All children should be safe and able to develop to their full potential.
Though this aspiration can only be fully realised by communities, families and professionals working together, the Children Act 2004 obliges named statutory agencies to co-operate so as to improve the 'well-being' of children in their area with respect to their:
Specified agencies are also obliged to make arrangements to 'safeguard and promote the welfare of children' by means of direct or indirect service provision and for such arrangements to be effective, they must be understood and implemented consistently across professional and geographical boundaries.
We are therefore pleased to be able to welcome and lend support to the introduction of this manual which contains comprehensive multi-agency child protection policies and procedures that are fully compliant with law and best practice.
Its development was commissioned jointly by the 'Area Child Protection Committees' of Southend, Essex and Thurrock, prior to their transformation into Local Safeguarding Children Boards and offers an example of what can be achieved by a co-operative attitude and determination.
To view the Southend, Essex & Thurrock Child Protection Procedures please visit the Shaping Thurrock web site:
01375 652652
01375 652359
