Safeguarding Children

If you are concerned about the safety of a child please refer to the Multi-Agency referral unit (MARU) 0300 123 1116

 

There are multiple websites and documents for GPs to access information around child protection guidance, process and also training. The most useful up to date information should be found on the OSCP website: https://ciossafeguarding.org.uk/scp

Cornwall has good local arrangements for safeguarding and promoting welfare of children. This is a statutory requirement under the Children Act 2004 (Section 16E). For Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, this safeguarding partnership is known as Our Safeguarding Children Partnership (OSCP). The safeguarding partners are:

The local authorities – Cornwall Council and the Council of the Isles of Scilly

The clinical commissioning group for the area – Kernow CCG

The chief officer of police for the area – Devon and Cornwall Police

The partnership brings together representatives from different organisations in the area. These are organisations that help to protect children from abuse and neglect. OSCP is a multi-agency forum. It agrees how the different agencies and professional groups should co-operate to safeguard children. It also provides assurance that those arrangements work effectively to bring about good outcomes for children. 

https://ciossafeguarding.org.uk/scp

Cornwall arrangements are in line with SW procedures-https://www.proceduresonline.com/swcpp/cornwall_scilly/index.html

GPs can also contact the Named or Designated Professionals for Children’s Safeguarding directly, if they wish to clarify issues around statutory or strategic guidance.

For immediate case based advice, where a GP may benefit from a discussion with a paediatrician, then they should continue to contact the duty paediatrician for child protection that day either directly on 01872 254552 or via RCHT switchboard.

(Please note that the paediatricians may not be immediately available and will return your call as soon as they can. Please ensure you leave a directly contactable number rather than the Practice Reception.)

General or more specific advice can also be obtained thought the CFT/RCHT Integrated Safeguarding Services (https://www.royalcornwall.nhs.uk/our-care-promise/safeguarding/). This team can be contacted for more general (non-urgent) advice rather than urgent specific medical advice. This is also the best point of access for the RCHT Named Professionals.

The Specialist Safeguarding Nurse can be contacted 07919306308 / 01872 255748 or through the generic e mail which is a reliable means of contact: rcht.sgchildren@nhs.net