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BSCP Neglect Practice Week 2024

Birmingham Safeguarding Children Partnership

‘Tackling Childhood Neglect in Birmingham’

To watch the recorded sessions in full screen, click the ‘Vimeo’ button in the bottom right-hand corner of the video player toolbar.


Tackling the Normalisation of Neglect – Learning from Child Protection Reviews

Prof Julie Taylor, Professor of Child Protection, University of Birmingham

Neglect features in a high proportion of Local Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews (formerly SCRs). Research has shown that many practitioners struggle to recognise neglect and know how to respond. Professor Julie Taylor spoke about some the learning from real cases to help practitioners think about their perceptions of neglect.

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Neglect of Children with Additional Needs and Disabilities

Nicola Smith, Named Nurse for Safeguarding, Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust 

Children and young people with additional needs are more likely to be neglected, yet it can be difficult for practitioners to understand their lived experience. This webinar explored why some children are more vulnerable and the role of practitioners in safeguarding these children from neglect.

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Neglect and the Impact of Parental Mental Health

Lisa Williams, Perinatal Safeguarding Nurse, Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

Jason Hakin, Safeguarding Practice Development Facilitator, Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

Parental mental health difficulties are one of the most common causes of neglect. When this is combined with factors such as drug and alcohol use or domestic abuse, the risk to children can increase. This session will look at the impact of parents’ needs on the care of their children, how to recognise when this becomes neglectful, and how to support parents to meet their children’s needs despite adverse circumstances.

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The Normalisation of Neglect in the Context of Poverty  

Prof Julie Taylor, Professor of Child Protection, University of Birmingham

Neglect features in a high proportion of Local Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews (formerly SCRs). Research has shown that many practitioners struggle to recognise the difference between poverty and neglect. In this session Professor Julie Taylor will share some of her research into the issue and what it means for your practice.

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Using ECINS to complete GCP2 assessments

Amina Mushtaq, ECINS Coordinator, Birmingham Children’s Trust

The session looked at how schools can use the ECINS system to record GCP2 assessments and measure progress when supporting families under Early Help. It also explained how schools can access additional funding via the Think Family School Incentive for Family Outcomes scheme and how to get further training.

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Housing and Neglect: When housing need is impacting on parenting

Jen Tennant-Foster, Head of Service for Temporary Accommodation, Birmingham City Council 

Hayley Prime, Head of Service for Applications, Allocations & Accommodation Finding, Birmingham City Council

Natalie Smith, Head of Service for Housing Management (South), Birmingham City Council

Working with families who are living in housing that is overcrowded, temporary, or does not meet their needs can be a challenge. It can be difficult to know how to support them and also to identify when home conditions become neglectful. This session looked at some of these issues including the process for urgent housing requests.

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NSPCC Look, Say, Sing, Play campaign in Birmingham

Rachel Wallace, Local Campaigns Manager, NSPCC

The Look, Say, Sing, Play (LSSP) campaign aims to reduce the risk of abuse and neglect by educating parents about the importance of interacting with their babies. This session introduced the campaign, how to use the tools with parents and how to access free resources for practitioners to use with families.

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Using Community Resources to Tackle Neglect

Helen Morris, Community Connector, Family Action

Interventions for neglect are most effective when support is offered at an early stage. This session focused on what support is available to families under Early Help and how practitioners can access this.

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Tackling Neglect in the Early Years 

Victoria Taylor-Bryant, Early Years Team Manager, Birmingham Forward Steps (Barnardo’s)

Kelly Doleman, Family Support Manager, Birmingham Forward Steps (Barnardo’s)

Young children are some of the most vulnerable to neglect however intervention can be effective if offered at an early stage. This session looked at the impact of neglect on young children as well as the support that is offered to families by local children’s centres to address this.

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Identifying and Responding to Neglect Pre-birth

Hannah Williams & Melissa Griffin, Specialist Midwives, University Hospitals Birmingham

Case reviews have shown that babies in the first few weeks of life are most vulnerable to serious harm caused by neglect. If support can be provided to a family before the baby is born this could significantly reduce the risk. This webinar considered the impact of neglect on babies, how to recognise the signs of neglect during the antenatal period and how to respond.

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Want to know what practitioners thought about Neglect Practice Week?

Download our Summary Briefing Note