Learning from Practice
Professionals and organisations protecting children and young people need to reflect on the quality of their services and learn from their own practice and that of others. Good practice should be shared so that there is a growing understanding of what works well. Conversely, when things go wrong there needs to be a rigorous, objective analysis of what happened and why so that important lessons can be learnt and services improved to reduce the risk of future harm to children.
The Learning from Practice Group forms part of Bexley’s framework for learning and improvement which aims to drive improvements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The function of this group is to:
- Consider and review new serious incident referrals, determine next steps, oversee all open serious child safeguarding incident cases and their corresponding action plans
- Make recommendations to the safeguarding partners on whether the criteria for conducting a local (or national) child safeguarding practice review (formerly known as Serious Case Reviews) are met in accordance with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018.
- Make recommendations for multi-agency learning events based on the findings arising from case reviews
- Ensure family participation in reviews is considered and supported from onset of review
- Learn together through discussion so that as and when serious cases arise, there are good processes in place to ensure an effective response
- Consider examples of good practice, and ensure this is also shared with the multi-agency forum.
The Learning from Practice Group meets every 6 weeks, has a multi-agency membership, and is chaired by Bexley S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Practice Review and Learning Manager.
A useful summary of The Learning from Practice Group is contained here: S.H.I.E.L.D. 7 minute briefing practice themes identified through the work of the Learning from Practice Group.
The Multi-Agency Learning Forum also forms part of our learning framework. This forum can consider learning from cases overseen by Bexley S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Learning from Practice Group, Bexley Safeguarding Adults Board’s Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR)/Best Practice & Learning Lessons Subgroup, and Community Safety Partnership Domestic Homicide Review Panels which meet the criteria for multi-agency learning and will consider how best to disseminate learning points across the wider social care system. This forum also provides for local debrief on less serious cases. The Forum meets every 6 weeks, has a multi-agency membership, and is co-chaired by Bexley S.H.I.E.L.D., Bexley Safeguarding Adults Board, and Bexley Community Safety Partnership.
