Policies and Procedures
Safeguarding Online Minimum Standards Version 3
The Safeguarding Online Minimum Standards Document offers clear guidance and support for agencies in developing appropriate practice and policies for safeguarding children when using information and communication technology. The original document (October 2009) has now been updated and the current version (January 2014) is available here for download.
Safeguarding Children Referral Form
Safeguarding Children Referral Form and associated guidance, links to both are shown below. The official 'Go live' date was the 1st November 2010 and agencies and organisations are strongly advised that as from this date any supplies of previous forms should be destroyed or deleted. The new form can actually be used with immediate effect.
Greater Manchester Safeguarding Children Procedures
Manchester Safeguarding Children Board adopts the Greater Manchester Safeguarding Children Procedures.
The procedures provide a framework within which all agencies and professionals can work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people across Greater Manchester.
GMSP Pre Birth Assessment Procedures
For those agencies involved with pregnant women there is a need to be mindful of safeguarding issues including protecting the unborn baby.
For more information download the Greater Manchester Pre Birth Assessment Procedures
Further information about conducting a pre-birth assessment and a comprehensive risk assessment tool is available on the GMSP website.
MSCB Consent Policy
This document sets out how the Multiagency Consent Policy in Manchester will ensure that children and families are informed that a contact has been made to Children’s Social Care and that information may need to be gathered on their family circumstances which may lead to a social care assessment or potential offer of early help.
Download here
Safeguarding Policy Guidance
MSCB has produced guidance for agencies to use when putting together their own Safeguarding Policy.
Download guidance here
Chapter 2 of Working Together 2015 outlines the responsibilities of agencies under Section 11 of the Children Act 2004. Download the extract here.
Greater Manchester Missing from Home & Care Protocol
The Greater Manchester Safeguarding Partnership have developed a standardised approach to deal with missing and absent people of all ages across Greater Manchester. Part A of the protocol covers children and young people missing from home and care.
Download guidance here
Additional Manchester procedures
Flowchart 2 Missing From Parental Home
Flowchart 3 Missing from Parental Home - on a Child Protection Plan
GMSP / MSCB Escalation Procedure
MSCB adopts the general principles of the Greater Manchester Safeguarding Partnership Escalation Policy
Download GMSP Escalation Policy here.
Additional guidance which relates to unblocking stuck cases has been developed by MSCB in response to a recommendation from a Serious Case Review .
GMSP Private Fostering Guidance
All agencies have a duty to identify private fostering arrangements and to notify the Local Authority at the earliest opportunity.
Please see the GMSP Private Fostering guidance for the definition of Private Fostering and further information.
GMSP Female Genital Mutilation procedures
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a form of physical and emotional abuse against women and girls.
The MSCB adopts the Greater Manchester Safeguarding Procedures for Female Genital Mutilation which can be accessed here
From 31 October 2015 there is a manadatory duty for regulated Health and Social Care professionals and teachers in England and Wales to report known cases of FGM in under 18s to the police.
More information can be found here
Safeguarding Children & Young People Vulnerable to Violent Extremism
The current threat from terrorism in the UK can involve the exploitation of vulnerable children, young people or adult to involve them in terrorism or activity to support it.
The ten GM local authorities and GMP agree this exploitation should be viewed as a safeguarding concern.
This guidance is intended to provide a clear framework for all professionals working with children who for whom there are concerns that they are at risk of becoming involved in extremist activity.
Child in Need Guidance
Child in Need guidance to be used on new cases assessed as Child in Need from June 2016.
Forced Marriage
Forced marriage is a safeguarding issue; it is a form of child abuse, domestic abuse and a breach of human rights. It can affect men as well as women, some may have disabilities and others may be spouses from overseas. It is therefore important to safeguard any child, young person or adult who may be, or has been subjected to a forced marriage
GMSP Harmful Sexual Behaviours presented by children and young people
The Greater Manchester protocol for Harmful Sexual Behaviours presented by children and young people
This policy seeks to identify when sexual behaviour by children and young people should be considered harmful, or when it can be considered in the context of normal behaviours.
Professional Only Meeting guidance
The following guidance has been drafted as a result of a recommendation from a Serious Case Review. It is intended to help professionals think about when it may be in the interests of a child / young person to convene a meeting without family members being present.
Download guidance here
Safeguarding Supervision Guidance
As a result of a Serious Case Review, guidance has been developed on carrying out safeguarding supervision sessions with staff.
Download guidance here
GM Practice Guidance for the Management of Self-Harm by Children & Young People
This GM practice guidance for the management of self-harm by children and young people is designed to promote a Multi-Agency response to issues of self-harm in children and young people, with advice about how to facilitate support and intervention according to the level of need and associated risk
Safeguarding Disabled Children
This short guide highlights the safeguarding issues particular to disabled children and should be used as a supplement to the GMSP Safeguarding Procedures
Safeguarding Trafficked and Migrant Children
Migrant Children This guidance on safeguarding migrant children includes unaccompanied asylum seekers and should be used together with the Toolkit for Safeguarding Trafficked & Migrant Children
Trafficked Children This comprehensive guidance covers all aspects of safeguarding trafficked children including why children are trafficked and the impact on children's welfare. It should be used together with the Toolkit for Safeguarding Trafficked & Migrant Children
Trafficked & Migrant Children Toolkit This multi-agency toolkit provides practical guidance and useful contacts for all agencies dealing with trafficked and migrant children.
GMSP Parental Mental Health and Safeguarding Children Guidance and Protocol
The objective of the Greater Manchester Parental Mental Health and Safeguarding Children Guidance and Protocol is to provide a framework in which to meet the needs of children whose parent/carers have mental health problems.
Download additional local guidance here
Greater Manchester Safeguarding Partnership Domestic Abuse Protocol
The GMSP Domestic Abuse Protocol is available here
Additional guidance:
Manchester Safeguarding Children Board worked together with Manchester Safeguarding Adults Board to develop a joint Domestic Abuse protocol which was finalised in March 2013.
Download the joint MSAB / MSCB Domestic Abuse protocol here
Download the multi-agency Domestic Abuse Assessment and Referral form here
Protocol for access to accommodation for young people aged 16 &17
This protocol provides guidance for Children's Services, Housing and other partner agencies to provide a consistent and co-ordinated response to 16 & 17 year old young people who present as homeless and in need of accommodation and accommodation support services.
Greater Manchester Procedure for Working with Sexually Active <18
Greater Manchester Procedure for Working with Sexually Active Young People under 18
This procedure has been devised with the understanding that most young people under the age of 18 will have a healthy interest in sex and sexual relationships and to assist those working with young people to identify where those relationships may be abusive and the young people may need the provision of protection and additional services.
GM SUDC Procedure
The GM Procedures for the Management Of Sudden Unexpected Death In Childhood (Rapid Response).
This procedure provides direction for professionals from agencies involved when a child (0-18 years) dies suddenly and unexpectedly.
Together with principles to follow and a definition, the procedure contains general advice and guidance for dealing with a sudden unexpected death and for inter-agency working. Each agency has its own specific guidelines that will complement this procedure.
GMSP Safeguarding Children and Young People Subjected to Fabricated or Induced Illness Protocol
GMSP Safeguarding Children and Young People Subjected to Fabricated or Induced Illness Protocol.
The fabrication of illness in children is a relatively rare form of abuse. Where concerns exist it requires professionals from all agencies to work together at an early stage so that all information available can be evaluated and an understanding of the needs of the child assessed.
MSCB / MSAB Safeguarding and Gangs Protocol (under review)
Manchester Safeguarding Children Board have worked together with Manchester Safeguarding Adults Board to develop a joint Safeguarding & Gangs Protocol. The protocol was finalised March 2013.
Download the protocol here
Additional resources:
GMSP Safeguarding Children affected by Parental Substance Misuse Protocol
GMSP Safeguarding Children affected by Parental Substance Misuse Protocol
This practice guidance (above) is pivotal to the safeguarding of children and families in Greater Manchester. It aims to assist all agencies working with children, adults who are parents/carers or pregnant women and their partners in identifying situations where action is needed to safeguard a child or promote their welfare as a result of their parents' alcohol and drug use.
Download local guidance here
Additional practice guidance is available here
GMSP Procedures for Managing Allegations against People who work with Children
GMSP Procedures for Managing Allegations against People who work with Children
These procedures must be followed by all organisations providing services for children and staff or volunteers who work with or care for children in Manchester. Any organisations that commission services for children must ensure that their arrangements with those services are consistent with the requirements in this procedure.
From 04 April 2016 all referrals to the LADO must be made on the referral form below.
Additional resources:
GMSP Procedures for Photographing Children and Young People
GMSP Procedures for Photographing Children and Young People
The majority of occasions when people take photographs of children and young people are valid and do not provide any cause for concern.
Unfortunately there are occasions when this is not the case and these are some of the risks associated with photographing children:
- The collection and passing on of images which may be misused
- The identification of individual children to facilitate abuse
- The identification of children in vulnerable circumstances
MSCB Supervision of Children and Young People in Hospital Protocol
MSCB Supervision of Children and Young People in Hospital Protocol
This protocol is intended to provide guidance to staff from a number of agencies and assist them to increase awareness of the need for effective planning when it is identified that an adult may present a risk to a hospitalised child or other children who may be cared for within the vicinity. Updated July 2014.
Levels of Need
This multi-agency Guidance is important for the safeguarding of children, young people and families in Manchester, or those using services in the area. It should be read and implemented, where necessary, by all practitioners and managers working with, or in contact with, children or young people.
It should be used in all new contacts with children and young people and if you believe that a child or a young person is at immediate risk, this should be reported without delay to the police service as a 999 emergency and a contact be made to the Manchester Children’s Service Contact Centre. The telephone number is 0161 234 5001. The fax number is 0161 255 8266. The telephone referral should be followed up with a Multi-agency Referral form within 48 hours.
This Guidance must be read alongside MSCB Safeguarding Procedures.
Government Issued Policies and Guidance
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Multi-agency practice guidelines on tackling and preventing female genital mutilation Updated November 2014
Department for Education Policies
- Safeguarding Children from Witchcraft or Other Spiritual Beliefs
- Safeguarding Children Who May Have Been Trafficked
- Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation
Forced marriage is a marriage conducted without the valid consent of both parties, where some element of duress is a factor. This is different from an arranged marriage, which is a respected tradition in many cultures.