Covid-19 and safeguarding children in Salford

In these challenging times, SSCP would like to remind everyone that safeguarding remains a high priority and if you have any concerns that a child is being abused or is at risk of abuse, to follow the appropriate process as normal.

Please download the position statement and latest guidance from Salford Safeguarding Children Partnership which sets out how the partnership will function during COVID-19.

Safeguarding Children Arrangements during Covid-19 (Adobe PDF format, 420kb)

We have a dedicated web-page throughout this period visit: https://safeguardingchildren.salford.gov.uk/news/coronavirus-and-safeguarding-children

If you have any questions or want to add anything to our dedicated page above please do not hesitate to email: sscp@salford.gov.uk

Salford City Council Latest News and Advice on Coronavirus

New interim SSCP Workforce Development Manager

Hi everyone, I’m Jo (Joanne Horton) and I’m the new interim Workforce Development Manager (a.k.a. training coordinator) for Salford Safeguarding Children Partnership. I joined SSCP in mid-July and feel like I have already met so many people and am beginning to see all the great work that takes place in Salford.

A little bit about my background; I trained and qualified as a Probation Officer in Greater Manchester but soon moved over to Children’s Services in a Quality Assurance role and then later as a Training Officer. In more recent years I’ve worked in commercial training, management and project coordination roles, related to children’s safeguarding and most recently counter-extremism. I have lots of varied interests outside work, having spent many years volunteering for conservation charities and also training and teaching aerial fitness.

I am really excited to be back in workforce development, particularly to be at Salford and with the Safeguarding Partnership and I look forward to working with the team here and all the SSCP partners.

Learning from Practice Reviews

A recent review has once again highlighted the vulnerability of babies aged under 12 months. Practitioners are encouraged to be extra vigilant where babies are concerned. Key messages include: be confident to ask difficult questions about males in the household; share information about domestic abuse incidents; make use of opportunities to support and safeguard pregnant women.

Read the Case Review 7 Minute Briefing "Chloe" available on the 7-Minute Briefing page.

Multi-agency lunch bowl sessions

Recordings of the lunch bowl sessions are available on the SSCP YouTube channel

30^th September 2021: The ‘Seriously Good Outcome’ Lunch bowl: The session will take a deep dive into a seriously good outcome review and explores the practice that supported a child remaining in the care of their parents, following previous children becoming looked after or adopted.

Changes to Bridge referral process

As part of the implementation of Liquidlogic, Salford Children’s Services’ new case management system and the ongoing Bridge Transformation project there are some important changes coming to the referral process to The Bridge (incorporating Children’s Social Care & Early Help). This includes a new referral form, which has been designed to get the right help at the right time for children, young people and families, supported by some key process changes.

Please visit the Bridge referral process page on this website for more information.

Home Office funding for young people at risk of serious violence

In July 2021 the Home Office announced that they would be funding 18 areas across England and Wales, including the Greater Manchester region, to provide early intervention and support to young people at risk of involvement in serious violence. Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) will receive around £558,000 to fund trauma-informed training for frontline professionals, and ‘teachable moment’ style interventions at key points when young people are likely to be most receptive, for example in A&E or in police custody.

Read the full story here:

New investment to support young people at risk of serious violence - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Peer on Peer abuse

On (OFSTED) visits, girls told us that sexual harassment and online sexual abuse, such as being sent unsolicited explicit sexual material and being pressured to send nude pictures (‘nudes’), are much more prevalent than adults realise. For example, nearly 90% of girls, and nearly 50% of boys, said being sent explicit pictures or videos of things they did not want to see happens a lot or sometimes to them or their peers. Children and young people told us that sexual harassment occurs so frequently that it has become ‘commonplace’. For example, 92% of girls, and 74% of boys, said sexist name-calling happens a lot or sometimes to them or their peers. The frequency of these harmful sexual behaviours means that some children and young people consider them normal.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-sexual-abuse-in-schools-and-colleges/review-of-sexual-abuse-in-schools-and-colleges

The NSPCC run an independent Report Abuse in Education helpline, commissioned by the Department for Education, set up after thousands of testimonies alleging child sexual abuse and harassment in schools, were posted on the Everyone’s Invited website.

The helpline is for children and young people who have experienced abuse at school, and for worried adults and professionals that need support and guidance. Whether it's happening now, or it happened in the past - call Report Abuse on 0800 136 663 or email help@nspcc.org.uk. Further information can be found by following this link: Dedicated helpline for victims of abuse in schools | NSPCC

Children Young people can also access support and information by visiting the ChildLine website Abuse and safety | Childline or calling 0800 1111

Salford Assist

All enquires were temporarily diverted to the Sprit if Salford Helpline when we went into lockdown on 23 March 2020. Salford Assist are reopening the Direct Helpline between the hours of 8:30 and 16:30 Monday to Friday which will be much more effective for their customers.

Contact number: 0800 694 3695

Email: salfordassist@salford.gov.uk

Website: https://www.salford.gov.uk/salfordassist

National Events

South Asian Heritage Month – 18 July to 17 August

South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) runs from 18 July to 17 August every year.

It seeks to raise the profile of British South Asian heritage and history in the UK through education, arts, culture and commemoration, with the goal of helping people to better understand the diversity of present-day Britain and improve social cohesion across the country.

It is a month of activity to commemorate, mark, celebrate to explore the shared cultures and histories of the UK and South Asia, as well as to better understand the diverse heritage that continues to link the UK and South Asia.

To find out more, visit South Asian Heritage Month

Salford Pink Picnic

Happy 10-year anniversary to The Pink Picnic. The Pink Picnic is Salford’s annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans & Non-binary, plus pride celebration. The event takes place in Peel Park, Salford and is organised and delivered by Salford Pride. The Pink Picnic made a successful return this year on 7^th August 2021 and hopes to be back again in 2022.

Prevent Week of Action - 13th September - 17th September

There will be a lunch bowl session on the 14^th September at 12:30 on ‘Making a Prevent referral and Channel Panel' in Salford.

The week of action will culminate in the Salford Prevent conference; please click on this link to book: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/salford-prevent-conference-tickets-165771114867

Useful Links to Training, Information and Resources

The SSCP has developed a Virtual Training Programme offering webinars, spotlight briefings, lunchbowls, practitioner forums and videocasts. Our training programme is complemented by e-learning courses, 7 minute briefings Learning from Practice Reviews, Learning Events and by subscribing our SSCP YouTube channel. We will continue to review the possibility of offering face to face training in line with Government advice and local needs.

Visit also Salford Thrive for further Training, Resources and Events including Psychological First Aid, Mindfulness, Helping young people with anxiety, low mood and depression during Covid 19
The Emotional Health Service Directory will help you access useful resources and services available to support children and young people's emotional health and well-being and to provide guidance when making a referral into services.
To support us to become more aware of trauma and how we can support resilience across the City, take a look at The Salford Way which includes self care resources for taking care of ourselves and our colleagues.

Safeguarding Resources, Training and Information

SSCP 7 Minute Briefings:
SSCP Lunch bowl l earning: Talk Listen Change (TLC), Children and Young People's Domestic Abuse Projects in Salford and more
SSAB 7 minute Briefings: Cuckooing, Joint Safeguarding Adult Review and Domestic Homicide Review
Latest Greater Manchester policies Tri-X briefings, Tri-X Circular and Tri-X Resource Hub – includes The Domestic Abuse Act 2021
Local supporting pathways and policies including Professional Challenge and Escalation Policy
Lessons Learnt from Practice Reviews including Chronology guidance and Ecogram guidance

Other Updates and Information

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