Child Trafficking The role of the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) in combating

1. Child Trafficking The role of the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) in combating Child Trafficking

2. Paul Hewitt - London Borough of Hounslow, Chair of Child Trafficking subgroup – London Safeguarding Board

3. Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCB) Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCB’s) – established by Children Act 2004 LSCB’s have a crucial role in monitoring the effectiveness of partner agencies – Eileen Munro 2011 LSCB’s must support partner agencies to adapt their practice and become more effective in safeguarding children

4. Responsibilities and Duties The main responsibilities of the LSCB (Section 14 Children Act 2004) are to: Co-ordinate, and quality assure the safeguarding children activities of member agencies Munro states that Local Safeguarding Children Boards are: “Well placed to identify emerging problems through learning from practice and to oversee efforts to improve services in response”.

5. Role and Function LSCB’s must: • Provide advice and guidance to partner agencies in relation to policies and procedures and practice. • Provide organisations with the opportunity to attend training courses on safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children

6. LSCB Framework LSCB’s provide: A framework for countering child trafficking within each locality P – Polices, Procedures and Practice I – Infrastructure E – Education and Training S – Standards – Scrutiny and Evaluation

7. Policies, Procedures & Practice The LSCB has a particular responsibility to ensure that Policies, Procedures and Practice are integrated in relation to vulnerable groups of children (e.g. trafficked children) Trafficking Toolkit and Assessment Processes for managing risk in relation to child trafficking to be implemented and overseen by LSCB Protection plans in place for those children in danger as a result of being trafficked. (London Child Protection Procedures [Part B] Safeguarding Children at Risk of Exploitation through being trafficked). http://www.londoncp.co.uk/consultation/sg_trafficked_ch.html

8. Infrastructure & Governance LSCB’s bring partner agencies together to work collaboratively around safeguarding matters Sub Groups: Every LSCB will have a multi-agency group to address vulnerable groups such as those at risk of trafficking, going missing or sexual exploitation. Main Board Meetings: Having this infrastructure in place to hold together agencies in their commitment to vulnerable children is crucial in combating trafficking

9. Education and Training Every LSCB will have a responsibility to provide multi-agency training on key safeguarding issues. (Working Together training). The most effective training in relation to child trafficking is not just awareness raising; but multi-agency training with professionals coming together to learn about children at risk of being trafficked and the sharing of information. Supplemented by e-learning modules on child trafficking to raise awareness across the whole of the children’s workforce

10. Standards, Quality Assurance & Evaluation LCSB’s have a responsibility to monitor and evaluate performance information relating to the key activities. In relation to child trafficking ensuring that: National Referral Mechanism [NRM] referrals are consistently made and quality assured is a key standard for improving outomes for trafficked children. The collation and evaluation of data around child trafficking is particularly important for service planning, and strategic mapping of trends and patterns of abuse related to organised trafficking.

11. Questions & Answers - Over to you. For further details please contact paul.hewitt@hounslow.gov.uk Mobile: 07814 296 365