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Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership Information Sharing Consultation

1. Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership Information Sharing Consultation

Information sharing in a safeguarding context means the appropriate and secure exchange of personal information, between practitioners and other individuals with a responsibility for children, in order to keep them safe from harm. 

 

A concern could be based on an established risk (e.g. where there is evidence that a child has suffered harm) or a suspected or potential risk (e.g. where it is reasonable for a practitioner to believe that information sharing is necessary to protect a child from harm that may happen without intervention). It may be that the risk of harm to a child can only be identified and understood through the early sharing of concerns between practitioners and agencies or organisations who may hold relevant information about the child and can support action to safeguard the child.  Information Sharing Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services for children, young people, parents and carers

 

The Safeguarding Children Partnership in Portsmouth would like to ask you if you could please complete this anonymised survey, which should take around 10 minutes.  This is for us to learn from you and your understanding and experiences, of when you have, or have not, felt confident in sharing information about children and young people about whom you have safeguarding concerns.  

 

Your responses will help to identify good practice, areas for improvement, policy and training content, as well as what we need to do as a system to improve how we support you in your information sharing practice. Please help us to understand the real everyday challenges you face by being as honest and as detailed as possible, and by sharing your successes with us too.

 

Thank you so much for your contribution to this work, as we are genuinely committed to strengthening how we support you in your everyday information sharing practice.

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Question 1.

Please indicate which sector you currently work in by selecting the option most relevant to you, or by providing additional information if you are happy to.

- Required.
This is required
Question 2.

Are you aware of the DfE non statutory information sharing advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services for children, young people,parents and carers

DfE non statutory information sharing advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services for children, young people,parents and carers
Question 3.

If you are aware of this national guidance document, have you used it to inform your practice?
Question 4.

If you have used this national guidance document to inform your practice, did you find it useful? 
This is required
Question 5.

Do you use the PSCP Threshold Document to support your understanding of when to make a contact to MASH and how to share information appropriately?

Safeguarding Children Threshold Document

Do you know where to locate this electronic document?
This is required
Question 6.

Are you aware of the electronic Interagency Contact Form (IACF), which needs to be completed and shared with the Portsmouth Multiagency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), if you have any safeguarding concerns about a child or family?

Interagency Contact Form

Do you know where to locate this electronic form?
Question 7.

Do you use the Portsmouth Multiagency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) guide on Information Sharing and have you used it to guide your information sharing decisions?

Portsmouth MASH Guide on Information Sharing

Do you know where to locate this electronic document?
This is required
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Question 8.

Are you confident that you understand the following in relation to information sharing in the context of safeguarding:

- Required.
This question requires an answer
When or if you need to share safeguarding information with parents/carers.
When or if you need to obtain consent from parents/carers, to share information with, and/or work with another agency.
Why data protection legislation does not prevent information sharing.
What the term lawful basis means.
The meaning of consent.
Why consent is not usually the most appropriate lawful basis in a safeguarding context. 
How the common law duty of confidentiality affects information sharing.
How the Human Rights Act 1998 affects information sharing.
The importance of sharing information with colleagues outside of your agency or organisation. 
Where to seek advice, support or a policy regarding sharing information in the context of safeguarding within your organisation.
Where to seek advice, support or a policy regarding keeping children safe in education.
Question 9.

Do you understand when you can share information without consent to keep a child safe (including when you inform the parents you will be sharing this information), and when you need consent to share information with another agency when the risk does not meet the Section 47 threshold?
This is required
Question 10.

Have you ever shared information and then been really worried that you should not have?
This is required
Question 11.

Have you ever not shared information and then been really worried that you should have done?
This is required
Question 12.

Decision making about the SHARING of information can prove difficult for practitioners, however, trying to OBTAIN information can also prove difficult.

What do you think are the biggest challenges in OBTAINING lawful and timely information in relation to children/young people about whom you have safeguarding concerns? Please give as much information as possible.

We have made this survey anonymous to encourage you to be as honest as you can. 
Question 13.

Do you find it easy to identify and contact the relevant person when seeking and/or sharing information?
This is required
Question 14.

Do you, or would you find any of the following helpful?  Tick all that you think apply
A standard framework document detailing the key considerations to support your decision making
A standard proforma that guides you through decision making and also acts as a formal record of your final decision making process
An algorithm/flowchart that identifies key components of decision making rather than a written framework
Access to digital advice from local real life practitioners in the form of podcasts, short videos etc.
Access to scenario based case studies that help you and the network to work through common challenges for information sharing or obtaining information
An information sharing conference
face to face training
Online training modules
This is required
Question 15.

Do you have any examples of successful information sharing  that you are happy to share and that demonstrate the positive contribution to safeguarding outcomes that it made?  Please outline what you think helped to drive the success, and let us know if you are happy for us to use your example/s for training or sharing with practitioners seeking support and guidance. 
Question 16.

Would you be happy to participate in a focus group regarding information sharing if one was established?  If you would, please share your email address in the box below, as this survey is anonymous.
This is required
Question 17.

Finally, is there anything else that you would like to share with us in the box below? This can include any suggestions or positive examples in relation to information sharing?  

We are incredibly grateful for your support with this survey. Understanding and improving information sharing practice needs to be informed and shaped by you, the very practitioners who support and engage in decision making on a day-to-day basis.  You need to tell us the reality and we need to listen.