Safeguarding newsletter for voluntary and community groups in the London Borough of Barnet

1. On October 22nd
, after many months of waiting, we finally got a
review on the proposed vetting and barring scheme.
Can we have something simpler please?!
In order to meet the new government’s commitment to scale back
the vetting and barring regime to common sense levels, the re-
view will:
Consider the principles and objectives of the vetting & barring
regime, including; who and what really needs coverage;
The most appropriate function, role and structures of any relevant
bodies and appropriate governance arrangements [e.g. ISA etc];
Recommending what, if any, scheme is needed now; taking into
account how to raise awareness and understanding of risk and
responsibility for safeguarding in society more generally.
And CRBs?
A separate review will also consider fundamental changes to
criminal record checks including limits on what information can
be passed to employers and when they can or cannot ask for
background checks and the potential for portability of checks be-
tween employers.
This is more wide-ranging than first announced in May. It is likely
that we may get a report back in the New Year and initial
changes coming into force in March/April. Further changes may
need legislation and therefore would take longer to implement.
Consultation
Both are open until the 22nd
November:-
VBSreview@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.
CriminalRecordsReview@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Vetting and Barring Update
Winter 2010
SAFEGUARDING MATTERS
ContentsContentsContentsContents
☺ CAF advisor role
☺ Faith and Cultural project
☺ Online Child protection training
☺ Who’s who on safeguarding board
☺ November -safeguarding month
To contribute to this
newsletter please contact
barry@barnetvsc.org.uk
Voluntary and Community Sector
events for Safeguarding Month
2nd November 5pm till 7pm - Barnet Supple-
mentary Schools Forum - at Avenue House.
Discussion with members about their safe-
guarding needs.
8th November 1.30 to 3pm - Safeguarding in
Faith and Cultural Groups - in the Oak Room
at NLBP 4.
19th November 9.30am till noon - CYPNet
focus on safeguarding - in the Emerald Suite
at NLBP. Unpacking the safeguarding boards
and safeguarding in faith and BME communi-
ties. See pg 2
22nd November introducing online child
protection training
24th November 10am till noon - Safeguard-
ing surgery - at the One Stop Shop on the
Concourse, Grahame Park.
24th November - Barnet Multi-Faith Forum
event for Inter-Faith week.
A celebration of the diversity of our commu-
nity in Barnet - featuring an overview of a
project to increase understanding of safe-
guarding issues in faith communities.
25th November - Domestic violence briefing
Sangam Centre
30th November - Safe Networks present -
new safeguarding resources for voluntary
and community groups. see pg 3
Alongside these and other events we also
want to draw attention to the new safe-
guarding page on www.thefaithbook.co.uk
and the on-line survey link to participate in
discussions about developing safeguarding
confidence in
faith and BME
communities.

2. The Barnet Safeguarding Children Board (BSCB) is a multi-agency group that ex-
ists 'to make Barnet a safer place for all children and young people'. A safer place
means children and young people are safe at home, safe in school and safe in the
community.
BSCB includes a wide range of members from different organisations and commu-
nities in Barnet and tries to ensure that services work together effectively to protect
children and young people from harm.
Your representative on the main board and executive group is Dadia Conti.
Sub Groups of the BSCB and your representatives include:
Standing Serious Case Review Sub Group:
Overseeing all of Barnet’s Serious Case Reviews, monitor action plans and su-
pervise and ensure learning for local agencies. [Barry Rawlings]
Child Death Notification Panel:
A review process set up to investigate unexpected deaths. [Susan Clydesdale-
Cotter]
Performance and Quality Assurance Sub Group:
Set up to explore and carry out work on behalf of the Board in terms of the qual-
ity of safeguarding activity and outcomes for children and young people in Bar-
net. [Barry Rawlings]
Professional Advisory Group:
Set up following the restructure of the BSCB with a remit to oversee policy, pro-
cedures and practice. [Barry Rawlings & Eileen Martell]
Training and Development Sub Group:
Training is necessary to ensure that all staff working with children and adults who
are parents are appropriately trained to recognise and act on safeguarding and
child protection concerns. [Lisa Barry & Eileen Martell]
Cross Generational Sub Group:
Established to address issues that affect children in voulnerable adult house-
holds and transition issues that are the responsibility of both the Safeguarding Children Board and the Safeguarding
Vulnerable Adults Board. [Barry Rawlings & Peggy Sharp]
Other ‘task and finish’ or advisory groups
include ‘Faith & Culture’ [Barry Rawlings, Harris Rosenberg & Ally Cooper] ‘E-safeguarding’ and the Gangs
Group
Page 2 SAFEGUARDING MATTERS
What is the Barnet safeguarding Children’s Board?
Safeguarding Independence
As well as benefiting from an In-
dependent Chair [Tim Beach] the
Board is also currently recruiting
community members who will act
as critical friends
Have you identified a child, young person or family that needs more support?
Our CAF advisor can
Answer your questions in confidence
Guide you through the process
Support you to complete your first CAF
Find an appropriate person to complete the CAF
Identify or provide a lead professional to manage the CAF
The CAF is a simple way to support a child or young person to raise issues and communicate with other workers.
Contact Karen Lewis, CAF Advisor
Karenlewis@barnetchildren.org Tel: 020 8364 8400
Policies, staff recruitment?Policies, staff recruitment?Policies, staff recruitment?Policies, staff recruitment?
Safeguarding Advice Surgery :
10-12pm
24th November
One Stop Shop Graham Park estate
Inc CRB check service booking essen-
Join usJoin usJoin usJoin us at the next Children and
Young People’s Network [CYPnet]
Friday 19th
November
to find out more about the Barnet
safeguarding board

3. If you attended the CYPNet meeting in September then you will know
something of the work that CommUNITY Barnet is doing to contribute to
the Pan London faith and culture safeguarding project.
The aims of the project are to improve understanding of safeguarding in
faith and BME communities. This is through increasing access and up-
take of resources by community leaders – and by equipping profession-
als to understand better how faith and culture shapes parenting and
child rearing practices.
We are holding an event to explore this further at
One Stop Shop Concourse Grahame Park NW9
7pm on Tuesday 30th
November
THIS EVENT WILL BE PARTICULARLY RELEVANT TO SUPPLEMENTARY SCHOOLS
AND ORGANISATIONS WORKING WITH FAITH OR BME GROUPS.
• What are the safeguarding issues in your community?
• What do you want professionals to understand about your faith and/or culture?
• Where do you go to get information and advice?
Safe Networks are coming along to promote their new materials for BME voluntary and community
groups.
We have discovered some other excellent resources for different cultural groups which we will be able
to tell you how to get for your group.
Please contact karen@flourishing.me.uk to book a place.
FREE SAFE NETWORKS RESOURCE PACK FOR
EVERYONE WHO COMES ALONG.
Likely outputs from the project
will be guidance and a strategy
toolkit and part of the work will
include focus groups involving
community groups and profes-
sionals.
In Barnet we will aim to run
groups within 2 different Jewish
groups and also possibly an Af-
ghan group.
Different boroughs will be work-
ing with different faith and cul-
tural groups to try and achieve a
good spread and boroughs are
working in different ways, for ex-
ample, in Hackney, they have a
model of community advisors.
The questions will also be avail-
able as an on line survey
To see further details of this project go
to this link: http://www.slideshare.net/
karenwalkden/pan-london-
Pan London Faith & Cultural Project
Winter 2010
Safeguarding in Faith and BME Communities
Page 3
Karen Walkden is the lead for
Barnet’s contribution in the Pan
London Faith and Cultural Safe-
guarding Project.
This short term project is support-
ing London Safeguarding Boards
to look at issues affecting BME
communities in accessing safe-
guarding resources and to de-
velop improved confidence for all
agencies in working with faith
and cultural diversity.
New Junior Safeguarding Board
10 young people gave up a day of their autumn break to meet with board members and tell them what the most important child
protection issues are for them and their friends. The group included young people who have been in trouble, disabled young
people, young carers and young people in care and they came from all over the borough. They want to be safe and keep other
children safe too.
Interested? Email mark.hinton@barnetchildren .org

4. Tel: 020 8364 8400
Fax: 020 8364 8488
52 Moxon Street, High Barnet,
Herts, EN5 5TS
Barry Rawlings
safeguarding line 07947 819
Take your level 1 Child Protection course on
line whenever or wherever it suits you
For those of you, or your volunteers, staff and col-
leagues who find it difficult to get to training
courses because of time or caring responsibilities
have you thought about on-line training?
This free course is a good introduction for new
staff or anyone who has not been on child protec-
tion awareness training.
Protecting Children: Developing Basic
Awareness (Level A) Online course
This online course provides an introduction to key
issues in safeguarding children. It is for those who
cannot attend the standard face-to face courses
provided in Barnet.
Is it for me?
Yes Level A is for anyone whose work, whether
paid or voluntary, brings them into contact with
children and families.
This includes: children’s organisations administra-
tors, sports coaches, drama and music workers,
supplementary school, youth group volunteers,
and many other groups.
How does it work ?
Students can study at home, at their desk, or in an
IT suite at a convenient time.
All students receive a free resource pack to
download or print, with information on legislation,
useful references and further reading.
Students complete each module by passing an
online test – they can retake the test as many
times as needed.
Safeguarding and early intervention service for the voluntary and commu-
nity sector
This essential service provides organisations with specialist support for safe-
guarding policies, concerns over individual child welfare and protection, allega-
tions against staff and representation on Barnet’s Safeguarding Children Board.
∗ Specialist safeguarding advisor
∗ Safeguarding Surgery, training and policy development
∗ Criminal Record Bureau checks
∗ Common Assessment Framework Advisor
BARRY RAWLINGS
safeguarding line 07947 819 642
Email barry@barnetchildren.org
Child protection training– anytime, any place, any where!
How much does it cost? Nothing - this course and
all materials are completely free.
How long does it take? The course comprises 5-
10 hours of learning
What dies the course cover?
Developing awareness of child protection and child
abuse
Why children need protecting
What child abuse is
Appropriate responses if you think a child may b
being harmed
When to tell someone if you think a child might be
being harmed
Who to tell
Who to inform about known or suspected child
abusers,
and the local arrangements: what happens in your
area?
How to tell them what they need to know
Making a referral
Looking after yourself when dealing with issues of
child abuse
How do I apply?
Contact Barry Rawlings to register and receive your
log on password.
Still worried?
Barry is offering an introductory session and sup-
port for people new to safeguarding or to com-
puters! When? November 22nd