KBSP Statutory Review - Request for information (Education sector)

1. Introduction

A thematic Child Safeguarding Practice Review has been commissioned following the sad death of a 4 month child in December 2022 - the child came from a large family with siblings of statutory school age. Please note, the family's right to a private life under Article 8 should be reserved and respected.

he rapid review highlighted that there were issues about the quality and timeliness of the immediate multi-agency response to the child's death. As part of a thematic approach to this statutory review, the Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership are seeking to evaluate the systems in Bristol and seek the wider experiences of professionals that support and promote the safety of children and their families.

The education sector have been asked to provide a single report. The Safeguarding in Education Team are asking you to provide your general views (as a relevant agency) on the multi-agency approach to child protection.

1. What demands and pressures do you experience as an educational professional (at the point of initial child protection multi-agency working)?

2. How do these demands impact our joint working in child protection? Do you have any suggestions on how might we mitigate these?

You might wish to consider requests and responses to Strategy discussions, joint visits to children/families, Achieving Best Evidence procedures, child protection medicals, joint agency response to child deaths.

3. How might we improve the quality and consistency of multi-agency joint working at strategy meetings and initial stages of child protection concerns?

4. From an education perspective- what challenges are there when dealing with an issue or incident out of normal working hours?
Do you have any thoughts about how out of hours and in hours services be resourced/ be supported to be more effective?

5. Can you consider whether there are opportunities to improve joint working at the initial stages of child protection concerns arising?

6. How can we improve joint planning in complex family circumstances when there is significant harm to a child e.g., large families or multiple interconnected families, or contextual issues outside of the family?