Calls for evidence and practice

Acute paediatric and local authority child protection services: effective liaison in cases of suspected child maltreatment. UK-wide call for practice

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) is calling for examples of practice that support effective liaison between acute paediatric services, suspecting child maltreatment, and social work child protection services.  We are interested in circumstances when children and young people present initially at Accident & Emergency departments, as well as circumstances where there are pre-birth concerns identified within Maternity Services. In particular, we are looking for examples of useful learning in relation to staffing arrangements, information sharing and access to advice.

SCIE’s mission is to identify and spread knowledge about good and promising practice to the large and diverse social care workforce. We aim to reach and influence practitioners, managers and the sector leadership who have responsibility for service delivery in adults’ and children’s services. We recognise the central role of people who use services, children, young people, their families and their carers, and we aim to ensure their experience and expertise is reflected in all aspects of our work.

SCIE is undertaking this study in partnership with the Department of Health-funded Policy Research Unit within the Institute of Child Health (ICH). The study and its outputs are informed and validated by an Advisory Group comprising experts in safeguarding from the health and social care sectors. The study is part of a cross-cutting theme on healthcare provision led by the ICH, which is also conducting a linked study on the recognition of child maltreatment in hospital admissions.

The study also involves a brief literature review and an online survey of professionals in acute paediatric and local authority services. From these strands of work, we will select a number of sites to develop into case studies through follow-up interviews. Examples not developed into case studies may still be used by SCIE to develop a longer list of interesting practice.

This is your chance to share good practice in this area in order to help us identify the key features of highly effective safeguarding practice from which others can learn.  

Please submit your examples by 20 February 2012.

Thank you for your time.

Together we can improve safeguarding of children and young people who are being maltreated.

Download template

• Template for submissions of self-reported promising practice (Word version)
• Template for submissions of self-reported promising practice (PDF version)

Further information

• What kind of practice are we interested in?Open

  The call for practice covers care provided to babies, children and young people pre-birth to aged 18. We are interested in circumstances when children and young people present initially at Accident & Emergency departments, as well as circumstances where there are pre-birth concerns identified within Maternity Services.

  These young people and their families may or may not have already been in contact with social workers from the local authority’s Children’s Services department. Social work support may be provided in hospitals and/or elsewhere.

  Examples can refer to a wide range of practice. For instance, it could be that there is: particularly effective social work provided in hospital; integrated safeguarding practice involving health and social care; and/or, high quality cross-sector training on child protection issues.

• How can I submit an example?Open

  We want to make this as easy as possible for you. There is a range of ways to submit your example using a straightforward template. Please complete a new template for each separate example of practice. Please use the link above to download the template.

  When completed email or post it to:

  Beth Anderson
  Senior Research Analyst
  beth.anderson@scie.org.uk
  Social Care Institute for Excellence
  Fifth floor, 2-4 Cockspur Street
  London
  SW1Y 5BH

  Please submit your examples by 23 January 2012.

• Who can I talk to if I want more information?Open

  If you would like more information about the Call for Practice or the study then please contact Beth Anderson, Senior Research Analyst, Families & Children’s Services at the Social Care Institute for Excellence on beth.anderson@scie.org.uk or 020 7024 7729

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