – this link is for all organisations except North East Lincolnshire Council.
SCP Children & Families – 1 – this link is for North East Lincolnshire Council employees only
Relaunch of Substance Use and Minimising Harm training
Learn about how to manage a young person affected by substance use and about the different types of drugs, their effects and trends in North East Lincolnshire. This training is facilitated by With You, Public Health and North East Lincolnshire Council. Please book as soon as you can, places are available 16 September 2025.
Now available

Our Early Help Assessments and Team Around the Family Workshops are now available for bookings. If you work in the Education sector, the voluntary and community sector or for an independent organisation, this workshop is for you! Learn about the Team Around the Family process, how to complete an Early Help Assessment, capturing the voice of the child, creating a plan of support and completing reviews and closures. The workshop highlights the importance of identifying concerns at the earliest opportunity and how to follow these processes in practice. Places are available on the sessions on 16 July and 18 September 2025. This is a short 2-hour training session.

Fantastic development opportunity to become an SCP Trainer
Due to the expansion of the SCP education and training programme, we are now looking for new trainers to join our fantastic training pool and facilitate our multi-agency training, alongside other practitioners from across the partnership. We are particularly looking for people who may be interested in facilitating our multi-agency safeguarding children training and our neglect training. Prospective trainers should have skills, knowledge and experience in these areas and be willing to attend our 4-day Training for Trainers Course. Prior training experience is not required but we ask you to commit to delivery 3 times per year, once trained. If you are passionate about multiagency working and safeguarding children, please contact Emma Wragg, Learning and Development Advisor, Safeguarding, via [email protected] for a chat and further information.

Contact us
If you have any queries around the SCP Local Arrangements, the
Board, or if you have any ideas as to what you’d like to see in the
newsletter, please contact:
[email protected]
To access key documents, please go to:
North East Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Partnership | NELC

What Next?

Practitioners should take the opportunity to read both the SCP
Annual Report and Local Arrangements Plan and the key
documents provided in the links and share across their agencies
in informing practice and partnership working.

Practitioners should take the opportunity to access the SCP
website which provides key resources including guidance, tools,
learning from reviews and detail of education and training
opportunities which all support multi agency practice North East
Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Partnership | NELC

A further networking event will be held on the 1 October 2025 at
Centre 4, the event is jointly held between the SCP, the voluntary
and community sector and adult services. Details will follow, and
it will be a fantastic opportunity to network and to learn more
about the remit and role of wider partner agencies.