 Lancashire Safeguarding is a multi-agency partnership established to ensure safeguarding measures are met, vulnerable children and adults across Lancashire are protected from harm & abuse and lessons are learned from case reviews and improvements identified and implemented. This newsletter is primarily for organisations working in Lancashire (excluding Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool) although the contents may be pertinent for those working in the unitary l Local Authority footprint areas. If you require a PDF version of this newsletter to print and share with staff who are offline, please contact the team via the mailbox: [email protected] TRAINING, LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT Non-Fatal Strangulation and Suffocation (NFS) NFS training is now available to book for Date: 12th February 2026 Time: 12:00 - 13:00 Location: Online MS Teams. The session will be presented by a Specialist Safeguarding Practitioner from NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board. By the end of the session participants will have:
For queries contact: [email protected] Beyond Homes : Guidance and Process learning sessions The Beyond Homes process is an innovative way to support children who are experiencing harm outside of the family home. We seek to provide high level and high- quality support to families without "blame" which will enable the building of strength based and relationship-based interventions. The aim of the sessions:
Below are the links to the learning and drop in sessions, which can also be accessed through the document attached to the Weekly Brief email. There are specific learning sessions, including for residential. clickDelegate LS0379D - Beyond Homes (Drop-in) clickDelegate Conferences clickDelegate LS0379A - Beyond Homes (Children Social Care) clickDelegate LS0379C - Beyond Homes (Residential) Advocacy Awareness Sessions Advocacy Focus are offering free advocacy awareness sessions as part of their commitment to ensure advocacy services are well understood and used across Lancashire. The session covers:
Alternatively, if you would like to arrange a separate session for your team / organisation, this can also be arranged. Please contact Lauren Lovelace for further details: [email protected] With You WithYou is a drug, alcohol and mental health charity. With over 80 services across England and Scotland, they provide support and advice to more than 100,000 people a year. Please see below their January training offer: Information Event: Organised Crime Gang involvement in externally commissioned children's placements Date: Tuesday 10th February Time: 15:30 - 16:30 Location: Online - MS Teams Speakers will share perspectives and opportunity available for questions and discussion. Anyone who may be involved in managing this risk to children including commissioning, social care and colleagues from wider safeguarding partners are welcome to attend. The session will cover: · Role of wider safeguarding partners · How OCGs may be involved in provision · How we can work together to manage risk To register, please click here: OCG in Childrens provisions DA and suicide training The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner is hosting two days of training with leading domestic abuse expert Professor Jane Monckton Smith OBE to introduce the Victim Escalation Timeline – a key tool in identifying victims at risk of suicide as a result of domestic abuse. This training is funded by the OPCC and is free to attend for all relevant professionals. Feedback from a successful multiagency conference hosted by the OPCC in June 2025 indicated the links between domestic abuse and suicide were not always well understood by professionals which is a growing area of concern given the findings from the national Domestic Homicide Project highlighting suspected suicides outnumbering homicides involving current or former partners. The OPCC would like to invite front-line professionals and managers across policing, social care and the domestic abuse support sector working across the Lancashire Constabulary area to attend. There will also be an opportunity to hear about the OPCC's forthcoming domestic abuse and suicide research. Please circulate among colleagues and wider networks to ensure this reaches frontline staff. We anticipate there to be a high demand for places on the two training days, so please register your place as soon as possible and please inform us if you're no longer able to attend so we can allocate spaces accordingly. To register onto the DA and Suicide training, click here Supporting reflective supervision in NHS Trusts Date: Friday 13th February 2026 Time: 12:00 - 13:30 Location: Delivered online using Teams There is widespread agreement that practitioners in caring professions need reflective supervision. Effective supervision is associated with greater wellbeing, job satisfaction, retention, confidence and performance. At its best, reflective supervision offers a safe space to slow down and think, explore possibilities, and reflect on the emotional impact of practice. Supervisors can also play a key role in supporting equity and diversity. Join this interactive open access webinar for professionals working in NHS Trusts. You will explore practical tips and ideas about how to develop reflective supervision. We will also share an open access resource hub for supervisors and leaders, full of tools and briefings to support effective practice. Highlights
Aimed at professionals working in NHS Trust, this session will support supervisors, managers and leaders responsible for supervising others. The resources are also relevant for frontline practitioners and supervisees. About Research in Practice At Research in Practice, we have developed high-quality learning programmes and resources to support supervisors and supervisees to make the most of supervision. We work with and for professionals in the social care, health, criminal justice and higher education sectors offering resources, learning opportunities and specialist expertise. We aim to support their learning to enable people – children, young people, families, adults, carers and communities – to live good lives. To book your place please follow this link Case Reviews: Multi-Agency Lunch and Learn session The Lancashire Safeguarding Partnership have several Multi-Agency Lunch & Learn sessions coming up over the next few weeks. These sessions offer bite-sized learning opportunities on key safeguarding themes and are designed to fit into your day, providing practical insights and discussion in just an hour. Upcoming sessions: 28th January 2026 - Cannabis, THC and Safer Sleep 30th January 2026 - Parental Mental Health 3rd February 2026 - Alcohol Brief Intervention and Safer Sleep 13th March 2026 - Safer Sleep 14th April 2026 - Cannabis, THC and Safer Sleep 8th June 2026 - Cannabis, THC and Safer Sleep 2nd July 2026 - Alcohol Brief Intervention and Safer Sleep To book onto the session go to: Lancashire Safeguarding Partnership Training If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at [email protected] CDOP UPDATE The Child and Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) - Winter Safety CAPT have developed a new information page explaining the risks and simple things we can all do to keep children safe in winter. Topics covered include:
Baby Sleep Pillow Warning A safety alert has been issued warning parents and carers not to use baby sleep pillows for under ones. These soft pillows and cushions are often marketed for baby sleep or as somewhere for a baby to be left unsupervised. But this can cause suffocation or overheating, and babies have even died. The Office for Product Safety and Standards has instructed businesses to remove unsafe products from the market and not to sell or market pillows for babies under one. But many of these sleep pillows are already in families’ homes. And, some are still available to buy online with misleading information that encourages unsafe sleep practices. More information can be found here - Parents warned about deadly baby sleep pillows Safer Sleep Week – save the date Safer Sleep Week 2026 is happening soon, between 9th and 15th March. Safer Sleep Week is the Lullaby Trusts national awareness campaign targeting anyone looking after a young baby. They raise awareness of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and the simple advice that reduces the risk of it occurring. The theme for 2026 is: Baby necessities, which includes looking at the essential items babies need, and how to check that they are as safe as possible. Key topics that will be covered as part of the week include: 🟣The products a baby needs and which can (and should) be left on the shelf. 🟣What to look for in a product, or on the label, to know if it fits within safer sleep. 🟣What to dress a baby in for sleep in different temperatures. You can find out more about Safer Sleep Week here - Safer Sleep Week | The Lullaby Trust The pan-Lancashire Safer Sleep Professionals toolkit can be found here - Lancashire Safeguarding Partnership - Safer Sleep Safer Sleep Week 2026 is happening soon, between 9th and 15th March. Safer Sleep Week is the Lullaby Trusts national awareness campaign targeting anyone looking after a young baby. They raise awareness of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and the simple advice that reduces the risk of it occurring. The theme for 2026 is: Baby necessities, which includes looking at the essential items babies need, and how to check that they are as safe as possible. Key topics that will be covered as part of the week include: 🟣The products a baby needs and which can (and should) be left on the shelf. 🟣What to look for in a product, or on the label, to know if it fits within safer sleep. 🟣What to dress a baby in for sleep in different temperatures. You can find out more about Safer Sleep Week here - Safer Sleep Week | The Lullaby Trust The pan-Lancashire Safer Sleep Professionals toolkit can be found here - Lancashire Safeguarding Partnership - Safer Sleep LOCAL & NATIONAL NEWS AND UPDATES Understanding digital risk at age Two: Screen Use, Wellbeing & Safeguarding Implications. The latest findings from the Children of the 2020s (COT20s) study, provides a detailed look at home environments, early development and screen use among 2‑year‑olds. Read the full report here North West Social Work Conversations Podcast We're excited to share the North West Social Work Conversations podcast. This series continues to provide a platform for sharing insights, good practice, and collaborative learning across the region. We’ve recently uploaded new episodes, with some episodes featuring Jacqui Old in conversation with other Directors of Children’s Services, discussing leadership, innovation, and the future of social care. These episodes are designed to spark reflection and inspire practice improvements within your teams. Listen and Share: You can access the podcast on Spotify by clicking here Call to Action: We’d love your support in:
Together, we can amplify good practice and strengthen our collective impact for children and families across the North West. Domestic Abuse Summary of report: Evolving police responses to domestic abuse: Innovations and challenges in tackling domestic and family violence - Policing Insight Lancashire’s SEND Local Offer We are launching an internal campaign to raise awareness of Lancashire’s SEND Local Offer. This initiative aims to ensure that all professionals working with parents, carers, and families understand the importance of the Local Offer and how it supports compliance, coordination, and better outcomes for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). What is the Local Offer? The Local Offer is:
Under the Children and Families Act 2014, professionals have a statutory responsibility to ensure families can access accurate, up-to-date SEND information. Using and promoting the Local Offer helps meet these legal requirements and aligns with best practice. How the Local Offer supports you The Local Offer provides practical tools and clear information to help families access support promptly. By using it, you can:
We are reviewing how we can further improve the Local Offer, our website, Facebook page, directory, and newsletter. If you have suggestions or feedback, please email [email protected]. Education New ‘Restrictive interventions, including the use of reasonable force, in schools’ guidance has been published by Department for Education. This guidance is for school leaders and school staff. It applies to:
Use of reasonable force in schools - GOV.UK NSPCC The NSPCC has published a new report, Safeguarding children educated at home, which examines the challenges local authority Elective Home Education teams face in fulfilling their safeguarding duties. Key findings include:
We welcome feedback and suggestions from practitioners and safeguarding partnership colleagues on items for inclusion in future newsletters.
If you would like to be added to the distribution list for this newsletter you can also contact us directly. Please email us at: [email protected] with the email title ‘Safeguarding Newsletter’. Comments are closed.
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