News

Evaluating New Local Safeguarding Children Boards

The Centre for Child and Family Research (CCFR) and the Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP), both based at Loughborough University, are undertaking a joint research project designed to evaluate the effectiveness of new Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs).

LSCBs were implemented in April 2006 to replace Area Child Protection Committees (ACPCs) and have statutory responsibility to co-ordinate and ensure the effectiveness of the work of partner bodies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

The evaluation, funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department of Health, will explore the structures and processes adopted by LSCBs to fulfil their core functions, whilst examining if new structures and processes have overcome identified weaknesses of Area Child Protection Committees (ACPCs) and promoted co-operation between services responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Findings will be of national significance and cover issues central to the current government agenda for children’s services, and will be fed back to national, regional and local policy makers and implementers.

For more information, please contact the Centre for Research in Social Policy or the Centre for Child and Family Research