Other Initiatives

From time to time BASPCAN initiate and develop various areas of work in the field of child protection and safeguarding. These will be announced in this section of the website with details of where to look for full details if applicable.

 

Family Involvement in Serious Case Reviews

Forthcoming Research Publication Launch

15-18 April 2012  8th National Congress   Queen's University, Belfast

 

We wish to inform you about a significant new research project, commissioned and funded by BASPCAN (British Association for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect):


Effective facilitation of family participation in Serious Case Reviews (England & Wales), Case Management Reviews (Northern Ireland) and Significant Case Reviews (Scotland), has been seen as an indication of performance by regulatory bodies across the four nations. This aspect of the work undertaken within a review is often seen as being complex and difficult to successfully achieve by those involved. However and perhaps as a result, relatively little is currently known about the experience of the families/others involved in such processes, differing local arrangements and the components of good practice in this challenging area of work. This study addresses some of the learning needs arising from the expectations of participation and in so doing, also seeks to ensure harmful policies and practices are avoided.


Specifically the research addresses the following questions:


- What are the current protocols and procedures for participation as set out by Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) and their equivalents?
- What are the experiences of families who have participated in such reviews and what learning can be drawn from these experiences?
- What are the professional experiences of family involvement?
- What conclusions can be drawn for guiding effective practice?


The project is commissioned and funded by BASPCAN and ethical approval for the study was granted by the University of Nottingham research ethics committee.

The research team consists of;

Kate Morris (University of Nottingham)
Marian Brandon (University of East Anglia)
Paul Tudor (Safeguarding Advisor and Independent SCR Chair)


and is overseen by Jonathan Picken (BASPCAN) and David Spicer (BASPCAN)

A series of consultation events are being held across the UK: in London (6th Dec 2011, House of Lords); in Swansea (12 Dec 2011,Civic Centre, Swansea); in Northern Ireland (16 Jan 2012, Queen's University, Belfast - also to involve colleagues in the Republic of Ireland) and in Scotland (23 Jan 2012, Scottish Government Offices, Edinburgh). These events are by invitation only to relevantly experienced individuals and will form an important aspect of the research study currently being carried out and seek to ensure that those with experience of carrying out CMRs and SCRs are able to share their knowledge and inform our understanding of this complex area of work. The research team will share an overview of their work to date and facilitate exploration of the legal, ethical and practical challenges faced by those attempting to involve families and significant others in CMRs and SCRs. Through small group discussions they will also seek to draw upon experience of this sensitive work and the extent to which this has been able to enable those close to the child/young person to contribute to the learning from such tragic events.

The culmination of the research will be a full report of this study made available through a publication by BASPCAN. This publication will disseminate the findings of the study and provide practice guidance in respect of this sensitive work. In addition BASPCAN will seek to use the findings to inform policy, practice and for the report to become essential reading for those working in this field.

BASPCAN intend to announce the detailed findings of the study during our 8th National Congress, when copies of the publication will also be available.

If you would like to pre-order a copy please contact Judy Sanderson by email at baspcan@baspcan.org.uk

 

 

 

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Submission to the Assembly Health Committee Enquiry on the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland by BASPCAN NI Branch

A couple of months ago the BASPCAN Northern Ireland Branch made a submission to the Northern Ireland Health Committee on the proposals for establishing a safeguarding board for Northern Ireland. Please click here to view the submision to the Assembly Health Commitee from BASPCAN.