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Quality Assurance

In line with Section 14 of the Children’s Act 2004, the safeguarding partners have a duty to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of what is done by partners individually and collectively to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and advise on ways in which practice improvements can be made to improve outcomes for children and young people.

In Sandwell, this function is overseen by the Quality of Practice, Performance and Assurance (QPPA) subgroup. The focus and remit of the subgroup is to gain assurance of effective multi agency safeguarding arrangements across the partnership in a variety of ways. It aims to identify and celebrate good practice, areas for improvement and to assess the robustness of joint working across partner agencies.

The QPPA subgroup is accountable to and reports to the SCSP Board. It is chaired by the independent scrutineer and its’ core membership is made up from senior representatives from partner agencies.

Functions of the QPPA subgroup

The QPPA subgroup conducts a range of assurance activities as part of its’ remit to examine the effectiveness of multi agency safeguarding arrangements, including the following:

  • Co-ordination of the Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) to facilitate continuous multi agency learning
  • Gain a broad oversight of multi agency safeguarding practice via a performance dataset
  • Co-ordinate audit activity on a single and multi agency basis, which includes Multi Agency Case File Audits (MACFAs), which are completed each quarter to gain a window on the system regarding themes linked to the SCSP’s priorities, emerging themes and learning from other workstreams, such as CSPRs
  • Co-ordinate the bi annual Section 11 self assessment tool to scrutinise safeguarding arrangements across the partnership, and the annual Section 157/175 audit for Education providers which is managed in the Education Directorate
  • Evaluate how the voice of the child is incorporated into all aspects of multi agency work and informs service delivery
  • Evaluate progress in delivery and impact linked to the SCSP’s priority areas
  • Identify and highlight areas of good practice as well as where multi agency performance needs to improve

For further information please contact SCSP_Business@sandwell.gov.uk