Safeguarding Children

The health team for 'Looked after Children and Young People' is part of the safeguarding children team.

We see all children and young people ‘looked after’ by Leeds in residential, foster, family network or secure care settings and those leaving care. This also includes 'out of area placements' where the level of care and security cannot be provided locally. We work with carers or other professionals involved in the care of these children.

The team co-ordinates services, supports and develops health initiatives to improve health and wellbeing. The team carries out individual and group work and offers support, training and education to young people, carers, health, social care, education and voluntary sector staff.

The safeguarding children team is part of the rapid response team for Sudden Unexpected Deaths in Infants and Children (SUDIC).

The team

• works with all staff at NHS Leeds, NHS Leeds Community Healthcare and the Leeds Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust providing expert advice, support, supervision and training for practitioners around all areas of safeguarding children and child protection
• makes recommendations on aspects of safeguarding children in order to meet the organisations responsibilities within Working Together to Safeguard Children (2006)
• makes immediate enquiries into and evaluates the reasons for and circumstances of any death, in agreement with the coroner.

Family Nurse Partnership (FNP)

The Family Nursing Partnership (FNP)  is a safeguarding trial programme aimed at reducing social exclusion for first time mothers under twenty years of age.

The trial by Cardiff University is called Building blocks. Referrals typically come from midwifery services/Connexions/ education/ voluntary sector/ youth services/ social care/self.

FNP clients need to be consented to take part in the research trial. Aged 19 years or under, living in Leeds, first pregnancy notified to the FNP team no later than 24 weeks of the pregnancy and recruited to FNP no later than 28 weeks.