NISB Work Plan 2019-20
Introduction
The National Board’s Duties and Responsibilities
The National Board has three primary duties which have shaped our work plan. These are:
1. To provide support and advice 1 to Safeguarding Boards with a view to ensuring that they are effective
2. To report on the adequacy and effectiveness of arrangements to safeguard children and adults in Wales
3. To make recommendations to the Welsh Ministers as to how those arrangements could be improved (S.132 (2)).
In addition, eight specific responsibilities of the National Board are set out in Working Together to Safeguard People, the Part 7 Guidance on Safeguarding. That is, the National Board:
1) works alongside Safeguarding Adults Boards and Safeguarding Children Boards to secure consistent improvements in
safeguarding policy and practice throughout Wales (para 246)
2) will engage with the chairs of the Safeguarding boards, and relevant inspectorates…at least twice a year (para 258)
3) will stay abreast of evidence and policy approaches to safeguarding and protection in other parts of the UK and beyond in
order to learn from those and to evaluate Wales’ relative performance (para 261)
4) where a theme of concern is identified…the National Board could recommend to Welsh Ministers that the matter be
escalated to Welsh Government for exploration or to the relevant inspectorate (para 263)
5) will use mechanisms to regularly engage with a range of expert reference groups, practitioners and individuals (para 264)
6) will publish its own annual reports including any work it is planning. It will also hold an annual engagement event or events (para 265)
7) has a specific duty under section 133 (2) (d) of the Act to “consult with those who may be affected by arrangements to safeguard adults and children in Wales.” It will use that duty to enhance its understanding of and extend its experience of safeguarding and protection in Wales (para 266)
8) will consider the learning from the ‘user engagement’ activities of the Safeguarding Boards (para 266).
The Work Plan
| 1. To provide support and advice to Safeguarding Boards with a view to ensuring that they are effective | ||
| Plan | Scope and Methods | Outcomes |
| Develop a national safeguarding awareness campaign for Wales The National Board is tasked with engaging with the general public about safeguarding but has not as yet been able to address this. Despite significant regional board campaigns and activity to raise public awareness, the role of agencies and the work of regional safeguarding boards remain largely unknown to the general public, aside from media reports when reviews are published. | The NISB in partnership with Welsh Government and the Regional Safeguarding Children and Adults Boards: • Agree key messages nationally for next 12 months • Facilitate social media campaign • Support with content on website • Influence the theme safeguarding week • Determine key messages from stakeholders and service users. | Increase opportunities for the general public to engage with safeguarding boards or their constituent agencies. |
| Website | • Re-vamp of current website through new procurement tender • On-going monthly maintenance of new website | A more up to date and user-friendly NISB website. |
| Learning from Reviews | • Publish thematic review Child Practice Reviews • Seminar to share findings from reviews inc HIW Chris Wade Review • Agree arrangements for Wales Safeguarding Review Repository • Safeguarding Intelligence Project • Contributing to national review and participating in governance of learning reviews (DHR’s, APR’s, CPR’s) | Lessons are learned from each and every review both locally and nationally. |
| Provide support & advice on their effectiveness to safeguarding board meetings | • NISB members attend and participate in RSB meetings. • NISB develop overarching view of RSB work plans and emerging themes and issues. | Examples of the support and advice provided are reflected in meetings with Ministers and Regional Board Chairs and in the National Board’s Annual Report |
| Responding to emerging themes | The Board receives enquiries as a result of its work. The Board’s remit extends to providing advice and assistance. | An Annual Report that effectively captures emerging themes. |
| 2. To report on the adequacy and effectiveness of arrangements to safeguard children and adults in Wales | ||
| Plan | Scope and Methods | Outcomes |
| Annual Report on the effectiveness of arrangements in Wales | • Produce Annual Report by 31.10.2019. • Monthly meetings of NISB | Recommendations on how those arrangements could be improved. |
| Engage with Chairs RSB | • Two workshops with chairs (Autumn & Spring) | An agreed assurance framework to determine the adequacy and effectiveness of arrangements in Wales. NISB Annual Report |
| Engage with Inspectorates | Meet with: • CIW • WAO • HIW • Estyn • HMIP | Develop an agreed assurance framework to determine the adequacy and effectiveness of arrangements in Wales. NISB Annual Report |
| Engage with key stakeholder organisations | Stakeholder/service user engagement Each member of NISB to keep in touch with an allocated organisation: • Older People Commissioner • Children’s Commissioner for Wales • Future Generations Commissioner • Police and Crime Commissioner • Public Health Wales • Social Care Wales • Education Workforce Council • Charity Commission • DBS | Effective engagement with service users. |
| MASH work for WG (under consideration) | • Multi Agency safeguarding Host – to commission an evaluation for evidence review. • NISB to look at recommendations and report to Minister. | Framework of Principles |
| 3. To make recommendations to the Welsh Ministers as to how those arrangements could be improved (S.132 (2)). | ||
| Plan | Scope and Methods | Outcomes |
| Meetings with Minister | • Up to 4 meetings per year Via Annual Report • Raise specific issues as they arise | To keep Minister updated on emerging issues and to seek advice as required. |