Everyone who works with children/young people – including Voluntary, Community & Faith Sector Workers – has a responsibility for keeping them safe.
Voluntary, Community, Faith and Private Sector organisations play an important role in delivering services to children/young people. They should have safeguarding arrangements in place to keep children and young people safe, and need to work effectively with the Harrow Safeguarding & Children Board (HSCB) to ensure this. Paid and volunteer staff need to be aware of their responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and attend safeguarding training. This should enable workers to identify child protection concerns and have the confidence to make referrals to local authority children’s services or the police.
How can we help?
We are supporting this work by offering *free certified training in:
- Level 2 Safeguarding (this is offered as multi agency or In House Training)
- Children & Young Peoples Forum (for the Safeguarding Leads (NSP/DSL) in organisations)
- Level 3 Nominated Safeguarding Person (NSP)(DSL) training
- Referrals for the Local Authority Designated Officer Training (LADO)
- Bi Monthly Safeguarding Newsletter
- One-to-one support clinics for organisations by looking at their existing child protection policies, updating existing policies, and giving advice, support and guidance with referrals to the Children’s Services.
An organisation check list is available to help organisations to identify any gaps in safeguarding that may need to addressed.
*free to not for profit organisations operating/working in Harrow
Updates:
Please note that all Nominated Safeguarding Leads/Deputies are expected to attend the safeguarding forum 3 times a year as part of their learning and CPD.
Topic of the Month: County Lines
What is it?
County lines is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more importing areas within the UK, using dedicated mobile phone lines or other form of “deal line”. They are likely to exploit children and vulnerable adults to move and store the drugs and money and they will often use coercion, intimidation, violence (including sexual violence) and weapons. HM Government, 2018
How does it work?
The set-up is simple and operates on a relay system. The group identifies a secure base in a rural or coastal area. They take control of the local drug market and at street level they distribute their own mobile telephone number amongst the drug users within the area and market their own drugs. A principal member of the network based in the group’s ‘home area’ has control of the dedicated mobile number. Local drug users call the principal and place their order. The principal then calls a runner at the secure base in the rural area and dispatches the runner to make the delivery and collect the money. The benefits of moving into a rural setting include:
- exploiting the potential gap in the local drug market
- less able and organised opposition
- operating in an area where the local police will not recognise them
Information can be found by visiting The Safeguarding Hub
Further information resources:
- Link to the NSPCC Self Assessment Tool
- Harrow Safeguarding Children/Young People Board Website
- Harrow Safeguarding Adult Board
- Safeguarding Children/Young People – Green Book 2019 – 20 includes safeguarding children/young people policy/procedure document template
- Housing Domestic Abuse Options
- Safeguarding for Charities -Charity Commission Guidance