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Quality Assurance Activity

A core function of the LSCB is to monitor the quality of the work undertaken to safeguard children and understanding the impact of this work in terms of its effectiveness in improving outcomes for children and young people and keeping them safe from harm. How we do this is set out in our Quality Assurance Framework and this work is overseen by our Monitoring & Evaluation Subcommittee.

On this page we will publish the learning from our multi-agency audits and our recommendations for improving local practice. We will also make available the audit tools we use alongside the prompts for auditors. We undertake at least one multi-agency audit per quarter and you can view our proposed programme of audits for 2016-17 here.

If you have any questions about our quality assurance activity please contact LSCB@Brighton-hove.gov.uk

Listening to children and young people is very important and we try to involve them in the audit process so that their feedback is heard.  Read their messages here

 

Child Sexual Exploitation

A multi-agency Child Sexual Exploitation Audit was undertaken in 2016 as this issue is one of the LSCB’s priority concerns. This in depth audit followed on from our previous audit in 2014, and tested whether there is a robust inter agency response to CSE in Brighton & Hove which keeps children & young people safe. The recommendations have been shared in our Staff Briefing – CSE Audit and you can view the audit tool and audit prompts

 

Parental Substance Misuse 

A multi-agency, deep dive audit was undertaken on Parental Substance Misuse in 2015. This looked at six cases where children under the age of 5 years live with parents who misuse substances and focused on the support they receive from agencies. The decision to focus on under 5’s is because children in this age group are more dependent on their parents and more likely to be at risk of serious harm if their parent(s) are under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

An Audit Tool was designed to look at the following areas of enquiry;

  • Identification and Early Help
  • Referral
  • Quality of Assessment
  • Quality of Planning
  • Impact of Interventions
  • Multi Agency Work
  • Supervision & Management Oversight

The findings from this audit have been shared in: Managers Briefing – Parental Substance Misuse Audit

 

Network Meetings & Core Groups 

This multi-agency audit examined the effectiveness of multi agency working through Network Meetings & Core Groups in 2015.  It explores the areas of enquiry raised by members of the Monitoring & Evaluation Subcommittee:

  • Agency attendance
  • Agency reports
  • Agency challenge
  • Outcomes for the Child
  • Meeting Minutes

An audit tool Network Meeting Core Group Audit Tool was designed  to assess the areas of enquiry (above) and to capture practitioner reflection.

Parents were also spoken to  about their experience of the meeting and the support they have received from their social worker and other professionals. View the Feedback from Parents and the questions used here

The recommendations from the audit have been shared in our Managers Briefing – Network Meetings & Core Groups.

 

Domestic Violence & Abuse

The most frequent contributory factor for children being subject to a Child Protection Plan in Brighton & Hove is Domestic Violence & Abuse, making it a major concern to the LSCB & Partner Agencies. An indepth DV&A Audit was undertaken in 2014 to assure the Board of how well agencies are working together to safeguard children and young people who experience this abuse. The recommendations have been shared in our Learning Together: Manager’s Briefing – Domestic Violence & Abuse and there is a multi agency action plan. The audit used the following tools:

DV&A Audit Tool A

DV&A Audit Tool B

 

Young Parents & Domestic Violence

We commissioned a themed SCIE Learning Together Review into Young Parents & Domestic Violence in 2014, which included a multi agency audit to look at the effectiveness of Pre-Birth Assessments and plans, conducted using this Pre-Birth Audit Tool.