The LSCB is the key statutory mechanism for agreeing how the relevant organisations in each local area will cooperate to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in that locality, and for ensuring the effectiveness of what they do. LSCBs carry out functions set out in regulations (LSCB Regulations 2006, S.I. 2006 no.90). Their work includes

  • agreeing local policies and procedures for how the different organisations will work together on safeguarding
  • contributing to local plans
  • communicating to local organisations and the community
  • ensuring safeguarding training is provided, monitoring what the LSCB members do and how effective local safeguarding is.

LSCBs are also required to undertake serious case reviews and child death reviews.

Regulation 5 of the Local Safeguarding Children Boards Regulations 2006 requires LSCBs to undertake reviews of serious cases. These reviews are known as serious case reviews (SCRs). Chapter 8 of Working together to safeguard children sets out the purposes of and processes for undertaking SCRs.

SCRs are undertaken when a child dies (including death by suspected suicide), and abuse or neglect is known or suspected to be a factor in the death. Additionally, LSCBs may decide to conduct a SCR whenever a child has been seriously harmed in any of the following situations and the case gives rise to concerns about the way in which local professionals and services worked together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children (including inter-agency and inter-disciplinary working): 

  • a child sustains a potentially life-threatening injury or serious and permanent impairment of physical and mental health and development through abuse or neglect
  • a child has been seriously harmed as a result of being subjected to sexual abuse
  • a parent has been murdered and a domestic homicide review is being initiated under the Domestic Violence Act 2004
  • a child has been seriously harmed following a violent assault perpetrated by another child or an adult.

The purpose of SCRs

This is to

  • establish what lessons are to be learned from the case about the way in which local professionals and organisations work individually and together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children
  • identify clearly what those lessons are both within and between agencies, how and within what timescales they will be acted on, and what is expected to change as a result, and
  • improve intra- and inter-agency working and better safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Publication of SCR overview reports

The Coalition Government confirmed on 10 June 2010 its commitment to ensuring all SCR overview reports, anonymised and with identifying details removed, are published. The Government amended statutory guidance so that the overview report and executive summary of all new SCRs initiated from 10 June 2010 should be published. Read Tim Loughton's letter to DCSs and LSCB chairs for more information.

On 26 October 2010 the Government published the two SCR overview reports relating to Peter Connelly.

LSCB annual reports

The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 introduced a requirement for LSCBs to produce and publish an annual report on the effectiveness of safeguarding in the local area. As part of this annual report, every LSCB will need to include a progress update on the actions that have been taken in response to current and recent SCRs. Paragraph 3.36 of Working together to safeguard children outlines these requirements.

Further information

Statutory guidance

Chapter 8 of Working together to safeguard children (2010) sets out the processes local safeguarding children boards (LSCBs) should follow when undertaking SCRs.

Key documents

Government response to the public consultation on 'Working together to safeguard children', chapter 8: Serious case reviews (December 2009)

Chapter 8 of Working together to safeguard children was revised separately to the full statutory guidance in 2009 following a full public consultation. The public consultation ran from 31 July to 23 October 2009 and was supported by regional seminars. The Government response to this consultation provides an overview of responses and summarises the key findings. Chapter 8 has now been integrated into the full revised Working Together to Safeguard Children (2010).

Government response to public consultation on 'Working together to safeguard children' (March 2010)

A revised Working together to safeguard children was published on 17 March 2010. Public consultation on the revised guidance ran from 18 December 2009 to 11 February 2010 and was supported by regional conferences in Manchester, Birmingham and London. The Government response to this consultation provides an overview of responses, a summary of key findings and a summary of changes made to further strengthen chapter 8 since its revision in 2009.

Resources

Biennial overview reports:

Contact information

Copies of fully anonymised final SCR reports (including the executive summary and overview report, individual and multi-agency action plans, and individual management reviews) should be sent to:

  1. the National Business Unit (NBU) at Ofsted; and
  2. the Safeguarding Group at the Department for Education, either by hard copy by registered post, or via email (password protected and encrypted using Winzip).

Contact details

National Business Unit (Ofsted)
3rd Floor, Royal Exchange Buildings
St Ann's Square
Manchester
M2 7LA
Telephone: 0845 640 4040

Safeguarding Group
1st Floor
Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
Email: mailbox.scr@education.gsi.gov.uk