Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Committee

Inquiry into Local Safeguarding Children Boards in Wales

The Committee has agreed to undertake an inquiry into whether Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) are performing effectively and consistently across Wales in strengthening arrangements for protecting and promoting the welfare of children.

Terms of Reference

An inquiry into whether Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCB’s) are performing effectively and consistently across Wales in strengthening arrangements for protecting and promoting the welfare of children with a focus on the:

• appropriateness of existing Welsh Government Policy and Guidance as relevant to LSCBs;

• appropriateness of the scope and focus of LSCB responsibilities;

• membership of LSCBs with reference to both the role of statutory partners and also the voluntary sector and smaller / specialist organisations;

• arrangements for funding LSCBs;

• the relationship of LSCBs to other local partnerships, including Children and Young People's Partnerships; Community Safety Partnerships; Local Service Boards; the planned Integrated Family Support Teams.

• the effectiveness of LSCBs in promoting the protection and welfare of specific groups of vulnerable children such as children with disabilities, asylum seeker and trafficked children, black and minority ethnic children;

• the effectiveness of LSCBs in their specific role with regard to promoting the information sharing responsibilities and duties of LSCB partner agencies;

• the effectiveness of LSCBs in involving children and young people in their work.