Social care practice guidance

A range of guidance is available in this section relating to the social care of children and young people in North Somerset.

This online guidance outlines practice procedures, protocols and ICT help for the benefit of social care professionals.

This includes our own staff and all other staff and agencies likely to work with children and young people across the district.

If you use guidance or a document not listed within this section please contact our Management Information Assistant on 01934 634 502 so we can add it to our list.

North Somerset guidance

The following links relate to specific local guidance relating to the social care of children and young people:

• Integrated Children's System (ICS) Guidance

South West guidance

The following links relate to specific local policies, procedures and protocols:

• South West Child Protection Procedures (SWCPP) - Agreed South West version of the Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 manual and will progressively replace this guidance
• North Somerset Working Together Manual - Outlines procedures and protocols for children in need of support and protection
• Child Care Scheme of Delegated Decision Making - Outlines levels of professional and financial decisions for North Somerset staff
• Information for Children and Young People: Child Protection Case Conference - Guidance on case conferences for children and young people
• Safeguarding and Protecting Children: Child Protection Case Conference - Guidance on case conferences for parents and carers

National guidance

The following links relate to specific national policies, procedures and protocols:

• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 - Outlines procedures and protocols for children in need of support and protection
• Children and Families: Safer from Sexual Crime - Guidance from Metropolitan Police on laws protecting children and families from sexual crime
• Complex Child Abuse Investigations: Inter Agency Issues - Guidance for social services departments and police forces from the Home Office Police
• Female genital mutilation - Information for local authorities from Department for Education and Skills (DfES)
• Guidance for Professionals Working with Sexually Active under 18 Year Olds - Example of a local protocol from Every Child Matters multi-agency body
• Identification of Individuals who present a Risk to Children - Information for local authorities from Every Child Matters multi-agency body
• Safeguarding Children Involved in Prostitution - Supplementary guidance to Working Together to Safeguard Children from Department of Health (DoH)
• Safeguarding Children in whom Illness is Fabricated or Induced - Supplementary guidance to Working Together to Safeguard Children from Department of Health (DoH)
• What to do if you're worried a child is being abused - Best practice guidance from Department of Health (DoH)
• Working within the Sexual Offences Act 2003 - Guidance from Metropolitan Police on laws affecting those who work with children
• Young people and vulnerable adults facing forced marriage - Practice guidance for social workers from Association of Directors of Social Services (ADSS)
• Young refugees - Guidance on rights and entitlements of separated refugee children from Save the Children