New name for Leeds Safeguarding Children Board

The board responsible for overseeing the city’s safeguarding measures for children and young people in Leeds has a new name from this week.

Following a national review of Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) and the resulting change in legislation the statutory responsibilities for safeguarding in Leeds will now be collectively held by Leeds City Council (through children’s services), the local Clinical Commissioning Groups and West Yorkshire Police. And, from Monday 9 April the Leeds Safeguarding Children Board will be known as the Leeds Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP).

The LSCP will be an independent intermediary body chaired by Dr Mark Peel, and will continue the approach of the LSCB, working with all agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in Leeds. The LSCP will have a key role in bringing together, as well as holding to account, those agencies who now share statutory responsibility for safeguarding; Children’s Services, Health and the Police.

Independent chair of the Leeds Safeguarding Children Partnership, Dr Mark Peel said:

“The LSCP will oversee the safeguarding work undertaken by all agencies and individuals to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in the City, and ensure the effectiveness of their work.”

“Children and young people, their welfare, protection and the promotion of their best interests will remain at the heart of our work.

“During this transitional period, through to April 2019, as new safeguarding arrangements are developed and implemented, the LSCP will continue to carry out the functions of the LSCB – including training, policy development and safeguarding audits, to ensure both consistency and continuity.”

“In future, ‘Local Reviews’ will replace what were previously called ‘Serious Case reviews’ and these will continue to be wholly independent, rigorous and focused on learning lessons when things go wrong. Under new arrangements issues that are deemed to be especially complex, or which have national implications, will be considered through ‘National Reviews’ overseen by a newly established national body.”

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact:

Emma Whittell, Leeds City Council press office, on (0113) 378 9188

Email: emma.whittell@leeds.gov.uk