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Quick Guide

December 2011


Contents

  1. Display and Browser Options
  2. Structure of the Manual
  3. Amendments
  4. How to Find a Chapter
  5. Terminology
  6. Keywords
  7. Compliance
  8. Contact us
  9. Copyright
  10. Printing and Retaining Copies


1. Display and Browser Options

People with a visual impairment may have difficulty accessing this Manual, if they do, they can change the size of the text/layout - please use the accessibility buttons on the left hand side of every screen; these are the "letter a" buttons increasing in size. Click a larger "a" button to increase your text size, the very largest being high visibility mode.


2. Structure of the Manual

This manual contains the policies, procedures and guidance for Sandwell Safeguarding Children Board (SSCB). In this manual, all Sandwell SCB's Policies, Values and Principles, which users are required to familiarise themselves with before proceeding to the main body of the Manual, are located in a Chapter called 'Values' - available from the left hand side of the screen.

'Procedures' summarise how Managers and Staff must act in given circumstances. 'Guidance' provides direction or advice to a decision or course of action.


3. Amendments

The changes contained in the update are summarised in the table below. They are also marked as 'new' or 'updated ' in the Contents List.

Amendment Table

Amended Chapters
Fabricated or Induced Illness Procedure This chapter has been updated to include a reference to the Specialist Operations Centre, Covert Advice Team instead of the National Centre for Policing Excellence which no longer exists.
Female Genital Mutilation Procedure This has been updated to include a link to non-statutory government Multi-Agency Guidelineson Female Genital Mutilation (issued in February 2011).
New Chapters
West Midlands Joint Protocol – Child Protection Enquiries and Related Criminal Investigations (February 2011) This was agreed inFebruary 2011 and has been added to the manual in this edition.
Protocol for Children and Young people Missing from Home and Care (October 2011) This was agreed in October 2011 and has been added to the manual in this edition.

This manual will be updated on a regular basis, and the next update of the manual is planned for Spring 2012.

There will be a planning meeting on 24 January 2012 for the Spring 2012 update. If you wish any amendments or additions to be made to the manual, please send them to Victoria Jones, SSCB Development Officer, (victoria_jones@sandwell.gov.uk) in time for this meeting.


4. How to Find a Chapter

Procedures and guidance are located in individual 'Chapters' which are available from a 'traditional' Contents List - on the left hand side of the screen.

4.1 Using the Contents List

Chapters are categorised or grouped together as follows:

PARTS: The manual contains procedures categorised under a number of Headings, e.g. Managing Individual Cases,

CHAPTERS: Within each Part, you'll find individual Chapters/Procedures e.g. 'Initial Assessments

4.2 Using the Search button

If you are not sure which Part of the Manual to look in, try 'Search' which will help you identify specific Chapters and sub headings within Chapters.


5. Terminology

We believe it is crucial to use consistent terminology, which we agree with individual customers, for example:

'Child' or 'Young Person' both these terms are used to mean any child under the age of 18
'Parent' means parent and any person with Parental Responsibility
'Regulatory Authority' Regulatory Authority is the generic term used in this manual to describe the independent regulatory body responsible for inspecting and regulating services e.g. Ofsted.


6. Keywords

The manual is accessed by practitioners from varying agencies, who may find terms that they are not familiar with. Therefore, there is a large glossary (Keywords) of terms such as Significant Harm (Try it: click on the highlighted text). We call them 'Keywords'. Once clicked, the definitions will appear in a new window or tab, depending on your browser. You can leave it open for reference, or close it using the "close" button at the bottom.

Many Keywords are highlighted in the body of procedures, but you can search for the Keyword you need: Go to the Keywords Index, on the left hand side of the screen. Or, use 'Search'


7. Compliance

7.1 Regulatory Compliance

Every effort has been taken to ensure regulatory compliance. If you discover any errors or mistakes, please alert your manager or contact us.

7.2 W3C Compliance

This manual meets the double A Standards of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), for example, it can be accessed by people with high levels of visual impairment. To find out more, click on 'Display Options' on the left hand side of the screen.


8. Contact us

If you have any comments or suggestions to make about this manual please contact us by using the button on the left hand side of the screen, from anywhere within the manual.


9. Copyright

The content of this manual can be accessed, printed and downloaded in an unaltered form, on a temporary basis, for personal study or reference purposes. However any content printed or downloaded may not be sold, licensed, transferred, copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or in or on any media to any person without the prior written consent of Tri-X-Childcare Ltd and Sandwell Safeguarding Children Board


10. Printing and Retaining Copies

The Manual should normally be viewed on line.

However, users may print chapters, using the "print" icon in the top right of the manual.

Please note that the Manual will be updated regularly, so staff should avoid retaining printed versions - hard copies are only valid for 72 hours.

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