Welcome to the South Tyneside Safeguarding Children Board website.

Introduction:

South Tyneside Safeguarding Children Board (STSCB) was established in February 2006 under section 13 of the Children Act 2004. STSCB’s structure consists of an Executive Board and 4 standing subgroups. The Board is a multi-agency partnership whose membership consists of a number of local agencies with childcare and / or safeguarding responsibilities.

The core objectives of Local Safeguarding Children Boards, set out in the Children Act 2004 (Section 14(1) are:

• To co-ordinate what is done by each person or body represented on the Board for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in South Tyneside
• To ensure the effectiveness of what is done by each such person or body for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in South Tyneside

In essence, the Board exists to ensure that childcare agencies fulfil their statutory duties established under Section 11 of the Children Act 2004 and Section 175 of the Education Act 2002. The Board also addresses our adherence to Standard 5 of the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services.

From April 2008 there is also a duty upon LSCBs to review all child deaths that occur within it’s area and for the assessment of a Child Death Overview Panel.

The Board replaced Area Child Protection Committee that had focussed solely on child protection, how we respond to children at risk of abuse or neglect. Whilst this area of work remains the core function of the Board, safeguarding encompasses a much wider range of issues such as bullying, crime and accidents.

Local Safeguarding Children Boards are a key part of the Every Child Matters: Change for Children Programme (ECM) and our Board in South Tyneside will take a leading role in shaping our policies, procedures and services that will deliver the objectives and aims that fall under the Stay Safe ECM Outcome. It will do this both through developing its own work plans and by establishing close working relationships with the Children and Young People's Alliance so that it can influence the commissioning of services designed to deliver all 5 ECM Outcomes. The Board also has a line of governance to the Local Strategic Partnership that manages our Local Area Agreement.

Vision

South Tyneside is a place where there is a brighter future for all children and young people - we will improve outcomes for all children and young people by supporting them in being healthy, staying safe, enjoying & achieving, making a positive contribution and in achieving economic well-being.