The Government’s proposed changes to statutory guidance on safeguarding children were met with a positive reaction, the Department for Education (DfE) reports.

Between 25 October and 31 December, the Government ran a consultation, soliciting feedback on the changes it was proposing to Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015, the current guidelines, along with new child death review guidance and supportive regulations.

Involved in the consultation were a varied degree of representatives from the affected fields, including the health sector, community organisations, local authorities, the police, social care, safeguarding bodies and education.

The majority of the proposals put forward by the Government were met with approval by the interested parties. These included:

• Replacing Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) with local safeguarding partners
• Learning from serious cases and new regulations on local and national reviews
• Transferring responsibility from Local Safeguarding Children Boards to new Child Death Review Partners.

The favourable response to the Government consultation means that it is now able to update the guidance and replace the current advice. This will be done in line with the consultation’s findings, leading to a spring debate, followed by a vote in both the House of Commons and House of Lords.

Once passed through the Houses of Parliament, the changes will be put into law. The updated guidance will then be published and the new provisions will come into effect.

Local areas will be expected to fully implement the changes within 15 months.