DONCASTER SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN BOARD

CASE REVIEW GROUP

TERMS OF REFERENCE

The Case ReviewGroup meets the statutory function of all LSCBs (S14,CA 2004);

-To co-ordinate what is done by each person or body represented on the Board for the purposes of Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in the area: and

-to ensure the effectiveness of what is done by each body for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in the area.

1.INVOLVEMENT/PARTICIPATION OF CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND PARENTS/CARERS

All work of the group will be focused upon safeguarding outcomes for children and young people.Whilst there will not usually be direct involvement of children, young people or parents/carers on the group due to the nature of the work; the group will consider and address how the views and experiences of children/families will inform every aspect of their work. Wherever possible the group will seek children and young people’s views, directly or indirectly.

2.PURPOSE OF GROUP

To review specific cases identified by all partner agencies which will provide learning to improve practice. These cases will include both those which have given cause for concern and those which provide exemplars of good practice.

The group will not undertake reviews of serious incidents which may give rise toa serious case review; these will be undertaken by the Serious case Review Panel which will be convened as and when required and make recommendations the the DSCB chair on how to proceed.

3. CORE FUNCTIONS:

(i)To agree a timetable of cases which will be reviewed, influenced by the Boards priorities;

(ii)To review cases using agreed methodology appropriate to the level of review required.

(iii)To consider the learning from serious case reviews, nationally and incorporate new research will inform and improve practice,

(iv)To develop and implement action plans arising from cases

(v)To disseminate the learning from the reviews and link with other sub-groups of the Board to ensure the sub-group plan reflect any lessons learnt from reviews

(vi)To provide information to the Communications timetable regarding the dissemination of information.

4. FREQUENCY OF MEETINGS

The Case ReviewGroup will have a schedule of meetings on a monthly basis. This will enable the group to review cases of concern in a timely manner. If no cases are identified for discussion the meeting may be cancelled.

5. ACCOUNTABILTY, GOVERNANCE, AND COMMUNICATION WITH OTHER SUB GROUPS

The group is accountable to the Business Coordination Group

The group’s Chair will attend the Business Coordination Group, to whom it will report on activities through the Chairs report.

The group’s Chair will ensure appropriate and regular communication across the DSCB infrastructure in line with the Communication Strategy.

A record of the meetingswill be available for the Business CoordinationGroup.

The Chair will produce a report on impact and outcomes for inclusion in the LSCB Annual Reportand will provide regular updates to the DSCB Strategic Action Plan.

The Chair will ensure that appropriate challenge is supported across the group to enable constructive reflection and improvements in safeguarding- records of which will be reported to the LSCB in the annual report and included in the Board’s action log.

6. THE IDENTIFICATION OF CASES

6.1 The case review group will identify cases for consideration which will inform and improve inter-agency working and safeguarding practice. The following criteria should be read in conjunction with the Serious Case Review and Serious Incident criteria laid out in Working Together 2015 (attached at appendix for information).

6.2If the child appears to meet the criteria for a Serious Case Review a Serious Case Review Panel will be convened to consider whether the criteria are met and for a recommendation to be made to the DSCB chair (see serious Case review procedures). These cases will not be considered by the Case Review group. However the DSCB Chair may decide that a case considered by the SCR Panel does NOT meet the criteria for a SCR but that the case may give rise to learning which would improve practice. In such a situation the case may be referred back to the case review group to either undertake such a review itself, or for it to commission a learning lessons review from an independent source.

6.3 Cases which should be considered by the case review group in addition to those in 6.2 will normally fulfill the criteria below:

a) An agency has escalated a case to the DSCB Chair using the Resolving Professional Differences procedures

b) An agency has raised a concern about inter-agency working which may provide learning relating to multi-agency practice

c)The criteria for a serious case review aren’t met but it is considered by the majority of the members present that there is learning which could enhance practice

d) A case has given rise to a serious incident report being made to Ofsted which hasn’t met the criteria for a serious case review but an agency believes there may be learning for the partnership.

e) An agency identifies a case which provides an example good multi-agency practice

Any partner can bring a case to the Case Review group by contacting the DSCB Business Unit to be placed on the agenda. The Case Review Group Chair will decide the priority of cases for the agenda in order that the level of work is reasonable. If partner agencies believe a case should be discussed which the CRG chair has not prioritized this should be resolved by the group as a whole.

In the event of there being no resolution, then the case should be discussed.

7. Communications

The dissemination of the learning from case reviews is crucial to ensure practice improvement. It is the responsibility of all partners to disseminated lessons effectively and to assure the CRG that this has been undertaken.

The agreed method of communication (as identified in the DSCB Communications Strategy) is as follows:

  • The DSCB Business Unit will prepare a briefing.
  • The briefing will be disseminated to all members of the CRG, placed on the DSCB website, included in the DSCB newsletter
  • Members of the CRG will disseminate the briefing within their own agency using appropriate means to ensure relevant staff groups are reached (for example through team meetings, newsletters, websites, training)
  • If Multi-agency training is required the action will be remitted to the Workforce Development Group, through the BCG, for the WFD Group to progress
  • Any key groups not represented on the DSCB CRG will be contacted by the most relevant member of the CRG or the DSCB Business Unit, to ensure they disseminate lessons to their workforce
  • Partners will provide a brief assurance report to the CRG providing details of how they have disseminated the information and any actions the agency has taken as a result of the review.

DATE: October 2017

REVIEW: October 2018

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Case Review Panel
Chair
Safeguarding & Standards, DSCT / Head of Service / Pauline Turner /
01302 734736
NHS Doncaster CCG / Deputy Designated Nurse for Children’s Safeguarding & LAC
Head of Quality for Children & Designated Nurse for Safeguarding and LAC / Andrea Ibbeson
Suzannah Cookson /
01302 566105

01302 566276
RDaSH / Specialist Nurse Safeguarding Children / Susan Halliday /
Tel: 01302 798198
Mobile: 07500 835222
DBHFT / Named Nurse / Elizabeth Boyle / 01302 381468 / ex: 6468

South Yorkshire Police / Superintendent of Partnership
PVP / Dan Thorpe
Richard Partridge /

DMBC Education / Lead Advisory Officer Safeguarding Education
Service Manager / Sarah Stokoe
Designated representative Susan Pickles /
Tel: 01302 736743

Tel: 01302 736504
DMBC Mexborough Academy / Director of Behaviour and Standards / Victoria Howitt /
Tel: 01709 585858
DMBC Hungerhill School / Deputy Head / Jo Rivers /
Tel: 01302 - 892937
DCST / Team Manager, North / Caroline Tanner
(when on maternity leave Nov 2017 onwards will be replaced by Emma Smith) /
Tel: 01302 736473

DMBC / Early Help/Starting Well / Denise Beevers /
DMBC / Early Help/Starting Well / Alison Tomes /
Advisor
DSCB / Board Manager / Rosie Faulkner /
Tel: 01302 737774
To attend when required
South Yorkshire NPS
(Doncaster & Rotherham) / Head of NPS / Sally Adegbembo /
Tel: 03000 470 403
The South Yorkshire Community Rehabilitation Company Ltd / Director of Operations (East) / Stephen Carrol /
Tel: 03000 470 255
DCST / Chief Operation Officer / Mark Douglas (only to be invited, if Pauline Turner is unavailable) /
Tel: 01302 734323

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