Training

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children through effective training, communication and information sharing underpins the development of the City & Hackney Safeguarding Children Board.

The new "Working Together" guidance, published April 2006, will support Section11 of the Children Act 2004 in its emphasis on everyone having responsibility for safeguarding children. Section 11 gives responsibility to councils, health authorities, Police service, probation, prison service and voluntary organisations to ensure that they have mechanisms to safeguard children who they come across in their work.

Those involved in the Child Protection process will also need knowledge of the legislative framework and the wider policy context within which they operate, as well as familiarity with local policies and procedures.

Multi-agency training exists to enhance the development of staff and the training available within a single-agency or professional setting. Such training can be highly effective in promoting a common and shared understanding of the respective roles and responsibilities of involved professionals and can contribute towards the development of effective inter-agency working relationships. Multi-agency training is focussed on the way in which those engaged in child welfare work with others to meet the needs of children.

With the publication of the Green Paper Every Child Matters (2003) and the All London Child Protection Procedures (2003), it is an important time for multi agency training.  While Children & Young People’s Services have a lead role in Child Protection, ‘responsibility must be shared because children are safeguarded only when all agencies and individuals accept responsibility and co-operate with one-another’ (LCPP).

The significance of multi-agency training to take forward the integrated approach to delivering children's services is clear. We aim to maximise our potential for reaching the best outcomes for children and maintain the focus with a robust and comprehsive training programme.

The Multi-agency Training Programme advertises courses commissioned by The City & Hackney Safeguarding Children Board (CHSCB).

The programme reflects current legislation, government statutory guidance and accepted best practice.  By providing learning opportunities that reach a broad and diverse workforce

Principles of traininng

Staff coming into contact with children should be able to exercise professional skills in terms of effective information sharing and the ability to analyse the situation.

They should also have the knowledge and skills to collaborate/liaise with other agencies and disciplines in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Those involved in child protection work need a sound understanding of the legislative framework and the wider policy context in which they work, as well as familiarity with local policy and procedures. (Working Together to Safeguard Children 1999).

Staff should recognise secondary indicators of child abuse/neglect, e.g. Domestic Violence. (LCPP, 2003).

For information on signs of abuse see the Hackney Child Protection page.

If you are in any doubt as to the immediate safety of any child call 999

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Page updated: 30 Dec 2008