Foreword
Hello and welcome to the latest Hampshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (HSCP) newsletter, Keeping Our Children Safe.
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new HSCP Independent Chair and Scrutineer. It is a great honour to be taking on the role and continuing to support the fantastic work that is taking place across the partnership. To learn more about me and my background in safeguarding, please see my biography, which is featured later in the newsletter.
In this edition of safeguarding news, I would like to highlight the upcoming HSCP Annual Conference, which takes place on Thursday, 2 February 2023. This conference will focus on the important topic of how parental/carer anxiety has the potential to have a safeguarding impact on children of different ages. There are still spaces available for this important virtual event. For more information and to register for a free place please book here.
In association with the Isle of Wight Safeguarding Children Partnership (IOWSCP) we are pleased to report on the recent publication of the Supporting your Adolescent toolkit for parents and carers, which supports last year’s launch of the professionals toolkit, Safeguarding Adolescents. The Supporting your Adolescent toolkit covers a wide range of topics, which were specifically chosen by parents and carers. Please familiarise yourself with the toolkit and widely share this invaluable resource with families of adolescent children you work with.
The role of education in safeguarding children is fundamental and as Independent Chair and Scrutineer, it will be a priority to continue to develop our relationship to not just prevent harm, but also improve outcomes for children and families. I would like to highlight the updated Domestic Abuse Guidance for Pre-Schools, Schools and Colleges and the relaunch of the excellent Keeping our Friends Safe tool for primary schools. Working collaboratively with our partners, these resources have been well thought out and I hope will be useful for our education colleagues. The influence of trusted relationships with teachers, lecturers, teaching assistants and other members of staff in schools and colleges are so important to the emotional health and wellbeing of children.
The HSCP partnership team and I are keen to ensure we are providing you with information that will support you in your role, so if you have any suggestions or information you would like covered in future editions of the newsletter, please let the team know at hspc@hants.gov.uk.
Scott MacKechnie
Independent Chair and Scrutineer
Hampshire Safeguarding Children Partnership
HSCP provides a range of multi-agency