The safeguarding partners must make arrangements to identify and review serious child safeguarding cases which, in their view, raise issues of importance in the relation to their area.
Serious child safeguarding cases are those in which:
- abuse or neglect of a child is known or suspected and
- the child had died or been seriously harmed.
Serious harm includes (but is not limited to) serious and/or long-term impairment of a child’s mental health or intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural development. It should also cover the impairment of physical health. This is not an exhaustive list. When making decisions, judgment should be exercised even in cases where impairment is likely to be long-term, even if this is not immediately certain. Even if a child recovers, including from a one-off incident, serious harm may still have occurred.
The safeguarding partners must commission and oversee the review of those cases, where it is considered appropriate for a review to be undertaken.
The criteria that the local safeguarding partners must take into account when considering if a review should be undertaken are whether the case:
- highlights or may highlight improvements needed to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, including where those improvements have been previously identified.
- highlights or may highlight recurrent themes in the safeguarding and promotion of the welfare of children.
- highlights or may highlight concerns regarding two or more organisations or agencies working together effectively to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
- is one which the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel has considered and concluded a local review may be more appropriate.
Working Together 2018: Improving child protection and safeguarding practice provides advice and guidance on safeguarding practice reviews.
We have produced an animation for partners to describe the Rapid Review Process
Rapid Reviews and Safeguarding Practice Reviews
- Serious Incident Notification Pathway for professionals
- Rapid review SPR referral form
- Rapid review flowchart
- Safeguarding Practice Review Communication Strategy
- Local Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews - Regional Toolkit and Practice Guidance 2023
- Learning from a Local Safeguarding Practice Review - Child T
Safeguarding Practice Reviews commissioned under Working Together 2018
- Amy - Safeguarding Practice Review Published August 2021
- Baby X - Serious Case Review Published March 2022
- Matt - Safeguarding Practice Review Published June 2022 - View the Action Plan from this Safeguarding Practice Review
- Child T - Safeguarding Practice Review Published December 2022
- SW - Safeguarding Practice Review Published May 2023 View the One-Minute-Guide from this Safeguarding Practice Review
- Anya - Safeguarding Practice Review Published November 2023 View the Webinar from this Safeguarding Practice Review
Coventry Safeguarding Children Partnership (CSCP)
This team cannot take calls related to individual children or families. To discuss an individual or a case please call Coventry Children’s Social Care at the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) on 024 7678 8555.