Keeping Children SafeDeveloping a Local Strategic Quality

Assurance Framework

David WorlockNovember 2010

Biography

A sinner in the fallen humanity that is safeguarding.

If this is the solution, what’s the problem?

Two-fold1. The need for leaders of organisations with

safeguarding responsibilities and strategic partnerships to know how safe children are, so they can learn and develop and make children safer.

2. Currently often rely on partial information, an ad hoc set of data often centrally prescribed and process / quantity focused.

Purpose of the FrameworkPurpose1. To help single organisations and the LSCB / CTB to answer the question,

“How effective are we in safeguarding children?” in a more systematic, holistic and comprehensive way.

2. To provide a systematic approach to organisational learning and develop which results in improved outcomes for children.

Characteristics It does what it says on the can: it’s a framework that local organisations and

partnership shape into something which is right for them:• They choose the actual content and the priorities• There are no targets• The pace and scope is determined locally.

The Three Elements of the Framework

1. The Content Areas

2. The Three Types of Performance Information

3. The Different Sources of Information (and methods for obtaining it)

1. Examples of Possible Content Areas

1. Practice Content Areas• Specific priority service areas• Vulnerable groups of children• Specific risk issues• How well professionals and organisations work together

2. Organisational / Practitioner Content Areas• The workforce: relationships, clear thinking, capacity• Safeguarding wisdom, “supervision” and support• Organisational culture• Resources and Evidence-based

3. Wider –Picture Content Areas• The impact of poverty and bad housing

2. The Three Types of Performance Information

1. Quantitative Information“How much, how many?”

2. Qualitative Information“How well did we do?”

3. Outcome Information“Is anyone better off?”, “What’s the impact, the difference to

the well-being / safety of the children & parents?”

3. The Different Sources of Information

1. The experience of children, parents and carers.

2. The experience of front-line staff / managers.

3. Parents’/children’s case records.

4. Other organisational activity and management information.

The Framework: Diagram 1

Making it Happen Locally: the Eight Steps for single organisations

Step 1: Agree content areas

Step 2: Define “good” for each content area

Step 3: Identify types/sources of current performance information

Step 4: Identify additional performance information needed

Step 5: How to capture the information

Step 6: Prioritise

Step 7: Set quality assurance time-table

Step 8: Define organisational and learning and improvement cycle

Single Organisation Governance Framework / Learning and Improvement Cycle

1. Annual reporting: the Safeguarding Children Report Book (including story book!) – to leadership and snr. management Boards / Committees

2. Monthly / Quarterly Reporting: to senior operational management teams

3. Front-line teams

4. Safeguarding “Supervision”

The LSCB: Getting the Whole Area View

1. Decides on its content areas2. Draws the information from the partner agencies3. Has its own QA programme focusing on cross-and

inter-agency themes issues– Annual Deep Dive Review– Annual smaller scale review– Every 3 years external peer review

4. Reflects: Annual Report / Business Plan, Challenge, Addressing Priority Issues, “Turning the Curve”