Torbay Safeguarding Children Partnership

14-11-2022 - Anti-bullying week

14th -18th November 2022 is Anti-Bullying Week, and the theme is ‘Reach Out'. The organiser of the week, the Anti-Bullying Alliance, has put together packs of free resources for primary and secondary schools.

Visit the website: Anti-Bullying Week

See also on NSPCC Learning 
Anti-Bullying Week 2022 resources

Archived stories

07/10/2021 - Advice on Safer Sleeping

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) (also known as Cot Death) is now very rare but there are still over 300 babies that die every year. There is now accurate information about how and where babies die and research to help prevent sudden infant death. The purpose of this  procedure is to provide guidance that is evidence based to reduce the risk of SIDS and the process for the placement and support of babies to help keep them as safe as possible. It includes advice for the care of toddlers. This procedure applies to all who provide care for babies within the Polaris community - Parents, Foster Parents, Adopters, Leaving Care Services (LCS) and the staff supporting them.

The safer sleeping practices in this procedure are primarily sourced from the Lullaby Trust and NHS. Supplementary guidance has been sourced from ROSPA and the National Childbirth Trust. Links should be accessed to review the latest information on safer sleeping. The Lullaby trust provide a series of free online presentations on how to reduce the risk of SIDS which should be accessed at: www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/safer-sleep- for-babies-online-presentations/

National Child Exploitation Awareness Day- March 18 2021

National Child Exploitation Awareness Day aims to highlight the issues surrounding Child Exploitation; encouraging everyone to think, spot and speak out against abuse and adopt a zero tolerance to adults exploiting Children in Torbay.

Throughout March 18th people around the UK will show support and share their pledges to raise awareness and deter child exploitation by using the hashtags #HelpingHands and #CEADay21 on social media.

Support for National Child Exploitation Awareness Day - News Press Release published 15 March 2021

 

Torbay's new multi-agency approach to protect children from exploitation - News Press Release published 18 March 2021

Safer Sleep Week will take place from 15-21 March 2021.

Safer Sleep Week is The Lullaby Trust’s national awareness campaign targeting anyone looking after a young baby. It aims to raise awareness of sudden infant death syndrome and the safer sleep advice that reduces the risk of it occurring.

We know that greater awareness of safer sleep leads to a decrease in the numbers of babies dying. Sadly around 4 babies a week still die from SIDS and if all parents were aware of safer sleep advice many lives could be saved.  Around 700,000 babies are born every year in the UK and we need to continue to reach out to all new parents with our safer sleep message.

Safer Sleep Week aims to reach as many families as possible with life-saving safer sleep advice. Safer Sleep Week is an effective way to raise awareness of SIDS and equip parents with information how they can reduce the risk.

 

On 24th April 2018, the TSCB held a multi-agency launch event for the Interactive Threshold Tool. The event was very well attended by professionals from agencies across the partnership in Torbay. A demonstration of the tool was given, and then professionals were asked to identify any gaps or to highlight any services that were not included, that could be linked to.

The Interactive Threshold Tool can be found by following the button on our home-screen or via the url: www.torbaysafeguarding.org.uk/toolkit

Please do have a go at using the tool and let us know via email tscb@torbay.gov.uk if you find that there are any errors in the information provided, or whether you offer a service, particularly at Level 2, which has not been included.

Safer Internet Day 2018 will be celebrated globally on Tuesday 6th February with the slogan ‘Create, Connect and Share Respect: a better internet starts with you.’


Coordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre the celebration sees hundreds of organisations get involved to help promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.


The UK Safer Internet Centre – a partnership of three leading charities; Childnet, the South West Grid for Learning and the Internet Watch Foundation – provide resources for children, schools and families, and tools for getting involved at www.saferinternet.org.uk


Globally, Safer Internet Day is celebrated in over a hundred countries, coordinated by the joint Insafe/INHOPE network, with the support of the European Commission, and national Safer Internet Centres across Europe.


The day offers the opportunity to highlight positive uses of technology and to explore the role we all play in helping to create a better and safer online community. It calls upon young people, parents, carers, teachers, social workers, law enforcement, companies, policymakers, and wider, to join together in helping to create a better internet. Get involved to play your part!

 

#SID2018

Torbay Domestic Abuse Service (TDAS) are running two events to help raise awareness of domestic abuse during Domestic Abuse Awareness week commencing 25th November 2017.

The first is a Community Day at Shekinah Grow, Preston Down Road, Paignton, TQ3 1RN on 25th November 2pm - 6pm. This free event will include a bonfire which will be lit at around 5:30pm. Flyer available for download here.

The second event is 'Wear Purple to work day' being held on Thursday 30th November. Flyer available for download here.

Please help to raise awareness of Domestic Abuse in Torbay by promoting and supporting these events.

 23/8/2017 Early Help professionals' consultation line: 01803 208525

 

Since 1st August 2017 the Early Help Consultation Line has been in operation. The line is designed to provide advice to professionals who think that they have a family in need of Early Help. The consultation line is manned by a duty Social Worker who is able to provide advice and signposting for services that might be of support to the families that you are working with.

The number to call is 01803 208525, the line is open weekdays mornings from 9am - 12pm

Torbay launched it's revised Early Help model at the Riviera International Conference Centre on 18th July 2017. The event was very well attended by professionals across all sectors.

 

The launch event gave delegates an opportunity to hear from a number of speakers on how it is anticipated that Early Help will work in Torbay and how their organisations are currently using Early Help to support children and families in Torbay.

 

For further information regarding Early Help, please follow this link to the Early Help page.

 

Torbay Early Help Launch Event - 18th July 2017

 

On Tuesday 18th July 2017, Torbay will launch it's revised Early Help model. The launch events are being run via half-day sessions, either 9:00am - 12:30pm or 1:00pm - 4:30pm and these can be booked through the I-learn booking system here: http://torbay.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=494

 

This half-day launch will outline the TSCB agreed model for Early help in Torbay. With a provision of opportunities to discuss the model of early help in Torbay and enable delegates to consider your role in Early help as we move forwards.

The launch will also enable discussions to take place to shape the future learning and development offer to support Early Help.

Representatives from all organisations are encouraged to attend this event.

26th May 2017

South West Child Protection Procedures is a joint tool by the South West Local Safeguarding Children Boards in co-operation with tri.x . The website aims to provide the most up to date information about policies and procedures relating to safeguarding children. It contains both shared procedures as well as more specific local guidance for each of the 12 LSCBs that were involved in its development. All the information is based on current legislation and up to date national policy and is updated regularly.

SWCPP is the go to website for practitioners who need clarification about policies and procedures or who are unsure about how to respond to a safeguarding issue they encounter during their work. This is a great tool to support safeguarding practice and provide a consistent approach as to how we safeguard children and young people and should be used regularly by practitioners.

We would like to encourage all agencies to disseminate this message within their organisations and ensure that all of their practitioners are aware of SWCPP and how to use it in order to stay up to date with safeguarding procedures.

You can access SWCPP procedures here:   South West Child Protection Procedures  Opens in a new window .

National CSE Awareness Day 18th March 2017

Plymouth, Torbay, Cornwall and Devon Safeguarding Children Boards have teamed up to promote awareness of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) to parents and carers.

To coincide with Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Day on 18 March led by national charity National Working Group (NWG) the four South West Peninsula Safeguarding Children Boards, working with Devon and Cornwall Police, local authorities, Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (NEW Devon CCG) and charities including Barnados, NSPCC and The Children’s Society are making parents and carers aware of the signs of CSE to look out for.

Sexual exploitation is a type of child abuse which can damage a young person’s physical, emotional and psychological health.Signs to look out for include unexplained gifts or money, excessive or secretive use of mobile phone, self-harm, significantly older friends or playing truant / going missing.

For more information about CSE, visit the new dedicated webpage for Devon and Cornwall at https://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/cseawareness

February 2017 - The DSCB in co-operation with other Local Safeguarding Children Boards in the South West has produced a staff survey in order to better understand how professionals are using the South West Child Protection Procedures website ( South West Child Protection Procedures  Opens in a new window ), and how it can be improved. We are asking all agencies to please forward the survey to practitioners. We are looking for feedback from practitioners at all levels, so please feel free to share this with your colleagues.

The survey will only take about 5 minutes to complete, and we would very much appreciate your feedback. By optimising the SWCPP website we are looking to improve safeguarding practice throughout the region and ultimately improve outcomes for children, so please make sure you take part in this important piece of work.

Please click on the following link to complete the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CDH6W57

The survey will initially be open for responses until Friday 24.02.17.

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact the DSCB by e-mailing safeguardingchildrensboardsecure-mailbox@devon.gcsx.gov.uk

4th January 2017 - Kayleigh's Love Story

Leicestershire Police have released a short film - Kayleigh’s Love Story about aspects of the last 13 days of the life of 15-year-old Kayleigh Haywood.


The Leicestershire schoolgirl was groomed online by Luke Harlow, a man she had never met, before being raped and murdered by his next door neighbour Stephen Beadman.


The film has been made to serve as a warning to children and adults of the dangers of grooming and sexual exploitation following Kayleigh’s tragic death in November 2015 and is available to watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsbYHI-rZOE  Opens in a new window  

For further information visit https://leics.police.uk/categories/kayleighs-love-story-film for information on the dangers of speaking to people online, online grooming and to show your support for Leicestershire Police's CEASE (commitment to eradicate abuse and sexual exploitation) campaign.

16/12/2016: Railway Children Project & British Transport Police Safeguarding briefing

For most of us Christmas is a happy time, a fun time spent with family and friends. However, Christmas for many children is an increasingly unhappy time; where many unknowingly place themselves in danger!


Children in need of care and affection will often seek or accept this in inappropriate places, this makes them vulnerable and easy targets for predators , such as paedophiles and abusers. It also makes them more likely to stay with people they
have just met, and become involved in crime or misuse drugs . 

There are thousands of vulnerable Children and young people in the UK and many of them use our Transport systems to escape a range of issues. By enhancing your awareness of vulnerable children and helping you to respond, we can make public transport a safer place for them . Working in partnership with the Railway children Project , our aim this Christmas is to raise awareness amongst our officers and partners, through the gift of sharing (briefing attached).
 
Vulnerable children often use the rail network to, for example, escape from a volatile home situation where parents/careers/persons in authority may abuse or neglect them. The problem can be particularly severe in the run up to Christmas. More alcohol is consumed and family tensions often increase during the festive period.

Railway Children and British Transport Police (BTP) have joined forces with rail industry partners in a bid to make the railway network a safer place for vulnerable children. By enhancing the awareness of railway staff and partners, we can create a network of people who understand, identify and support children who are vulnerable or at risk across the railways. In partnership with BTP, Railway Children has developed the Safeguarding Children on Transport (SCT) programme to enhance transport staff’s awareness of vulnerable children and young people using the transport network and to identify appropriate responses to make public transport a safer place.

During the period from 12th to 23rd December BTP will build on the good work your teams already do on this subject and place an additional focus on:

  • Looking out for and supporting vulnerable children
  • Improving our partner organisations’ awareness and commitment to identifying child vulnerability issues
  • Improving our officers and staff knowledge of child vulnerability issues and making connections with organisations that can support BTP in dealing with vulnerable children

You  play a vital role in spotting and reporting unusual behaviour. You  and your staff can be our ‘eyes and ears’ as you go about your day-to-day work by providing us with the information we need to recognise signs of vulnerability or potential exploitation.

You can contribute to our project by helping us raise awareness, by sharing the attached briefing with as many partnerships as possible: let’s get this information out there, let’s make this Christmas count!     

All I ask is for you to :

  • Task all your staff  to read and digest the attached Railway Children’s safeguarding awareness briefing.
    • TARGET – distribute to all your staff.
  • Email the Railway Children’s safeguarding awareness briefing to as many relevant partner organisations as possible, asking them to forward on to all their employees
    • TARGET – Distribute to at least 15 different relevant partner organisations during the focus period, let’s go viral!
  • Heightened staff awareness of potentially vulnerable young people – encourage staff to strike up conversations with more young people, be more inquisitive, take more time over the encounter, show a kind and non-judgemental approach

And lastly …. BE CONCERNED

Look out for things that are unusual, out of place or that make you anxious, for example:

  • Inappropriate relationships  – Unusual age gaps or interactions between adult and child
  • Patterns of behaviour  – Children acting in a way that seems out of place - Seeing children at an unusual time of  day or particular day e.g. school time - Misuse of alcohol or drugs
  • Appearance - Unkempt or unwashed Injuries, self-harm
  • Demeanour  -The way in which they are acting;  furtive or scared Emotional, anti-social, suicidal, Sexualised behaviour 

If you see something that makes you question what is happening, do something! however small or insignificant you may think it is. Your information may just help to save a young life.

If you are worried about a child or need any advice report your concerns to BTP who will respond positively to help and support any child at risk. British Transport Police – 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016. In an emergency always call 999.

 

British Transport Police Railway Children Safeguarding briefing

Raising awareness of vulnerable young people using the transport system


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