Privacy Notice - Safeguards Service

Nature of work

The Safeguards Service comprises the following:

• Child Protection and Review Unit
• Local Authority Designated Officer
• Channel Panel
• Exploitation and Missing Young Persons Team
• Family Group Conferencing Team
• Solihull Youth Offending Service

Child Protection and Review Unit (CPRU)

Fulfil statutory duties to monitor and review the care planning and service delivery for children in the care of the local authority (Looked After Children). Maintaining an up to date record of looked after children (including Solihull children who are looked after locally or in other local authority areas, and, children from other local authorities who are looked after and placed within the Solihull area).

Fulfil statutory duties to convene, Chair and produce minutes of Child Protection Conferences for children who may require (or are already subject of) Child Protection Plans. Ensuring that where a child is made subject to a Child Protection Plan or a Child Protection Plan ends that relevant agencies are made aware of the decision.

Convene, chair and minute complex strategy meetings where there are safeguarding concerns regarding complex abuse networks or issues.

Local Authority Designated Officer

Fulfil statutory duties to offer advice, respond to referrals and manage current enquiries in relation to allegations of concern (against persons in a position of trust in respect of children). CPRU staff support delivery of this function by maintaining a duty system (Monday-Friday) to deal with new referrals and by chairing meetings to manage the potential safeguarding risks arising from the concerns.

Channel Panel

Monthly chairing and hosting of Channel Panel meetings to share concerns and review interventions to divert vulnerable people from risk of radicalisation in line with the Prevent duty.

Exploitation and Missing Young Persons team

Support delivery of statutory duties to young people where there is concern about exploitation of a child (up to 25 years old if the young person has been receiving services from Children’s Services) through provision of advice, consultation and support for cases.

Services may be in the form of direct interventions with parents and family of the young person (to help them understand the exploitation concerns and develop different ways of being there to support the young person themselves); work with the case responsible workers to support confidence in undertaking direct work with the young person; supporting young people’s understanding and involvement in the MACE process.

The team provides a quality assurance function in respect of supporting appropriate focus and progress of MACE meetings/plans, and ensuring that services are delivered in response to young people who go missing from home and care.

Family Group Conferencing Team

Co-ordinate and facilitate Family Group Conferences whereby families involved with Children's Services are supported to construct and develop a plan to address issues they may be facing. Meetings will include extended family not just those living in the home.

Solihull Youth Offending Service (SYOS)

Solihull Youth Offending Service (SYOS) is a multi-agency service which consists of the Local Authority, West Midlands Police, Probation and Health. Solihull YOS is a specialist service based within the Children's and Skills Directorate of the Local Authority. The team reflects the make-up of these statutory partners and members come from a diverse range of disciplines. The primary aim of the service is to prevent and reduce youth crime across Solihull, delivered through the following objectives:

• preventing and reducing offending
• reducing reoffending
• increasing victim and public confidence
• ensuring the safe and effective use of custody

SYOS works in collaboration with key partners to contribute to positive outcomes for young people. This includes ensuring children and young people are safe and free from harm, as children and young people entering the criminal justice system can lead complex lives, drawing upon numerous services. The safety and wellbeing of young people is integral to the assessment, planning and delivery of interventions to safeguard public protection and community safety.

Why we need your information

Your information will be used to fulfil our statutory duties to promote the welfare and safety of children.

Type/Classes of information processed

We process a variety of information relating to the above which may include:

• personal details
• family details
• lifestyle and social circumstances
• financial details
• employment and education details
• housing needs
• visual images, personal appearance and behaviour
• licenses or permits held
• student and pupil records
• business activities
• case file information
• Births and Deaths details
• Health details

We may also process what is referred to as special categories of information that may include data revealing:

• racial or ethnic origin
• political opinions
• religious or philosophical beliefs
• trade union membership
• membership of professional bodies
• health or data concerning a person's sex life or sexual orientation

Who information is processed about

We process information for the following classes of individuals where this is relevant to the business of the team as outlined above:

• customers
• staff, persons contracted to provide a service
• complainants, enquirers or their representatives
• professional advisers and consultants
• carers or representatives
• witnesses
• offenders and suspected offenders
• license and permit holders
• traders and others subject to inspection where they in a position of trust
• representatives of other organisations
• Healthcare users/patients
• survey respondents
• Victims of crime

Who information may be shared with

What follows is a description of the types of organisations we may need to share some of the personal information we process with, for one or more reasons.

Where necessary or required we share information with:

• customers
• family, associates or representatives of the person whose personal data we are processing
• current past and prospective employers
• healthcare, social and welfare organisations
• educators
• providers of goods and services
• financial organisations
• debt collection and tracing agencies
• service providers
• local and central government
• ombudsman and regulatory authorities
• press and the media
• professional advisers and consultants
• courts and tribunals
• trade unions
• professional bodies
• survey and research organisations
• police forces, including non-home office police forces
• housing associations
• voluntary and charitable organisations
• religious organisations
• data processors
• regulatory bodies
• prisons and youth offending institutions
• customs and excise and border agency
• local and central government
• international bodies (including law enforcement, regulatory and professional bodies)
• partner agencies
• licensing authorities
• legal representatives, defence solicitors
• police complaints authority
• the disclosure and barring service
• register of births and deaths
• Local Authority Social Care Services
• Probation Services

How long we will keep your information

We will not keep your information any longer than needed. The length of time will vary from service to service and will be guided by either legislation which states how long records should be retained (e.g. adoption records 100 years, financial records 6 years) or by the business need to keep the information which will vary.

Transfers Overseas

It may sometimes be necessary to transfer personal information overseas. When this is needed information may be transferred to countries or territories around the world. Any transfers made will be in full compliance with all aspects of data protection legislation.