Protocols and Procedures Group Terms of Reference

Policy Context

Contributing to the review and development of policies and procedures

121. A Safeguarding Board should ensure that national policies and procedures aimed at keeping children and adults who may have needs for care and support safe from abuse, neglect or other forms of harm remain relevant and fit for purpose. This means that national and local policies should be informed by the experience and knowledge of Safeguarding Board partners and other bodies represented on the Board. If issues about policies and procedures are identified in a Safeguarding Board area, these should be considered by the Board, shared as appropriate with other Safeguarding Boards and communicated to the National Independent Safeguarding Board for discussion and review.

122. The Wales Adult Protection Co-ordinators Group and the Wales Child Protection Procedures Group provide valuable forums for exchange and review between Safeguarding Boards and, when relevant, for discussion with the Welsh Government and with the Inspectorates. They make a positive contribution to inter-agency working and to establishing common practices and procedures across Wales. Safeguarding Boards and Board partners should promote such inter-agency co-operation and contribute to the work of these groups and consider the work of any other All-Wales groups or forums that may develop.

123. A Safeguarding Board must ensure local protocols are in place which co-ordinate the inter-agency work being undertaken within the area of the Board by Board partners and other bodies represented on the Board and by other bodies with safeguarding responsibilities. These protocols should be kept under review as to their usefulness and effectiveness in informing and guiding individuals and agencies in their contact with the Board and their access to multi-agency protection services within their area, and to monitor how the protocols improve inter-agency service responses and delivery in the area.

[Working Together to Safeguarding People: Volume 1 – Guidance on the functions of Safeguarding Boards, SSWBA 2014]

Purpose

The group will support the work of the South East Wales Safeguarding Children Board (SEWSCB) and Gwent Wide Adults Safeguarding Board (GWASB) in contributing to the development of safeguarding by reinforcing and promoting best practice in inter-agency working across the region. This will be by managing and co-ordinating the development and regular review of guidance, policies and protocols applicable to the safeguarding of people at a regional level, and by working with the other regional groups to ensure these are embedded into practice.

Objectives

To have an identified work programme that is agreed by the Boards
To develop and promote good practice in the safeguarding documents in use across the region
To represent the SEWSCB and GWASB on the AWCPP group and develop, co-ordinate, and review regional and national policies, guidance, and protocols required by the Boards
To assist in the harmonisation of pre-existing policies, guidance and protocols used within individual Local Authorities, thereby contributing to partnership working and assisting in the development of common solutions across the region;
To undertake or commission, where necessary – the initial drafting of documents relating to good safeguarding practice
To ensure that any request for additional regional guidance is agreed by the Boards and based on a clear rationale for how it will assist practitioners to achieve better safeguarding and / or child protection outcomes
To ensure that there is full consultation across partner agencies and practitioners regarding the development or review of documents, and to ensure that whenever possible children, young people, parents and carers participate in consultation processes
To maintain and advise the Boards of the portfolio of documents under regular review
To work with other sub groups of the Boards to support the implementation of the portfolio of documents managed by the group
To accept and act on feedback provided by the Boards and its sub groups, on the quality, or otherwise, of the portfolio of documents, whether as on going review or as an alert in response to new information.

Membership

Membership will reflect appropriate representation from each Local Authority area and from the different disciplines engaged in safeguarding. Members may be co-opted from time to time for their specific expertise.

The Chair will be a member of the Business Planning Group supported by the relevant Board Development Officer from the Business Unit.

Process

The group will meet quarterly
Administration will be provided by the Business Support Unit.
Resources required to undertake specific areas of work will be requested from the Boards
Group members will consult with relevant colleagues and represented parties in the usual course of protocol development or revision. To ensure that full and broad consultation is achieved a two week period of open consultation will be coordinated by the Business Unit and hosted on the SEWSCB and / or GWASB website for each newly developed / newly revised protocol or procedure

Governance

Following the document development and consultation process, final drafts of guidance, policies, protocols and consultant responses produced by the group will be forwarded to Boards for approval
The group will report to the Business Planning Group on a quarterly basis