Children's Services Department

Safeguarding and Rights

The Divisional Director for Safeguarding and Rights will lead the department in developing safeguards to protect children and young people from harm and actively promoting their welfare.

The Safeguarding and Rights Division will not only work with children who are currently at risk or those who are socially excluded. It will also champion the needs and rights of excluded and under-served groups, improving the quality of the service they receive, defining and implementing a multi-agency approach to managing risk and ensuring that the child's voice is not only heard but responded to.

The Safeguarding and Rights Division have responsibility for:

Providing an individualised service to children in the greatest need. These services generally have a statutory basis and require a formal assessment stage
Safeguarding and protecting vulnerable children
Building on the ongoing improvements in Children's Services. Challenges include stabilising staffing and achieving recognisably improved performance through good practice and creating much closer working relationships with schools
Managing the Disabled Children's Team and link with partnerships across the health and voluntary sectors
Leading the development of a Preventative Strategy and a Workforce Development Strategy