Multi-Agency Scrutiny Activity in Cumberland

The Cumberland Safeguarding Children Partnership (CSCP) monitors multi-agency performance management and quality assurance via our Cumberland Partners Improving Practice Group. 

As set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023, Safeguarding Partnership’s should undertake auditing at a minimum to ‘quality assure practice, including through joint audits of records’.  The CSCP does not see audit as a one-off event but as part of a continuous cycle of improvement.

How we do this

The CSCP commission Cumberland Partners Improving Practice Group to conduct quality assurance activity, the CSCP has established a regular programme of multi-agency audits. 

The topics of which are determined by performance data, quality information and responses to recommendations from inspections and child safeguarding practice reviews (CSPRs) and include areas of Child Protection, Child in Need and Early Help cases. The multi-agency audits have a clear focus on outcomes, and the impact of agencies in achieving those outcomes. The impact on the child is always central to the process.

Why we do this

It enables the CSCP to carry out its function of monitoring the effectiveness of what is done to keep children and young people safe in Cumberland.

What happens next

The outcomes from each of the audits are analysed and drawn together into a report. The reports draw out key themes; identify areas for practice improvement and makes recommendations. The process also enables us to identify the learning points from areas which are working well and further develop inter-agency working. The CSCP has ownership of the recommendations and the key themes and the loop closes when the feedback goes back to the Cumberland Partners Improving Practice Group.

The information is then fed into policy and practice protocols and learning and development activity. The learning from quality audits is implemented across all of the partner agencies.

Key Learning Themes from Scrutiny Activities

Neglect Scrutiny Activity

In September 2022 the focus of the CSCP Local Area Safeguarding Groups scrutiny activity was neglect. Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child's basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child's health or development (Working Together to Safeguard Children (GOV.UK).

The audit considered how well we protect children who are experiencing neglect. A total of 12 children's records were audited, with the ages of children ranging from 5 months up to 18 years old.

Key learning from the audits

Findings from the scrutiny work identified the need for the previous Neglect Strategy to be reviewed and refreshed.

 

Use of neglect tools and practice guidance

It was clear from the audits that there was not evidence of the Graded Care Profile 2 neglect identification tools being used. Feedback from practitioners was that they wanted a tool that was easier to use. Therefore, a Neglect Task and Finish Group was set up to review tools that could be used by practitioners. It was agreed the use of 'A Day in my Life' tools which were launched on 27 September 2023.

For CSCP 'A Day in my Life' Tools, go to our guidance on neglect.

Chronologies

Identified in the Scrutiny activity was the need to have an impact chronology in place. There were a number of families with a long history of involvement with statutory services, and the use of chronologies and an understanding of previous history should have been used to inform assessments and plans.

Do you use historical information when you are making an assessment of risk?

 

Voice of the child

In a number of cases the voice of the child was not evident and too much focus was given to the parents or the child’s siblings.

Read our guidance to ensure the 'Voice of the child is heard'