Safeguarding and Early Intervention

This essential service provides organisations with specialist support for safeguarding policies, concerns over individual child welfare and protection, allegations against staff and representation on Barnet’s Safeguarding Children Board.

Children and Young People

Specialist Safeguarding Adviser

Safeguarding is child protection, preventing harm to children and promoting their well-being. If you are concerned a child is, or is likely to be harmed, you must contact either social services or the police. For all other questions/concerns/doubts contact Barry Rawlings on 078 3353 0593. Barry will also keep groups informed on changes in legislation and procedures.

Safeguarding Surgery, Training and Policy Development

Barry Rawlings holds a monthly drop-in session around Barnet – please feel free to come in to discuss any concerns or for CRB evidence checking. If you wish to have a confidential conversation regarding concerns Barry can arrange a separate meeting. For details of the surgery please see the regular Safeguarding Matters which will also contain information on training opportunities.

Criminal Record Bureau Checks

CommUNITY Barnet can provide an evidence checking service for CRB checks – for further details please contact Barry Rawlings.

Representation on Multi-Agency Groups

CommUNITY Barnet is representing you on several multi-agency boards, panels and task groups to ensure that the voluntary and community sector are involved in all areas of safeguarding in Barnet

Specialist Faith and Safeguarding Support

CommUNITY Barnet works to ensure that all safeguarding services and materials are accessible and relevant to the wide range of community groups in the borough. Faith and BME groups can sometimes have some very specific cultural issues that can be misunderstood. We work to improve understanding, by connecting professionals in voluntary and statutory positions - and creating safe places for dialogue and conversation.

CommUNITY Barnet engages with faith and community leaders to promote positive parenting, and practices that place the safety of children at the top of the agenda. We can advocate for a child or family when things get difficult, or where an independent view is helpful. Training is on offer as well as personal advice.

Information and useful materials on safeguarding in faith communities can be found on Barnet's faithbook website.

CAF Advice (Common Assessment Framework Advisor)

The CAF is a straightforward way to support a child or young person to raise issues and ensure they receive appropriate services.

Our CAF Advice Service provides voluntary sector organisations with professional support around CAF issues.

We can:

· Answer your questions in confidence

· Guide you through the process

· Signpost you to appropriate organisations

· Support you to complete your first CAF

· Identify or provide a lead professional to manage the CAF

PLEASE NOTE: This is to advise you of changes to the CAF Team. Formally known as the CAF Team, the new Team is now called the Multi Agency Support Team. Please see here for more information on the new Multi Agency Support Team and for the list of Multi Agency Co-ordinators (MACs) available for you to contact.

What is Barnet council doing? What is the FIP and the Community budget?

Attached to the bulletin is the presentation made by Children’s Service - Director Robert mc McCullough Graham about the new service which will be funded by ‘Community Budgets’. It is important that we understand why and how the council is developing this new service as it will form part of the new early intervention programme.

If you are a supplementary school or a faith group then we will be posting updates and useful references on the and websites.

See here for Safeguarding Resources for Faith and Cultural Groups and here for the latest Barnet Safeguarding Children Board Newsletter (April 2012)

Other Useful links:

To participate in a focus group, or to find out more, please contact karen@flourishing.me.uk