Launch of new and updated tools and guidance on working with neglect

Date: Monday, 17th Apr 2023 | Category: General

Neglect: A child-centred approach

We know that a high percentage of Oxfordshire’s Child Protection Plans and repeat plans relate to neglect. We also know that when neglect is not addressed effectively, the cumulative harm and significant trauma children experience can have a long-term effect on their physical and mental wellbeing.

Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board recognise, and are focused on, improving our practice in Oxfordshire on identifying and responding to neglect.

This requires a change in our approach, and the courage to think and act differently to support families who are not yet meeting all the needs of their children, to improve outcomes for those children.

We will do this by:

• Recognising the impact of neglect on the individual child – ensuring the child’s developmental needs are fully assessed and specific plans are developed to promote change and improve outcomes
• Improving our use of language in describing the impact of neglect – considering the language we use, particularly in our conversations with parents/carers, to ensure parents/carers understand the impact on children,  and to create the motivation and opportunity for change
• Recognising the complex lives of parents and carers –understanding the daily lived experience of the children and parents/carers, and how specific needs impact on parenting capacity
• Recognising factors which impact on parental engagement with services – noticing patterns, repeat plans, where we have missed vital history and not focused effectively on the root causes of neglect
• Using and applying tools effectively – using refreshed tools appropriately, with clear aims and objectives to improve children’s lives, and take decisive action where there is a risk of cumulative harm
• Focusing on outcomes in our interventions and recording progress in supervision

The following tools and guidance have been designed to improve our practice in relation to neglect:

• Oxfordshire neglect guidance and joint visiting
• Thrive child needs and parental response
• Framework for recording the condition of a home 
• What’s my home like for me? 
• What’s my home like for me? (simplified version)
• Lived Experience of the Child – clocks and suns
• Families budgeting and expenditure tool
• Financial support tool
• Named Professional Role in Adult Services

We have created this themed newsletter, Go to this Sway, with all guidance, tools and videos to help disseminate the information across your organisations and networks. Please can you share it widely.

Many thanks

OSCB