Childrens safeguarding

Safeguarding Children and Young People

Herts Valley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is fully committed to our responsibility for protecting and safeguarding children and young people. We have a number of Designated Safeguarding Professionals who play a role in decision making. We also work in partnership with Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (HSCP) which oversees policy development.

All staff are required to adhere to Safeguarding Children policies and guidance. Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership procedures can be found at http://hertsscb.proceduresonline.com/index.htm

Our principal philosophy is that safeguarding is everybody’s business and all staff will respond and act to raise safeguarding awareness and address any emerging issues. This includes all commissioning intentions, services commissioned and contractual arrangements. The organisation will hold to account all provider organisations contracting with the CCG regarding their safeguarding responsibilities and processes. We ensure that commissioned organisations have safe systems that safeguard children in line with section 11 of the Children Act (2014), including; clear accessible policy and procedure, safer recruitment, training and governance systems.

CCG Safeguarding Children Team

Herts Valley CCG has Designated Professionals that have specific roles and responsibilities for safeguarding children and promoting the health of looked after children. They take a professional and strategic lead on all aspects of the health service contribution to safeguarding children. For support with any safeguarding children concerns contact the designated professionals:

• Designated Nurse Safeguarding Children - via 01707 685349

• Deputy Designated Nurse Safeguarding Children - via 01707 685349

• Primary Care Named Nurse Safeguarding Children - via 01707 685349

• Primary Care Nurse Specialist Safeguarding Children - via 01707 685349

• Deputy Designated Nurse Looked After Children and Care Leavers - via 01707 685349

• Designated Doctor, HV CCG on 01923 470 606

• Designated Doctor Child Death on 01438 781455  

   

Child Sexual Exploitation

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is a form of sexual abuse that involves the manipulation and/or coercion of young people under the age of 18 into sexual activity. 

It relates to situations where a young person is manipulated or forced into taking part in some form of sexual activity in return for something the young person needs or desires, for example; attention, a sense of belonging, affection, money, drugs, alcohol or accommodation.

Sexual exploitation is child abuse and, although they may not realise it, it puts the young victim at huge risk of damage to their physical, emotional and psychological health. 

The impact of Child Sexual Exploitation can have a devastating effect on the lives of victims. It is known that children and young people who have experienced sexual exploitation have poor health outcomes. The health impact is varied, with victims experiencing many forms of physical, psychological and emotional health difficulties.

There are a number of different forms in which CSE can present itself; these can range from:

• Internet sexual exploitation

• Sexual exploitation at house parties and the movement of young people for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

• Offenders grooming youngsters and using their power to sexually abuse them. 

• It can take many forms, whether it occurs through a seemingly ‘consensual’ relationship with an older boyfriend, or a young person having sex in return for attention, gifts, alcohol or cigarettes.

  Many young people who are being abused do not realise they are at risk and will not call for help. They may see themselves as willing participants when in fact their behaviour is anything but consenting.

  The CCG has been working with local health providers to ensure they have processes in place to safeguard children at risk of CSE. Health professionals who provide support for young people have been receiving training to raise awareness and to spot the signs of CSE.

  We are increasingly improving our services to help identify children who are at risk of being sexually exploited and we are working together with partner agencies to safeguard and protect these children. 

  If you are concerned about CSE for yourself or somebody else please contact the police on the telephone 101 or Children’s Services on 0300 1234043.

  For more general information on CSE go to the following links:

• Hertfordshire Police

• Hertfordshire Childrens Social Care

  Useful links

• Parents Against Child Sexual Exploitation (PACE)

• NSPCC

• Barnardo's 

• Childline

   

Modern Slavery

The Modern Slavery Act 2015 has introduced changes in UK law focused on increasing the transparency in supply chains and ensuring our supply chains are free from modern slavery (that is slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking). As both a local leader in commissioning health care services for the population of west Hertfordshire and as an employer, Herts Valleys CCG provides the following statement in respect to its commitment to, and efforts in, preventing slavery and human trafficking practices in the supply chain and employment practices.

Our organisation

As an authorised statutory body, the CCG is the lead commissioner for health care services (including acute, community, mental health) in the West Hertfordshire area (including Watford, Dacorum, St. Albans & Harpenden and Hertsmere) covering a population of 639,566.

Our commitment to prevent slavery and human trafficking

The CCG Board, Senior Management Team and all employees support the Government’s objectives to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking and recognise the significant role the NHS has to play in both combatting it and supporting victims. We are committed to ensuring our supply chains and business activities are free from ethical and labour standard abuses and in so far as is possible to holding our suppliers to account to do likewise.

Our approach

Our overall approach will be governed by compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements and the maintenance and development of good practice in the fields of contracting and employment.

Our policies and arrangements

Our recruitment processes are highly mature; requiring practices that adhere to safe recruitment principles. This includes strict requirements in respect of identity checks, work permits and criminal records. We pay all our employees above the minimum wage.

Our policies such as Bullying and Harassment at Work policy, Safeguarding Adults at Risk policy, Individual Grievance policy, Equality and Diversity policy and Whistleblowing policy provide an additional platform for our employees to raise concerns about poor working practices.

Our procurement approach follows the Crown Commercial Service standard.

In 2017/18 our anti-slavery programme will also work to:

•            Support our staff to understand and respond to modern slavery and human trafficking; the impact that each and every individual working in the NHS can have in keeping present and potential future victims of modern slavery and human trafficking safe.

•            Ensure that all NHS commissioned services staff have access to formal training on modern slavery and human trafficking which will provide the latest information and skills to deal with it.

 Modern Slavery: Further information and resources

Modern slavery is a growing problem globally and the scale of modern slavery in the UK is significant. It can take many forms, including the trafficking of people, forced labour and servitude.

Here in Hertfordshire, 119 potential victims have been identified as victims since 2009.

Operation Tropic was launched by Hertfordshire Constabulary as a dedicated police unit to coordinate the response to modern slavery in Hertfordshire.

Information about the Hertfordshire Modern Slavery Partnership and Operation Tropic:

Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner: http://www.hertscommissioner.org/modern-slavery

Operation Tropic: http://www.shivafoundation.org.uk/operation-tropic-coordinated-response-modern-slavery-hertfordshire/

 Human Trafficking Organisations:

Home Office (www.modernslavery.co.uk)

Human Trafficking Foundation (www.humantraffickingfoundation.org/what-human-trafficking)

Unseen (www.unseenuk.org)

Salvation Army (www.salvationary.org.uk/human-trafficking)

British Red Cross (www.redcross.org.uk/who-we-are/modern-slavery/)

National Crime Agency (www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/crime-threats/human-trafficking)

Shiva Foundation (www.shivafoundation.org.uk)

RCN MODERN SLAVERY POCKET GUIDE (https://www.rcn.org.uk/-/media/royal-college-of-nursing/documents/publications/2017/may/pub-005984.pdf)

 Additional Resources – Educational Videos:

Anti-Slavery Commissioner: www.antislaverycommissioner.co.uk/resources

Home Office: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOe2-j3QzKl

National Crime Agency: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cej6avHPIbg or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew4TA0_daB0

Crimestoppers: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C9VwiCP2bQ 

Gangmasters & Labour Abuse Authority: www.gla.gov.uk/publications/resources/glaa-videos

 Identifying Modern Slavery Victims:

https://www.modernslaveryhelpline.org/learn-more/general/spot-the-signs

 

Training

Safeguarding children training is provided by Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (HSCP) for professionals and volunteers.

The HSCP provides a wide variety of learning programmes and workshops across Hertfordshire to build skills for safeguarding children and young people.

Inter-agency training supports staff in:

• sharing practice

• understanding each other’s roles and responsibilities

• working effectively both within and across organisations.

  The current available training can be accessed here. 

The lastest training programme can be found here.