Policies, procedures and guidance

On this page you will find the Children’s MARS Policies and Procedures.

Working Together 2018 provides statutory guidance on inter-agency working and outlines how agencies should respond individually and collectively to concerns related to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

It also includes guidance on, organisational responsibilities, multi-agency safeguarding arrangements, child safeguarding practice reviews and child death reviews. It provides links to relevant supplementary guidance that practitioners should consider. Our procedures reflect Working Together 2018 and are in two sections – statutory and supplementary.

Individual agency procedures must be compliant with the statutory Working Together guidance

Statutory documents

• Helping Children and Families (Threshold Document 2016-2020)
• Assessing Need and Providing Help [pdf 2472KB]- this chapter outlines early help, information sharing, making a referral, statutory assessments and child protection conferences
• Organisational Responsibilities [pdf 551 KB]– this chapter outlines the safeguarding duties for agencies and individual organisations.
• Multi-Agency Safeguarding Arrangements [pdf 459 KB] – this chapter outlines the roles and functions of the safeguarding partners, agencies and individual organisations in relation to the Children’ MARS Board and dispute resolution.
• Child Death Reviews [pdf 762KB] – this chapter outlines the processes to be followed by multi agencies when a child has died.
• Improving Child Protection and Safeguarding Practice [pdf 828KB]- this chapter outlines the Children’s MARS arrangements for child safeguarding practice reviews and local learning reviews
• Statutory Framework [pdf 528KB]- this chapter sets out the legislation relevant to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
• Transitional Arrangements Guidance [pdf 597KB]- this chapter outlines the arrangements for transition to the new local safeguarding arrangements, child death reviews and child safeguarding practice reviews
• Managing Allegations against People who work with Children [pdf 663KB] – this chapter outlines what professionals must do in circumstances where there is an allegation against someone who works with children

Supplementary documents

• Information sharing guidance [pdf 505KB] – the protocol provides information on the effective and legitimate sharing of information between professionals and agencies
• PVI safeguarding policy [pdf 70KB] – exemplar safeguarding policy for private voluntary and independent nurseries/early years provision
• Multi-agency protocol for the assessment of injuries to non-mobile babies and children [1087KB] – this chapter outlines the responsibilities of practitioners operating in North Lincolnshire who may come into contact with babies and children who have sustained physical injuries, with particular reference to the assessment and management of injuries to Non-Mobile Babies, and Children who are not Independently Mobile.
• Practice guidance for working with families who are reluctant to engage [802KB] – this guidance is to assist professionals where they are working with families who are reluctant to engage.
• Guidance on the code of conduct for people working with children and young people [362KB] – this guidance describes the standards of conduct and practice that should be followed by professionals.
• Good practice use of interpreters [453KB] – this document is for the use of schools and other agencies
• Guidance and procedure for identifying and responding to concerns about FGM [1042KB] – this guidance and procedure explains the duties and actions to be taken regarding recognising and responding to children who are at  risk of/who may have suffered FGM, and is for professionals to help them identify and respond to concerns or disclosures about FGM
• Honour based abuse and forced marriage protocol [836KB] – the protocol provides practitioners in North Lincolnshire with information about HBA and FM, and guidance about what to do if they are concerned about a child or young person
• Neglect guidance [575KB] – this guidance supports professionals in working with families where neglect is a factor.
• No access visits [751KB] – this guidance assists practitioners in determining the most appropriate course of action to take in situations where the child is unseen.
• Practice guidance section 85 and 86 [321KB] – this guidance outlines the responsibilities of agencies to make referrals to Children’s Services where a child has been placed for or with the intention of being placed for 3 months or more in a care home, hospital or independent hospital
• Guidance and checklist for child protection policies [280KB] – this document is for the use of voluntary and community organisations to develop a child protection policy
• Policy statement – children who live in households where there is domestic abuse [232KB] – sets out what North Lincolnshire will do to protect children from the effects of domestic abuse.
• Policy statement – protecting disabled children from harm [233KB] – sets out what North Lincolnshire will do to protect disabled children from harm.
• Policy statement – reducing the harm from neglect [137KB] – sets out what North Lincolnshire will do to reduce the harm from neglect.
• Joint Safe Sleeping Guidance for Babies [PDF 1169Kb] – the guidance supports all organisations and their workers in a consistent message and approach to safe sleeping to prevent baby / child deaths.
• Child Sexual Exploitation: Definition and a guide for practitioners, local leaders and decision makers working to protect children from child sexual exploitation [PDF 1569Kb] CSE Vulnerabilities and Risk Indicators[PDF 411Kb] – this guidance outlines the policy and procedures for how organisations and agencies should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people from sexual exploitation.
• Supplementary Guidance: Child Criminal Exploitation: Definition and a guide for practitioners, local leaders and decisions makers working to protection children from child criminal exploitation [PDF 1393kb] Child Criminal Exploitation Vulnerabilities and Risk Indicators Guide [PDF 243KB] – this guidance outlines the policy and procedures on how organisations and agencies should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people from child criminal exploitation.
• Integrated Multi Agency Partnership (IMAP) Information Sharing Agreement [PDF 919Kb] – The goal of IMAP is to improve safeguarding and promote the welfare of children and young people through the timely exchange of proportionate and accurate information following an enquiry by any professional or member of the public.
• Guidance for recognising and responding to breast ironing [PDF 626KB] – this guidance explains the actions to be taken regarding recognising and responding to children who are at risk of/who have suffered breast ironing.