Learning & Development

Committee - Quarterly Newsletter February 2013

LEARNING FROM CASE REVIEWS

What is a Serious Case Review (SCR)? A SCR is undertaken if a child or young person has been seriously harmed or killed as a result of abuse and there is evidence to suggest agencies have not worked together as effectively as possible to prevent the abuse and therefore lessons need to be learned.

There have been no local Serious Case Reviews commenced in the last 6 months although cases continue to be reviewed through NSCB Case Review Committee.

Nationally, there has been public outcry following multiple historical disclosures of abuse perpetrated by the television and radio presenter Jimmy Savile. The on-going investigations are across three areas; 1) abuse perpetrated by Savile himself, 2) by Savile and others 3) by others.

One of the positive aspects of this case is the national increase in historical allegations of sexual abuse believed to be as a result of victims coming forward who would not have previously disclosed as they felt they would not be believed.

Sexual exploitation is currently identified as a priority for NSCB in the forthcoming year and an action plan is being developed across the city to include mapping the problem, identify risk and provide training and awareness for staff and to young people themselves. There have been a number of high profile cases, attached is the latest from Rochdale.

There are a number of resources available to use for raising awareness. Click on the hyperlink to view a DVD following a recent Eastenders theme being used nationally to promote awareness. It would be useful to show to your staff / teams and discuss the issues highlighted, it only takes 20 minutes. If you are unable to open it at work, it is accessible via ‘YouTube’.

Eastenders CSE

Appreciative Inquiry – learning from good practice

Appreciative Inquiry is a radical way of learning and building on existing good practice which is undertaken in a positive environment of collaborative inquiry and can be applied to safeguarding practice. There has been one case reviewed since the last newsletter where the theme was parental substance misuse. Please click on hyperlink to read about the case.

NSCB Appreciative Inquiry Case Review

If you would like further information about Appreciative Inquiry, the role of the Appreciative Inquiry Champions group or have a piece of good multi agency collaborative working you would like us to hear about please contact Jayne Forsdike, Children’s Safeguarding Standards Manager at or telephone 0191 277 4636.

And finally Please remember NSCB are constantly striving to ensure the risks to children and young people across the city from abuse and neglect are minimised and prevented where possible. It is everyone’s responsibility to act when they have concerns about a child or young person. Please make sure that you and your colleagues know who to speak to and what to do if you have a concern, no matter how small. For further information please refer to the lead practitioner for safeguarding within your organisation and/or Newcastle Safeguarding Children Board’s web site.

NSCB website

1