West Midlands Multi-Agency Safeguarding Arrangements (MASA) Network Regional Development Day

Date: Wednesday, 17th Apr 2024 | Category: Uncategorised

On Tuesday 26^th March, the BSCP co-hosted the West Midlands MASA Network Regional Development Day, which focused on the ‘Effective implementation of Working Together to Safeguard Children (December 2023)’. The session was attended by 58 strategic Safeguarding Leaders, Independent Scrutineers and Partnership Business Managers from all 14 partnerships from across the wider West Midlands region.

Simon Cross and Liz Murphy, WM MASA Co-Chairs, outlined the aims for the day: “We set out to spend quality time discussing and working through some of the more challenging aspects of the new National Guidance, to help inform and shape our local safeguarding arrangements. We also wanted to explore further opportunities for greater regional collaboration and sharing emerging good practice.”

Deborah McMillan and Lorraine Parker, National Safeguarding Facilitators, helped to host the day and provided a national perspective, particularly around the new roles, Lead and Delegated Safeguarding Partners leadership, Chairing, Independent Scrutiny, and the thorny issue of equitable funding. After the morning break, Esther Blake provided an overview of the new safeguarding arrangements in Solihull and Rachel Jones and Liz Murphy explored different approaches to secure strategic leadership engagement at Chief Officer and Chief Executive level. After lunch, Rachael Sugars and Rebekah Eaves discussed effective engagement of education partners in Coventry.

In terms of reflections and next steps, Lead and Delegated Safeguarding Partners must work collaboratively to create effective relationships which can drive change through respect, openness, and clear communication. The new guidance brings new challenges, but our region will continue to work together to develop and share good practice to safeguard children across the wider West Midlands Region.

During the session, colleagues identified opportunities for further regional collaboration.

Work across each Force footprint to agree a model for Lead Safeguarding Partners to come together.
Develop principles/framework for independent scrutiny.
Create a regional learning and development repository and explore joint commissioning.
Utilise the experiences of children and families to inform local safeguarding partnership activity.

The next West Midlands MASA Network will focus on opportunities for further collaboration to safeguard children and embed the new national guidance.