Safeguarding children is everybodys responsibility

Safeguarding children means taking steps to promote their welfare and to protect them from harm such as abuse and neglect. It is the responsibility of everyone to ensure that children are kept safe. Oxfordshire communities are a key resource for raising awareness of safeguarding and protecting children and young people. The more informed local members of the community are on safeguarding issues, the more they can help the prevention agenda and help to identify when there are possible risks to our children.


Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board (OSCB)

Children can only be kept safe properly if services and organisations work together. Local Safeguarding Children Boards were established by the Children Act 2004 to help make sure this happens.

Known locally as the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board (OSCB), the Board is the means by which organisations come together to agree on how they will cooperate with one another to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Its remit is to scrutinise and monitor this co-operation, and to ensure that local agencies co-operate and work well to achieve this.

Contact the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Board https://www.oscb.org.uk for more information, oscb@oxfordshire.gov.uk or 01865 815834


Expectations for your organisation

Your local parish council should consider, if appropriate, having in place:-

A Safeguarding Children Policy and procedure for raising a concern or making a referral to children’s social care;

A basic level of understanding by members of signs of abuse and neglect, and know how to contact their designated safeguarding lead within the district council.

 

How to report a concern about a child

Oxfordshire County Council, Thames Valley Police and other partners have recently opened a new Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH). This is the main ‘front door’ for children’s social care, and is made up of professionals from social care, the police, health, early intervention and others.


To make a new referral or report a new safeguarding concern, contact the MASH on 0845 050 7666. Referrals to the MASH can also be made using the MASH Enquiry Online Referral Form.

For children who are already open to social care:


No Names Consultation

If you are a safeguarding lead and you are unsure whether you should make a referral, or you just want some advice, you can call the assessment team numbers above and ask for a No Names Consultation. A social worker will be able to advise you if you need to make a referral or not, based on the information you give them, without having to divulge a name. If you are advised to make a referral, the social worker will talk you through the process.


Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)

The sexual exploitation of children and young people has been identified throughout the UK, in both rural and urban areas, and in all parts of the world. It affects boys and young men, as well as girls and young women. It can have a serious long term impact on every aspect of their lives, health and education. It damages the lives of their families and carers, and can lead to family break ups.

Sexual exploitation is where a young person under 18 receives ‘something’ (e.g. food, accommodation, drugs, gifts, money) as a result of performing, and/or others performing on them, sexual activities.

Child sexual exploitation can occur through use of technology, for example the persuasion to post sexual images on the internet/mobile phones with no immediate payment or gain.

In all cases the person exploiting the young person has power over them by virtue of age, gender, intellect, physical strength and/or economic or other resources.

Violence, coercion and intimidation are common, involvement in exploitative relationship being characterised in the main by the child or young person’s limited availability of choice resulting from their social/economic and/or emotional vulnerability.

Signs that may indicate child sexual exploitation;

  • Going missing from school/home/care placement

  • Associating with older people/adults

  • Isolation from family/friends/peer group

  • Physical symptoms including bruising/sexually transmitted infections

  • Substance misuse

  • Mental health problems

  • Unexplained possessions, goods and or money

Oxfordshire has a multi-agency strategy in place to protect young people from CSE.  If you are concerned about a child and think they may be involved in, or at risk of, sexual exploitation, please contact the Kingfisher Team on 01865 335276. They offer confidential support and advice on sexual exploitation. The team is made up of police, the NHS and Members of Oxfordshire County Councils; Childrens Social Services.


Find out more

Community members can become more involved through:

  • Multi-agency training – free face to face courses where you can meet other professionals working with children;

  • Short online courses - these can be found at http://www.oscb.org.uk/training.html, including Safeguarding Everyone and Safeguarding Children from Abuse by Sexual Exploitation;

  • Letting local groups working with children know that they can link in to Area Safeguarding Groups and sign up for the OSCB’s Newsletter.

Please visit our website for information about safeguarding training, policies and procedures, and to find useful resources and information to help protect children and young people: www.oscb.org.uk.

Oxfordshire County Council have developed a template Parish Council Safeguarding Policy it is in the Members Area of this website in the OALC Briefings, other guidance etc section

Parish Transport Representative - Is there one in your parish?