Safeguarding Quality Assurance and Improvement

The Safeguarding Quality Assurance and Improvement Service is made up of the following teams:

• LSCB
• Conference and Review (CP and LAC)
• Learning and Development
• Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

The current management team has looked to build on the strengths of professionals within the team, and address individual shortfalls, through a relationship-based leadership style. This, together with developing and promoting individual skillsets and specialisms as well as smarter logistics in terms of geography with IRO’s, is improving team performance, as well as lifting team morale and individual energy and passion.

The above strategy is now enabling the team to have the confidence to fulfil their quality assurance role with front line staff more effectively. By following the ‘relationship based’ practice they can work alongside front line professionals to help, support and improve their performance, rather than using a harsher ‘top down’ approach that would only alienate our already stretched social work professionals.

The current team plan will further develop and improve both professional skillsets and team performance to ensure that they our children and young people receive the best possible service.

The LADO within SQIP has been rated as ‘excellent’ by external auditors and our LADO Service is highly regarded both locally and nationally.

The learning and development offer includes support and development for practitioners at all levels of the social work career.

This is what Dawn has to say about working in SQIP:

“There is a small team of CPAs and IROs who are very friendly and supportive of one another. We are using the signs of safety model and have led the authority in embedding this model in practice.

CPAs have the use of a conference suite with white boards to support the use of this model. As a CPA you will work very closely with our supportive and helpful business support officers. We all sit together in our central building which houses all the social work staff, allowing and enabling close links with the social work teams.”

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