Children's Safeguarding in Third Sector Organisations

Overview

The Surrey Safeguarding Children Board (SSCB) would like to invite you to take part in an online Children’s Safeguarding Survey as part of our Section 11 process. We ask you to complete this simple survey in order to help us have a better understanding of the great services provided by your organisation and about the good work you do within your organisation. It is also an opportunity to identify good practice and share learning and provide support to any organisations.

We would really appreciate if you could complete the survey by Friday 13th October 2017. Please feel to contact either Ameena Tabassum at: ameena.tabassum@surreycc.gov.uk if you have any problem answering any questions or you need further assistance.

What is Section 11?

• Section 11 of the Children Act 2004 places duties on a range of organisations and individuals to ensure that their functions, and any services that they contract out to others, are discharged having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Why are we doing this?

• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015) highlights that voluntary organisations and private sector providers play an important role in delivering services to children. They should have the arrangements in place in the same way as organisations in the public sector, and need to work effectively with the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB). Paid and volunteer staff need to be aware of their responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, how they should respond to child protection concerns and make a referral to local authority children's social care or the police if necessary.
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015) requires Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) to monitor the effectiveness of organisations’ implementation of their duties under Section 11 of the Children Act 2004

SSCB Section 11 process

• In Surrey the Section 11 process is carried out in a two-year cycle. Year 1 includes all the statutory organisations and Year 2 includes non-statutory organisations. The survey for 2017 non-statutory organisations aims to include all early year settings, private, voluntary sector and community and faith-based sector organisations who provide services to children in Surrey.
• The self-assessment audit tool is based on the eight key features outlined in statutory Section 11 guidance and two priorities of the SSCB; Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and Quality Assurance and Outcome Measurement.

What will happen next?

• Summary findings from the survey will be presented in a report to show what’s working well, what are we worried about and what needs to happen. Individual organisations will not be identified in the report.
• A further action plan will be developed by SSCB with specific actions, leads and timescales to address any issues raised in the report.
• A SSCB learning event will be arranged inviting organisations who complete the survey to share the findings, raise awareness of policies, procedures and training.

What happens next

What will happen next?

• Summary findings from the survey will be presented in a report to show what’s working well, what are we worried about and what needs to happen. Individual organisations will not be identified in the report.
• A further action plan will be developed by SSCB with specific actions, leads and timescales to address any issues raised in the report.
• A SSCB learning event will be arranged inviting organisations who complete the survey to share the findings, raise awareness of policies, procedures and training.