Safeguarding Children was the subject of a detailed Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) in Devon. Whilst the overall Joint Strategic Needs Assessment process in Devon looks at health and wellbeing in the broadest sense, the Safeguarding Children JSNA collects evidence together for a field where cross-agency arrangements require strong leadership, shared intelligence and appropriate joint commissioning arrangements to be effective. Safeguarding means:
“Protecting children from maltreatment; preventing impairment of children’s health or development; ensuring children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.”
(Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2015)
The Safeguarding Children JSNA is structured around the four themes underpinning the work of the Devon Safeguarding Children Board; protection from maltreatment, prevention of impairment to health and/or development, ensuring safe and effective care and ensuring a safe environment.
The Devon Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) is the single point of contact for enquiries regarding children where there are safeguarding concerns in Devon which may require a multi-agency response or social care services. Figure 8.26 shows the rate of enquiries by Devon community, highlighting higher rates in urban areas, and in areas with higher levels of deprivation.
Figure 8.26, MASH enquiries per 1,000 persons aged under 18 by LSOA, 2015
Source: Devon County Council, 2016