Sussex Safeguarding Children Executive (SSCE)

On a day-to-day basis, Delegated Safeguarding Partners (DSPs) will make decisions on behalf of the LSPs and hold their agencies to account for their contribution to safeguarding arrangements. Across Sussex, the DSPs are: 

1. The Directors of Children’s Services (DCS) West Sussex County Council, Brighton & Hove City Council, and East Sussex County Council. 

1. Deputy Chief Nursing Officer, Director of Patient Experience & Involvement, NHS Sussex ICB. 

1. Detective Chief Superintendent, Head of Public Protection, Sussex Police Service. 

 To facilitate the delivery and monitoring of Sussex wide multi-agency priorities and procedures, the DSPs will establish a Sussex Safeguarding Children Executive, which is chaired by the Deputy Chief Nursing Officer or Head of Public Protection (this is rotated on a 2 yearly basis). 

 The responsibilities of the Sussex Safeguarding Children Executive (SSCE) are: 

1. Agree consistent procedures and strategies to secure effective multi agency safeguarding of children across Sussex.  

1. Monitor the impact of procedures and strategies on the wellbeing of children in Sussex, drawing on analysis of data, audit of agency actions, and intelligence about the lived experience of children and families.  

1. Review the allocation of resources across partner agencies to ensure they fairly meet the different needs of children and secure consistent and effective discharge of statutory duties. 

1. Together with local Quality Assurance Subgroups, monitor the effectiveness of joint working at Sussex and local level in meeting the requirement of statutory guidance, and agree actions to address any gaps as identified.  

1. Together with the Pan Sussex Learning & Development Subgroup monitor the effectiveness of the pan Sussex training offer and the circulation of local, pan Sussex, and national learning from practice reviews, audits, research, and reports, and agree actions to address any gaps as identified.  

 The SSCE will determine:  

• The strategic approach to all issues requiring multi-agency safeguarding action, including responses to reports published by the National Child Safeguarding Panel. 

• The model of multi-agency working to discharge statutory duties (for example the operation of Multi Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASH) in each area or multi agency child protection teams as proposed in “Stable Homes Based on Love”2. Investment decisions by each agency within the partnership will be for the agency in question but constructive challenge and dialogue will be encouraged so that issues can be resolved through consensus wherever possible. Agencies with a Sussex wide remit will base area investment decisions on clear evidence shared with all parties.  

• What collective multi agency actions are needed to address gaps in training and practice identified through quality assurance, training need analysis and independent scrutiny. Respectful mutual challenge will be encouraged so that individual agencies experience high support and high challenge through participation in the Executive.  

• The procedures which all parties will follow across Sussex to protect children.  

 The SSCE will meet twice a year. The biannual meetings will also be attended by the three local authority Heads of Safeguarding, the Partnership Business Managers, and Independent Scrutineer/s. 

 

The SSCE will receive exception reports from the three areas of Sussex wide work including learning and development; collation and analysis of multi-agency safeguarding data; and Sussex child protection and safeguarding procedures. 

 The SSCE may establish subgroups on a standing or task and finish basis as it sees fit, for example in relation to exploitation, neglect or other issues requiring collective strategic development.