Links to other boards and partnerships
The SAB should agree how it will work effectively with other boards and partners including:
- local safeguarding children boards (LSCBs)
- community safety partnerships (CSPs)
- health and wellbeing boards (HWBs)
- quality surveillance groups (QSGs)
- domestic abuse forums.
Some local authorities have decided to have a joint chair of both their adult and children safeguarding boards to promote joint working. Some have established a joint adult and children safeguarding board, but generally these have not been considered effective and have not been retained.
Several SABs have developed joint protocols with their local health and wellbeing and safeguarding children boards. Examples of this are protocols developed in Slough/Leicestershire and Hertfordshire. These make explicit:
- the non-hierarchical relationship between the boards
- the need to establish processes for the development of strategic plans that recognise and complement each other
- the process for sharing and commenting on annual reports
- a resolution process for any issues that might arise between the boards.
Many of these protocols are now being reviewed to see if they can be extended to include other local multi-agency partnerships such as community safety partnerships and domestic abuse forums.
In many areas, agencies that are members of more than one of the above partnerships are represented by the same member of staff.
Issues to consider include:
- which local multi-agency partnerships should be invited to participate in such a protocol
- how liaison between boards will be managed
- how the protocol(s) will ‘add value’ to the performance of all partners and reduce duplication of effort
- how SABs will need to adjust their processes to reflect the fact that health and wellbeing boards are public meetings
- how such protocols will operate in two-tier local authorities
- how overarching strategies such as making safeguarding personal, think family, dignity and respect, and the carers’ strategy will be linked to the work of the board.