www.safenetwork.org.uk welcome to the launch of the national safeguarding unit for the third sector...

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Welcome To the Launch of the National Safeguarding

Unit for the Third Sector

Friday 5th June 2009

www.safenetwork.org.uk

Chair

Andrew Flanagan NSPCC

chief executive


BaronessDelyth Morgan

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

for Children, Young People and Families


John Brownlow Safe Network

director


Safe Network

A Model of Engagement


Third Sector

Core Team

WEBSITE

Helpline

Key Stakeholders

(ISA/CWDC)

Local Networks

Regional Development Managers

Key Stakeholders

E.g. Grant MakersNational Membership

Groups

Delivery Partners

Key Audiences

Umbrella /

infrastructure bodies Community &

Voluntary groups

LSCB’s

Charities

Faith Groups

Black, Minority &

Ethnic groups Parents & carers Children & young people

Volunteers

Paid staff

Trustees

Social enterprises

Arts, Culture & Leisure


• Safeguarding policies and procedures

• Raising awareness

• Safer recruitment

• Anti-bullying policies

• Reducing avoidable accidents

• Information for parents


• Information

• Standards

• Training materials


• Addressing diversity

• Reaching disadvantaged groups

• Being a voice for the sector

• Integrated working


Kellie Ann Fitzgerald

Barking & Dagenham LSCB business manager


Roundtable discussion


FilmChildren’s views about staying

safe


Feedback


Lunch


Professor Tanya Byron


Sally Mehta

Parentline Plus Quality Assurance Director

[email protected]

www.parentlineplus.org.uk


How it all began

The tragic death of Maria Colwell in 1974

affected the public at large.

Led to numerous self help groups emerging in

1970’s for three main reasons:

1. Community concern for child abuse

2. Self Awareness for parents under stress

3. Publicity about parent self-help movements

in UK


Select Committee Report on Violence in the Family 1977

Key Recommendation:

“ We recommend that parents should be

encouraged to form groups where parents who are

at all anxious about the way in which they are

bringing up their children can meet and preferably

also provide some regular telephone support”.


What do parents ask us ? Parents contact us through various channels : a 24 hour

helpline, SMS, websites and message boards and local

authority referral.

Parents’ safeguarding queries can be divided into three

main types:

1. Fears and concerns about harming their own children

2. Concerns over a third party e.g. neighbour, friend,

non-resident parent, step parent harming their

children

3. General safeguarding issues e.g. age appropriate

behaviour, baby sitting rules.


Type of Abuse reported

Neglect 12%

Sexual Abuse22%

Self Harm 5%

Risk of Suicide

20%

Emotional Abuse25%

Other 15%

Physical Abuse33%


Safeguarding issues for Parentline Plus

Preserving the safe space

Confidentiality

Relationship to statutory providers and government

guidance

Balancing the needs of the parent and the child

within the safeguarding network

National vs local – where do we fit?


How can safe network help ?

Offer clarity about the differences between

voluntary and statutory roles in safeguarding children

Recognise and support the crucial role the third

sector fulfils for parents as a non-threatening place

to explore concerns.

Support third sector with robust procedures and

training. And so, give confidence to balance threshold of

confidentiality and safeguarding

Independent quality assurance mark.


Keith Bradbrook

Deputy Director of NSPCC communications


Safe Network Launch5th June 2009

The Challenge of Partnership Working

Maggie Jones

Chief Executive Children England


Safe Network LaunchKey Messages

1. The challenges are many and varied; and mostly well known to us

2. The solutions are also known; they need to be put into practice

3. The potential rewards are huge

4. Children young people, parents and carers are right to demand the best from us all


Safe Network LaunchChallenges

• We have different aims and motivations

• Context and environment

• History and “ the way we do things”

• Priorities and thresholds


Safe Network Launch Challenges 2

• Resources

• Language

• Responsibilities and status

• Defensiveness

• Fear


Safe Network Launch

………………and not one of those, nor even all of them together, provides a good enough reason for us not to build the partnerships we need to keep children and young people safe and happy.


Safe Network LaunchWe are trying to model the solutions right

from the startRespect for existing third sector networks,

relationships and expertiseSupporting local groups and communities to

help themselvesAcknowledgement of and resources to build

on good practice, wherever it is found.


Safe Network LaunchLeap the Barriers

It is possible to:• Respect and truly value the different roles we

play in children and young people’s lives• Be flexible and sensitive: one size wont fit all• Change ; alongside the children and young

people we serve• Be consistent, with the young and with each

other


Safe Network LaunchMore leaping!

• Make the absolute most of what we have and SHARE. Attitude is far more important than money

• Listen to each other as well as to children and young people.

• No one organisation can keep children and young people safe. They are all our children and we are in this together


Safe Network LaunchThe Home Straight…

Its OK • to be nervous and unsure• to say you don’t know• to ask for support and help

Its NOT OK• to use fear to erect new hurdles• to use targets to keep people out• to be secretive because you may need help


Safe Network LaunchThe Rewards

• Safer organisations working with others

• Better mutual understanding and respect

• Reaching new groups and offering new opportunities to children and young people

• Knowledgeable carers and communities able to demand the best for their young


Safe Network LaunchMore rewards!

• The harnessing of public awareness to make safeguarding everyone's business

• Watching the confident children and young people take control of their own safely and hearing them speak out when something’s wrong

• Parents and carers asking the right questions and making the right choices.


Safe Network Launch

…and of course best of all safe, happy, children and young people able to take the risks they need to grow.

No illusions:

It will be tough and we will not always see eye to eye. But in the end…


Safe Network Launch

…lets stick together…….

for the sake of the children!


Chair’s Summary


Thank youFor attending the Launch

Of Safe Network

NSPCC registered charity numbers 216401 and SC037717. Children England charity registration number 1044239,

company registration number 3011053.

www.safenetwork.org.uk welcome to the launch of the national safeguarding unit for the third sector...

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