Government Officefor London

Managing Allegations

12th June 2008

Safe WorkforceSafe WorkforceCycleCycle

Safe Safe RecruitmentRecruitment

InductionInduction

Training

TrainingSupervision

SupervisionManaging

Managing

Allegations

Allegations

Determining fu

ture

Determining fu

ture

employment

employment

‘ Children can be subjected to abuse by those who work with them in any and every setting.

An allegation of abuse or maltreatment by a professional, staff member, foster carer or volunteer must therefore be taken seriously and treated in accordance with consistent procedures.’

6.20

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006

• Some allegations are so serious as to require immediate referral to social care and the police for investigation.

• But it is important to ensure that even apparently less serious allegations are seen to be followed up and examined objectively by someone independent of the organisation concerned.

AllegationThat a person who works with children

MAY have:

• behaved in a way that has harmed a child

• committed a criminal offence against, or related to, a child

• behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates s/he is unsuitable to work with children

Local SafeguardingChildren Board

Named Senior Officers for all LSCB partners

Organisations' Senior Managers

Local Authority Designated Officer

Principles

• Child/ren’s welfare paramount

• Protect children from unsuitable people

Principles

• Adults should be treated fairly and honestly:

Confidentiality maintained

• Cases should be completed expeditiously

• :

Review of Implementation

• Public Consultation - 96 responses

• Data Collection - 4069 allegations

• LSCB Progress Reports

• Regional Interviews with key stakeholders

• Review of cases in the media

• Roles and Responsibilities

• Procedures

• Monitoring and Evaluation

• Training

LSCB Progress Reports

LSCB Progress Reports

• Overall the majority of LSCBs are doing well with arrangements for allegation management

But

• procedures aren’t consistently used or recognised across many agencies in the wider children’s workforce.

Next Steps

• More awareness-raising activity, working with and through key partners across the wider children’s workforce;

• Work with Police on timescales as delays occurring in cases subject to a criminal investigation

Next Steps

• Produce practice guidance to help spread good practice and provide clarity on specific issues

• Improve training offer for allegations procedures

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006

•Chapter 6

•Appendix 5

•Further practice guidance

•Include allegations in Safer

Recruitment training