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July 2025

Hello!  I’ve got the pleasure (and yes, the slightly daunting honour!) of kicking things off this time. As the Quality Assurance Lead, I’ll be shining a spotlight on some of the fantastic work happening across our multi-agency partnership, especially the contributions from our Quality Assurance Workforce Development Group (QAWDG). And there’s plenty to share since our last update in April. I'm pleased to say that we've recently finalised our priorities, which will guide our collective efforts over the next two years. Please do take the time to read these as they reflect our shared commitment to making sure children and families get the right support, in the right place, at the right time. One of our priorities is improving partnership response to child neglect, and you'll be aware that we've been conducting a lot of work in this area. Most importantly, I'm delighted to be able to announce the launch of the multi-agency child neglect strategy 2025-2029, with a practitioner guidance and toolkit. You'll find more details below, but this is an important document as it sets out how the partnership will work to prevent, identify and respond to neglect; so, again, please take the time to familiarise yourself with the strategy.  We have also recently published guidance about strategy discussions, with quick guides for professionals or for families. While there are some great new resources to help explain Working Together to children and young people, too, in the form of an illustrated guide and an animated video. At the same time, work has been underway to explore new approaches to reviewing how young people transition from child to adult services. Instead of traditional audits, we spoke directly with senior leaders and project leads across Devon, and what we found was really encouraging. We’ll be sharing a full briefing on the findings and recommendations in August. But, in the meantime, the preparing for adulthood website offers an excellent public facing resource for all who are working with young people and for the young people and their families. As always, your engagement with these resources and initiatives makes a real difference. Thank you for your dedication to keeping Devon's children and families safe.

Kate Nightingale
Quality Assurance Lead
Devon Safeguarding Children Partnership

Our priorities for 2025-2027

In June, we finalised our priorities that will guide our collective efforts over the next two years. These reflect our shared commitment to making sure children and families get the right support, in the right place, at the right time.

Here’s what we’ll be focusing on:

1. Improving outcomes of pre-birth services and the response and support provided to families to prevent non-accidental injuries to infants.
2. Improving partnership response to child neglect.
3. Improving response to need through developing multi-agency contextual safeguarding approaches, including risk outside the home.
4. Improving the partnership response to domestic abuse to prevent harm to children.
5. Implementation of the Families First Partnership Programme.

Each priority is equally important (the numbering is solely to help identify each priority) and will help shape a stronger, more connected safeguarding system across Devon.

Launch of the new multi-agency child neglect strategy, practitioner guidance and toolkit

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the new multi-agency child neglect strategy, practitioner guidance and toolkit.

This launch marks a significant milestone in one of our top priorities: improving the partnership response to child neglect. Developed in response to a series of serious incidents reviewed by our multi-agency Child Safeguarding Practice Review Group in 2024, the strategy and guidance has been re-written and co-produced by our multi-agency colleagues.

Thanks to the ideas from our partners and practitioners who work directly with children and families, we’ve tried to create a clear and easy-to-use strategy and guide, with tools that can help everyone who works with children. Whether someone is checking how a child is doing, making a plan to help, or working closely with a family, the toolkit can support them. It’s designed to help people feel more confident in what to do, work better together, and make sure children get the help they need.

Please be sure to read and share the strategy and guidance so that, together, we can strengthen our collective response to child neglect.

Best practice events – a springboard for change

The new child neglect strategy is not the only piece of work we've been doing in this area. In spring, our best practice events brought together over 230 professionals from across Devon to explore how we can better recognise and respond to child neglect. The energy in the room at each locality venue was incredible, and with 70% of attendees sharing feedback, it’s clear these events made a real impact.

The events were inspired by the findings of our Child Neglect Thematic Review, which highlighted the need for more consistent approaches, stronger collaboration, and a deeper understanding of children’s lived experiences. The sessions gave practitioners practical tools, space to reflect, and a chance to connect across agencies.

We’re already planning future events on topics like professional curiosity, missing children and exploitation, and domestic abuse. We'll provide an update about future events as soon as possible, so keep an eye out!

Strategy discussions guidance

Whenever there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm, there should be a strategy discussion/meeting.

To improve our practice across the partnership. We have recently published guidance about strategy discussions.  We have also created quick guides for professionals or for families.

Making a request for support or reporting a child safety concern

Please be aware that we have recently revamped the pages on the Devon SCP website that relate to making a request for support or reporting a child safety concern.

This includes adding a range of contact details to the information for professionals page, and there is also a page that explains Devon Children’s Front Door and how it works.

Working Together illustrated guide

Made especially for children and young people, a beautifully illustrated guide to Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023) is now available. The guide makes the key messages more accessible for children, young people, families, and practitioners. An animated video about Working Together that can be shown to young people is also available.  All Working Together documents can be found on the government website.

Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE) 2025 Guidance Update

Earlier this month, the Department for Education (DfE) released the latest guidance for Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE) 2025.

If you would like to know more about the changes, further advice and support is available – including free webinars and guidance from the Devon Education Service.

Appropriate filtering and monitoring definitions 2025

Following a public consultation earlier this year, the UK Safer Internet Centre has now published the updated Appropriate Filtering and Monitoring Definitions for 2025.

These definitions continue to support education settings and providers across the UK in understanding what should be considered ‘appropriate’ in the context of statutory safeguarding responsibilities particularly in light of evolving technologies and updated government guidance.

Online harm within schools

Published by the UK Safer Internet Centre the Online Harm Within Schools: Insights from the 2024 POSH Annual Report offers an insightful snapshot of the online challenges faced by schools, educators, and safeguarding professionals. The report shines a spotlight on the growing complexity of online harms, covering issues around online reputation, cyberbullying, and impersonation to the misuse of school branding, the evolving digital environment presents real and pressing concerns for the education sector.

What does “vulnerability” mean for practitioners?

Working with Ofsted in response to to “the Big Listen”, Research in Practice have announced their proposed definition of what ‘vulnerability’ mean for practitioners.

You can find the definition and a summary of the findings on our website. Or, for full detail, read the trait to state report.

Transitions child-to-adult review

Earlier this year, we took a new approach to reviewing how young people transition from child to adult services. Instead of traditional audits, we spoke directly with senior leaders and project leads across Devon, and what we found was really encouraging. There’s already a lot of great work happening, from early planning and dedicated roles to innovative programmes like Talented Me and the Transitions Governance Group.

These insights are helping us build a more joined-up, responsive system for young people, especially those in care or with neurodiverse needs.

We’ll be sharing a full briefing on the findings and recommendations in August. In the meantime, the preparing for adulthood website offers an excellent public facing resource for all who are working with young people and for the young people and their families.

Understanding and Responding to AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material

A new guide warning about the ‘disturbing’ rise in the abuse of AI to create nude and sexual imagery of children has been issued to professionals working with children and young people to help them address the new threat. The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), together with the National Crime Agency, have developed comprehensive guides to provide essential information on understanding, identifying and responding to incidents involving AI-CSAM.

Spotlight on Emotional Abuse: What You Need to Know

Emotional abuse can be hard to spot, especially in children and young people. The signs are often subtle and may go unnoticed by the adults around them. So, to support professionals working with children, the NSPCC has updated its briefing on emotional abuse.

This resource brings together the latest data and insights to help inform evidence-based decisions. It includes:

• Statistics on the scale of emotional abuse in the UK
• Information from services supporting children
• Research into self-reported experiences from both children and adults

Domestic abuse in pregnancy and how to improve support for families affected by it

The NSPCC has produced and excellent podcast on domestic abuse in pregnancy and how to improve support for families affected by it. We highly recommend giving it a listen.

Devon HAF Programme

It’s not too late to book your child onto activities this summer through the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme.

Summer 2025 events an can booked using the new online booking system.

For more information about the programme, please visit the HAF pages on the Devon County Council website.

Staying safe in and around water

Every year in the UK, hundreds of lives are lost to accidental drowning – and many of those who die never intended to enter the water. Over the past five years, the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service have responded to 12 fatal water rescue incidents; each one a tragic reminder of how dangerous water can be. To help prevent future tragedies, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue has provided tips on how to stay safe in and around water.

The NSPCC Repository

Speaking of the NSPCC, did you know they have the most comprehensive collection of case reviews in the UK? The national case review repository provides a single place to access and share learning at a local, regional and national level.

Additionally, our colleagues in Torbay Safeguarding Children Partnership produce a monthly summary of each newly published review along with a link to the relevant report. These summaries are shared with us so that we can ensure consistent ways of working across the greater Devon area, and you can find these document on the Torbay SCP website.

The Devon Safeguarding Digest

Our monthly digest that will help you stay up to speed with safeguarding news and local policy changes. The Devon Safeguarding Digest is published on the Devon SCP site in the first week of each month. You can read the July Digest here.

Follow us on LinkedIn

We'd love for you to connect with us on LinkedIn. We are looking to build a network up on the site, and we will be posting updates and useful information, initially on a weekly basis.

Baking up team spirit Devon SCP style

At our July team meeting, the Devon SCP Business Team swapped laptops for icing tubes and turned biscuits into branding masterpieces! Led by our brilliant Business Support Officer, Elly Cobbett, who baked the biscuits with her daughter (and yes, her daughter gets full credit for the fabulous ‘S’ biscuit), the team took part in a creative activity that was as sweet as it was symbolic.

Each biscuit was decorated to reflect the Devon SCP identity, with colourful designs, smiling faces, and even our stick figures making an appearance. It was a fun, hands-on way to celebrate the partnership and, more importantly, to strengthen our team spirit.

We always include a team activity in our meetings, and they’re more than just a bit of fun: they’re a chance to connect, collaborate, and remind ourselves why working together matters. Whether it’s biscuit decorating or brainstorming safeguarding strategies, it’s the shared experience that builds trust and keeps us energised.

Training opportunities

Confidence in Attending Child Protection Conference Training

This course is for practitioners working with children, young people and families who may have to attend a Child Protection Conference as part of their role and want to feel more confident about contributing and contributing to the child protection processes.

📅 Course available on the following dates:

• 3 September 2025
• 1 October 2025
• 17 November 2025
• 10 December 2025

👉 Book on to a Confidence in Attending Child Protection Conference training course.

Bite size multi-agency learning action sets 

1. Purposeful Contacts

Who’s it for? Anyone working or volunteering with children, young people and families.

📅 Course available on the following dates:

• 3 October 2025

👉 Book on to a Bite Size Multi-Agency Learning Action Sets – (one) Purposeful Contacts course.

2. Analysing Risk

Who’s it for? Anyone working or volunteering with children, young people and families.

📅 Course available on the following dates:

• 10 October 2025

👉 Book on to a Bite Size Multi-Agency Learning Action Sets – (two) Analysing Risk course.

3. Planning

Who’s it for? Anyone working or volunteering with children, young people and families.

📅 Course available on the following dates:

• 17 October 2025

👉 Book on to a Bite Size Multi-Agency Learning Action Sets – (three) Planning course.

4. Voice of the Child

Who’s it for? Anyone working or volunteering with children, young people and families.

📅 Course available on the following dates:

• 12 September 2025
• 7 November 2025

👉 Book on to a Bite Size Multi-Agency Learning Action Sets – (four) Voice of the Child course.

5. Partnership Working

Who’s it for? Anyone working or volunteering with children, young people and families.

📅 Course available on the following dates:

• 19 September 2025
• 14 November 2025

👉 Book on to a Bite Size Multi-Agency Learning Action Sets – (five) Partnership Working course.

6. Recording

Who’s it for? Anyone working or volunteering with children, young people and families.

📅 Course available on the following dates:

• 26 September 2025
• 21 November 2025

👉 Book on to a Bite Size Multi-Agency Learning Action Sets – (six) Recording course.

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) training

This is the preferred way for you to develop your knowledge and understanding about the LADO service. This will give you an opportunity to meet some of the team and to ask any questions.

📅 Course available on the following dates:

• 22 September 2025
• 9 December 2025

👉 Book on to a LADO training course.

Right for Children training - further dates to be arranged

This free training is for any professional working with children, young people and their families. Right for Children is the IT platform for recording all Early Help support for families in Devon.

👉 Book on to a Right for Children: Part One training course.

👉 Book on to a Right for Children: Part Two training course.

Please email for enquiries: rightforchildren@devon.gov.uk

ICON Training

The aim of this training is to raise awareness and providing strategies and prevention information within the ICON intervention that can prevent babies being shaken. If you work directly with families this training would really benefit you.

📅 Course available on the following dates:

• 10 September 2025
• 17 November 2025

👉 Book on to an ICON training course.

Other Workforce Development Opportunities

We also have lots of fully funded e-learning modules and video learning opportunities that you can access on the Devon SCP website. 

Next newsletter: October 2025

Contact us

The Devon SCP Business Team can be contacted on 01392 386067 or via the Devon SCP website.

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