NCAS conference: ADCS warns over 'loss of clarity' of safeguarding boards

A policy paper on LSCBs published by the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) has warned there has been a “loss of clarity” on the role of boards among some government departments and statutory partners such as Ofsted.

It states that LSCBs are now asked to lead on a wide range of safeguarding issues such as preventing child sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation and the radicalisation of whole families.

“This mission creep – from co-ordinating and overseeing the effectiveness of the activity of constituent partners, to a sense of responsibility to commission or deliver services and solutions – has led to inappropriate expectations being placed upon LSCBs, expectations which they are not established, equipped, nor funded to fulfil,” the paper states.

Speaking at the National Children and Adult Services (NCAS) conference in Bournemouth, ADCS president Alison O’Sullivan said LSCBs are the right model to bring together safeguarding work across an area.

“But their role needs to be clearly focused and implemented with confidence in order to fulfil the principal statutory objective of LSCBs – that work to protect children is properly co-ordinated and effective,” she said.

“While the LSCB must be the fulcrum where agencies are held to account for their safeguarding responsibilities, it may not necessarily be best placed to fulfil the wider preventative work.”

ADCS recommends that boards’ core role should be tightly defined with government restating what their principal statutory objective is.