East Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership: Monthly Digest (April 2025)

East Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership Monthly Digest – April 2025

 This latest roundup of ESSCP news includes highlights from recent publications, information about forthcoming events and training, and other snippets of useful information from the ESSCP and partner agencies. For up to date news items go to our website.

Publication of Child E LCSPR Learning Briefing

 The partnership has published a short learning briefing highlighting the key learning from the ‘Child E’ local safeguarding practice review. The East Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership (ESSCP) agreed to undertake a local Child Safeguarding Practice Review (LCSPR) in 2024 following the death of a 14-year-old child from suspected suicide. It was recognised that there would be learning in respect of working with families where there is serious acrimony following parent’s separation and following allegations of child sexual abuse. The partnership expects to publish the full report later this spring/summer and organise briefing sessions for professionals to attend.

Child 5 Rapid Review Learning Briefing

The partnership has recently published a 1-page learning briefing following a rapid review that was held last year. The rapid review was conducted following a serious incident where a sixteen-year-old child disclosed she was raped. Child 5 had an extensive history with support services and was known as at risk of exploitation. The briefing can be found here: https://www.esscp.org.uk//ESSCP-Learning-Briefing-Child-5-Rapid-Review

NEW Pan Sussex Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures Website

 On the 1 April 2025, we launched our new Pan-Sussex Safeguarding and Child Protection Policies and Procedures website: Sussex Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Procedures Resource. Please make sure that you share the new website details with staff in your agency and sign up to register for updates to pan Sussex policies by clicking  here:  Register with Us – Sussex Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Procedures Resource

Neglect Toolkit

 The Neglect Toolkit has been redeveloped so it is accessible to professionals across East Sussex on the ESSCP website including education, health, early help and social care. This new multi-agency Neglect Toolkit is about empowering professionals to think about what they can do at the early intervention stage as well as preventing drift and delay for children experiencing neglect.

Autism Action Plan Launch

 East Sussex County Council is marking Autism Acceptance Month with the launch of an action plan designed to improve the lives of autistic people living in the county. The all-age action plan has been developed based on the lived experiences of people with autism, their carers and their families, with input from the NHS and wellbeing, education and employment providers. The plan focusses on improving health and wellbeing; access to education and supporting positive transitions to adulthood; and supporting autistic people into employment and helping them sustain employment.

To find out more about the action plan go here: East Sussex all age autism action plan 2025-27 | East Sussex County Council

East Sussex Local Authority Children’s Emergency Duty Service (EDS)

 The Emergency Duty Service has a new email address [email protected]  and from May 17th there will only be one contact number: 01273 335905.

SPoA should be the main contact point for professionals in line with the guidance provided here: Contacting the Single Point of Advice (SPoA) | East Sussex County Council. The Emergency Duty Service (EDS) should be contacted with serious immediate safeguarding concerns regarding children that cannot wait until the next working day. EDS operates Monday to Thursday 5 pm to 8.30 am and Fridays, weekends, and bank holidays, 4.30 pm to 8.30 am.

Updated ICON resources

The ICON program is a preventative program designed to support parents, carers, and extended family members to better understand and safely respond to infant crying. 

 The Pan Sussex ICON Forum has created an easy-to-read guide for new parents in a range of different languages. The leaflet is now available in Spanish, Arabic, Bangla, Farsi, Kurdish and Tigrinya. All of these leaflets, and a range of other resources about ICON, can be found on our website here: ICON Resources – Infant crying is normal – ESSCP.

New Advocacy Provider

 There is a new independent advocacy provider from July for people accessing social care and mental health services across Sussex. The Advocacy People will lead an advocacy partnership that in East Sussex offers:

• Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) for adults and young people

• Relevant Person’s Paid Representatives (RPPR)

The Advocacy People are contacting operational teams to update you on their services and will post service information and referral forms on their website before 1 July. You can also email them with questions: [email protected]. Please update advocacy signposting in letters and documents with The Advocacy People’s details from 1^st July.

The Safeguarding Community Network (SCN) is looking for volunteers

 The Safeguarding Community Network (SCN) is a subgroup of the East Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB). The ESSCP is joining up with this group and would like to expand its membership from voluntary and community groups across East Sussex. The SCN ensures that adults, carers, and voluntary groups have a voice in safeguarding. We want to expand this to cover all-ages and build stronger links between the SAB, ESSCP and our diverse community.

Could you please share this poster with groups that you think would be interested in taking part. For example, members of a voluntary/community group, adults who have received care and support, either directly or for a family member, or carers/parents looking to make a difference. To request more information or if you have any questions, please contact [email protected]

SECAMB Safeguarding Conference

South East Coast Ambulance Service is excited to announce its second Safeguarding Conference, following the success of the first event in 2024. The conference will take place on June 17, 2025, from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM at East Court, East Grinstead. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. SECAMB would like to extend the invite to wider colleagues. If you would like to attend, please submit your details once agreed with your manager using this Microsoft Form https://forms.office.com/e/xeyQTDXE09.

ESSCP training and learning opportunities

 The new East Sussex Learning Portal launched earlier last year. If you haven’t already, you will need to create a new account to access the system. Please Click here to view the easy-to-follow user-guide, which explains how to set up an account and complete various tasks e.g. book training.

There is still time to book for a number of ESSCP virtual and classroom training opportunities. We would particularly like to draw your attention to Understanding Safeguarding in a Digital World (classroom, 30.06.25), Safeguarding Children with Additional Needs (Classroom, 18.06.25) and MisogyNOIR – inclusive safeguarding for black women and girls facing violence (virtual, 24.06.25). More details of our latest multi-agency training offer can be found on our website here: Multi-Agency Training Opportunities (April 2025) – ESSCP

eLearning courses covering mental health, child sexual abuse, domestic abuse, alcohol and drug misuse, and much more are now available on our dedicated eLearning website: East Sussex County Council: Log in to the site (learningpool.com)

The Sussex Child Death Review Team hold a rolling programme of training sessions aimed at multi-agency professionals who work with children and/or the families whether this is directly or indirectly, e.g GPs, Paediatricians, Police, Probation, Social Workers, etc. The aim of this training is to provide an overview of the statutory Child Death Review (CDR) and the role of the Child Death Review Nurse. More details about the training can be found here: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/68663.

They are also hosting a free one-day conference on Wednesday 17 September on Tackling the Taboo – Discussing Death and Loss in the Classroom at the University of Sussex, focusing on bereavement support for children and teachers in educational establishments. If you would like to be kept updated, please email [email protected] to be added to the conference circulation list. Tickets will be available for booking from the 12^th May here

Local briefings and newsletters

(additional resources password is ‘ESSCPAR123’)

·      The East Sussex Domestic Abuse, Sexual Violence/Abuse and Violence Against Women and Girls Team has produced their March information round up. This contains latest news from the sector, events, policy and legislative updates, funding opportunities, research and resources, local service information and job opportunities.

·      The East Sussex Safeguarding Adult Board has published their March 2025 Newsletter.

·      NHS Sussex produces a monthly ‘Safeguarding and Looked-After Children Newsletter’. The latest edition is now live on the NHS Sussex intranet and all Sussex professionals can request access. If you have not already registered, the please use the following link: Log in (ics.nhs.uk).

National Updates

 A National Voice, the children in care council for England hosted by Coram Voice, has set out three top priorities for the Children’s Minister to focus on following a consultation involving 325 care experienced children and young people. The report calls for the government to ensure that care experienced young people have better mental health support; are involved in decisions about their lives; and are given support to build better relationships: A National Voice send mental health message to Children’s Minister – Coram Voice

The Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse (CSA Centre) has updated its guidance on communicating with children who have or may have been sexually abused. The guide has been designed to help professionals to listen, understand and provide support to children and young people when there are concerns about sexual abuse: Communicating with children | CSA Centre

The Nuffield Family Justice Observatory has published an updated briefing on the number of newborn babies in England and Wales subject to care proceedings, now including ethnicity data for babies in England. The briefing includes data from 2015 to 2023. Findings show the number of babies in care proceedings in England and Wales has fallen. For England, the updated briefing indicates that babies with mixed or multiple ethnicities are over-represented in care proceedings: Newborn babies in urgent care proceedings in England and Wales: An update – Nuffield Family Justice Observatory

NSPCC Learning has published a Learning from case reviews briefing on housing. It summarises the key issues and learning for improved practice for housing services and providers from a sample of case reviews published between 2020 and 2023. The briefing highlights that housing professionals need to: understand their responsibility to recognise and respond to safeguarding and child protection concerns, even if the accommodation itself poses no issues; work effectively with other agencies and actively share their knowledge about families; and consider the needs of the whole family and the role of the local area in meeting those needs: Housing: learning from case reviews

The Youth Select Committee, an initiative led by the National Youth Agency, has published a new report investigating the impact of social media on youth violence. The report draws on evidence submissions from professionals, youth organisations and young people. The Committee set out to understand young people’s experience of violence both online and offline, exploring: the need for regulation of social media; youth services and preventative work; the role of schools in teaching online safety; and the role of the police. The Committee report calls for tech companies to do more to protect young people from violent and harmful online content and to be held accountable: Youth Select Committee publishes report investigating links between social media and youth violence – UK Parliament

Family Rights Group has created a new film for parents who have learning difficulties and disabilities on working with social workers. The film, made with parents, aims to help families understand what to expect when social workers become involved in their child’s life: New film for parents with learning difficulties and disabilities working with child and family social workers – Family Rights Group

Have you seen our NEW Pan Sussex procedures website: Sussex Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Procedures Resource

Do you know what the ESSCP does? Find out in this short 3 minute video

Follow the latest ESSCP news on our website News – ESSCP

Have you seen our latest briefings on learning from multi-agency audits and safeguarding practice reviews?