Rearing a toothless tiger? From area child protection committee to local safeguarding children board
| Date | 27 September 2010 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5042/jcs.2010.0549 |
| Published date | 27 September 2010 |
| Pages | 37-47 |
| Author | Jan Horwath |
| Subject Matter | Education,Health & social care,Sociology |
Journal of Children’s Ser vices • V olume 5 Issue 3 • Sept ember 2010 © Pier Professional Ltd 37
10.5042/jcs.2010.0549
Abstract
This article uses a model describing different levels of collaboration to chart the development
of area child protection committees (ACPCs) and their successors, local safeguarding children
boards (LSCBs). It argues that concerns about these partnerships lacking ‘teeth’ have resulted
in a broadening of remit and increased regulation and statutory guidance. Using criteria from
the literature for effective multidisciplinary strategic partnerships, consideration is given to
specific issues that members of LSCBs encounter that limit their powers and influence. The
final section of the article questions whether national regulation and guidance is sufficient to
give LSCBs ‘teeth’ and ensure effective local collaborative activity. The author concludes that
the strength and influence of the LSCB is as dependent on the quality of leadership provided
by the members of the LSCB as it is on regulation and guidance.
Key words
Partnerships; local safeguarding children boards; senior managers; multidisciplinary;
collaboration
approach to collaboration really began following
the Children Act 1989: A guide to arrangements
for inter-agency cooperation for the protection of
children from abuse (Department of Health (DH)
et al, 1991). At this stage, every local authority
was expected to have an area child protection
committee (ACPC) in place with responsibility for
inter-agency co-operation to protect children from
maltreatment. Since the publication of the 1991
guidance, there have been considerable changes
to arrangements for inter-agency collaboration.
Introduction
Henry Ford, the American industrialist, said,
‘Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together
is progress. Working together is success’. Over
the last 20 years, as governments have placed
increasing emphasis on the importance of agency
collaboration in order to safeguard children, it is
becoming apparent that effective collaboration
does not happen instantaneously but, as described
by Ford, is a developmental process. While
multidisciplinary working has been encouraged
in England since the 1950s, a more formalised
Rearing a toothless tiger?
From area child protection
committee to local
safeguarding children board
Jan Horwath
University of Sheffield, UK
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