Staffordshire Safeguarding Standards and Pathways

1. Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Board (SSCB) and Stoke-on-Trent Safeguarding Children Partnership (SSCP) have worked together to produce joint policies and procedures in line with current legislation and statutory guidance. All Staff within the Service must be compliant with these requirements, and those set out within Section 11 of the Children Act 2004 and be aware of the organisational and individual responsibilities they have for keeping children safe. For further details and clear outline of the expectations regarding the responsibilities and duties please refer to the SSCB website and the statutory guidance for Working together to safeguard children on the Government's website. 
      
2. Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Adult Safeguarding Partnership Board (SSASPB) have worked together to produce joint policies and procedures in line with current legislation and statutory guidance. All Staff within the Service must be aware of the organisational and individual responsibilities they have with regard to adult Safeguarding. For further details and clear outline of the expectations regarding the responsibilities and duties please refer to the SSASPB website. 
      
3. Each Safeguarding Partnership / Boards respective Threshold document is the overarching document for accessing the right help at the right time for all agencies working with children across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. This multi-agency document is a guidance tool that all agencies, professionals and volunteers must use to consider how best to meet the safety and welfare needs of individual children. The service will work within the guidelines of this framework as outlined in Working Together 2018 and follow the current SSCB / SSCP processes (as updated from time to time). For access to the current documents and associated information please refer to the SSCB document Threshold Framework: Accessing the Right Help at the Right Time available on the SSCB website. 
      
4. The Provider shall deliver Best Practice in line with local inter-agency and internal safeguarding policies, procedures and statutory responsibilities as determined by the statutory guidance, SSCB website and SSASPB website. The provider will: 
      
   1. Maintain up to date knowledge of current and emerging SSCP/ SSCB priorities, including learning from Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews and Rapid Reviews.
   2. Be required to have a written safeguarding policy which is in line with the statutory guidance and Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Adult Safeguarding Enquiry Procedures, Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Board (SSCB) and Stoke-on-Trent Safeguarding Partnership Inter-Agency Procedures for Safeguarding Children and Promoting Welfare
   3. Ensure the Provider’s Designated Safeguarding Lead has completed SSCB/ SSCP Level two (2) Safeguarding training. This training must be completed within twelve (12) months from the commencement date and renewed in line with SSCP/SSCB training requirements. 
   4. Ensure all Staff have completed SSCB Level One (1) Safeguarding training which is kept up to date in line with SSCB/ SSCP guidelines. 
   5. Ensure all Staff have completed Adult Safeguarding awareness training and more specialist Staff may need enhanced training in line with the Service’s training plan or strategy. Training packages are available on the SSASPB website but must be delivered by a qualified trainer.
   6. Ensure Staff are aware of and abide by the relevant local policies, procedures and guidance relevant to the effective provision of this Service. These are examples of local documents and not an exhaustive list: 
      • Escalation Policy
      • Guidance for Professionals Working with Sexually Active Children and Young People under the age of 18 in Staffordshire
      • Safeguarding Children from Sexual Exploitation (SE)
      • Children and Young People who Display Sexualised Behaviour and Harmful Sexual Behaviour
      • Adult Sexual Exploitation (ASE) 
        
        Other useful documentation for practitioners can be found on the useful publications page on the SSASPB and the publications page on the Staffordshire Safeguarding Children's Board. 
           
5. Recognising and assessing risk is an important aspect of the consultation. If the young person has a learning disability, mental health difficulty or other communication difficulty, they may not be able to communicate easily that they are, or have been abused, or subjected to abusive behaviour. Staff should be aware that the Sexual Offences Act 2003 recognises the rights of people with a ‘mental disorder’ to a full life, including a sexual life. However, there is a duty to protect them from abuse and exploitation. In determining whether the relationship represents a risk to the young person, the factors outlined in the Guidance for Professionals Working with Sexually Active Children and Young People Under the Age of 18 in Staffordshire should be considered. The list is not exhaustive and other factors may need to be considered.
      
6. The Safeguarding Guidance Flow Chart below has been developed to support providers delivering sexual health services across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent

Safeguarding guidance 

Guidance on safeguarding obligations for practitioners delivering sexual health services to children and adults with care and support needs in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent. 

Everybody (including under 13s) has a right to confidential advice and treatment on sexual health. Contraception should be supplied if the service user fully understands the medical treatment that is proposed (i.e if a child is under 16 they should be Gillick competent). 

Under 13's

Under 13s cannot give consent, so if they have engaged in sexual activity, an offence has been committed.

If yes, then the Service User must be informed of your concerns and of your duty to seek professional advice. (If this occurs out of office hours you must consider offering the Service User a further appointment to feedback the professional advice sought). This should be documented in the Service Users records together with the agreed appointment date. Discuss with safeguarding lead/senior manager of the service and contact the relevant team(s) below.

13 - 15 years

Was the sexual activity with someone over 16, with somebody in a position of trust or otherwise thought to be exploitative or abusive? The age of consent is 16 years but the legislation is not intended to prosecute consensual sex between simar aged young people. 

If yes, then the Service User must be informed of your concerns and of your duty to seek professional advice. (If this occurs out of office hours you must consider offering the Service User a further appointment to feedback the professional advice sought). This should be documented in the Service Users records together with the agreed appointment date. Discuss with safeguarding lead/senior manager of the service and contact the relevant team(s) below.

16 - 17 years

Was the sexual activity with somebody in a position of trust or otherwise thought to be exploitative or abusive?

If yes, then the Service User must be informed of your concerns and of your duty to seek professional advice. (If this occurs out of office hours you must consider offering the Service User a further appointment to feedback the professional advice sought). This should be documented in the Service Users records together with the agreed appointment date. Discuss with safeguarding lead/senior manager of the service and contact the relevant team(s) below.

Adult with care and support needs

Was the sexual activity with somebody in a position of trust or otherwise thought to be exploitative or abusive?

If yes, then the Service User must be informed of your concerns and of your duty to seek professional advice. (If this occurs out of office hours you must consider offering the Service User a further appointment to feedback the professional advice sought). This should be documented in the Service Users records together with the agreed appointment date. Discuss with safeguarding lead/senior manager of the service and contact the relevant team(s) below.

Concerns about a child

If the child is at risk of immediate harm this must be reported to the police on 999 (emergency only) or 101. Once reported please also contact the relevant agency. 

Staffordshire

Staffordshire County Council’s First Response Service:

Telephone: 0800 1313 126 (Monday to Thursday 8:30am-5:00pm, Friday 8:30am-4.30pm)

Emergency Duty Team (out of hours): 0845 6042886

Email: firstr@staffordshire.gov.uk 

Stoke-on-Trent

Children’s advice and duty service (CHAD):

Telephone: 01782 235100 (Monday-Friday 8:30am-6:00pm)

This is a conversation-based referral service and can be used to discuss concerns even if they do not meet the safeguarding threshold

Emergency Duty Team telephone: 01782 234234 (after 6pm)

Concern about an adult

When a crime has been committed or if you’re worried about someone’s immediate safety contact the police on 999. 

Staffordshire

Telephone: 0345 604 2719 (Monday to Thursday 8:30am-5:00pm, Fridays 8:30am-4:30pm, excluding Bank Holidays)

For out of hours:
Call: 0345 604 2886 
Fax: 01785 277321
Text: 07815 492613

Stoke-on-trent

Telephone: 0800 561 0015 (at any time)      

Minicom: 01782 236037