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Durham Safeguarding Children Partnership (DSCP) champions good multi-agency working and supports practitioner learning with examples of cases where practice demonstrates positive multi agency practice.

In October 2023 the DSCP completed a number of observations of Child Protection Conferences.  The example in this learning briefing identifies that the professionals demonstrated good practice by involving both parents throughout the process for the child. There were a number of interventions within this family however this briefing is related specifically to father/male carer inclusive practice.

Learning from Practice (Fathers, Male Carers).pdf

On 15 December 2023, the government published “Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023. Statutory guidance on multi-agency working to help, protect and promote the welfare of children”.

This statutory guidance sets out what organisations and agencies who have functions relating to children must and should do to help, protect and promote the welfare of all children and young people under the age of 18 in England. The 2023 edition replaces Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018.

View Gov.uk: Working together to safeguard children for a copy of the statutory guidance, summary of changes and statutory framework documents.

View Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 – Summary of Changes.pdf.

This new edition of Working together is central to delivering on the strategy set out in Stable homes, built on love (2023) which outlines the Government’s commitment to support every child to grow up in a safe, stable and loving home.

Self-Reported Information- Clarify, Verify and Reflect: Professional Curiosity

Learning from national and local case reviews tells us that sometimes children may have been safeguarded and protected from harm if practitioners working with the family clarify, reflect, and verify upon the information shared with them during assessments. Within a recent multi agency audit the DSCP noted that if practitioners had asked questions to further clarify situations that were presented to them, they may have been able to reflect this back and verify what it was really like for the child living in those circumstances. If these three steps are taken it makes a better assessment of risks and need and therefore supporting the correct support and intervention to be offered.

Clarify, Verify and Reflect: Professional Curiosity.pdf