Safeguarding

North Central London ICB is committed to promoting the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and adults who may be at risk of abuse or neglect. Our principle philosophy is that safeguarding is everybody’s business. We work closely with local authorities, healthcare providers, safeguarding partnerships and networks of professionals to help prevent the abuse of children, young people and adults.

Safeguarding children

If you have concerns about the safety or welfare of a child or young person you should contact the relevant borough contacts below or in an emergency dial 999.

NSPCC offers free Advice and Information Service available 24 hours a day via phone: 0808 800 5000

Safeguarding adults

Some adults are more at risk of abuse than others. This may be because they are less able to take care of themselves or protect themselves from harm, or because they depend on others for their care. It may be because they lack the mental capacity to make certain decisions.

If you have concerns about the safety or welfare of an adult you should contact the relevant borough contact below or in an emergency dial 999.

Modern Slavery

Modern slavery is the recruitment, movement, harbouring or receiving of children, women or men through the use of force, coercion, abuse of vulnerability, deception or other means for the purpose of exploitation.

We’re committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in any part of our business activity and, in so far as is possible, to hold our suppliers to account to do likewise. The ICB’s full statement is available below:

• NCL ICB Modern Slavery Statement 2024-25

The UK Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline provide free and confidential advice on 08000 121 700

Prevent

PREVENT is part of the Government’s counter terrorism strategy CONTEST. Our safeguarding duties include the Prevent strategy, which aims to protect vulnerable people from being drawn into terrorist activity or supporting terrorism.

If you have a concern please contact your local borough as detailed above, or visit the Counter Terrorism Policing’s safeguarding website, ACT Early or call the free confidential national police Prevent advice line on 0800 011 3764

Visit gov.uk to report illegal or harmful information, pictures or videos on the internet about terrorism or extremism.

Domestic Abuse Services

We work with our partners to promote the safety and wellbeing of anyone at risk of, or experiencing domestic violence and abuse. Please see below for details of each borough’s service offering advice, support and protection to local residents:

Cost of Living

We anticipate that the rising cost of living will impact on the prevalence of abuse and neglect and the increased risk of harm for children, young people and adults with care and support needs. If you have concerns about the safety or welfare of an individual you should contact the relevant borough contact as detailed above or in an emergency dial 999.

NCL local authorities have information for residents on support available locally to meet rising living costs which can be accessed below:

Cost of living support | Barnet Council

Cost of living support – Camden Council

Cost of living support | Enfield Council

Cost of Living support | Haringey Council

Cost of living support | Islington Council

Borough Safeguarding Partnerships and Boards

We are members of the Safeguarding Children Partnerships and Safeguarding Adult Boards in each local authority area. For further information you can access the local partnership and board websites below:

North Central London Child Death Review Arrangements

As part of new safeguarding arrangements, CDR (Child Death Review) processes are also required to transform.

In October 2018 the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education released new Child Death Review Statutory and Operational Guidance.

It builds on statutory requirements set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children and clarifies how professionals and organisations across all sectors involved in a child death should contribute to the child death review process.

Oversight for CDR processes will move from the Department of Education to the Department for Health and Social Care recognising that most child deaths are due to medical factors rather than safeguarding. The new guidance aims to:

• improve the experience of bereaved families.
• ensure that information from the child death review process is systematically captured in every case to enable learning and to prevent future deaths.

Support:

Christina Keating, NCL Child Death Overview Panel Designated Lead– 0203 688 2810

Huda Charif, NCL Child Death Overview Panel Administrator  – 0203 688 2828

When a child dies – a guide for parents and carers

Fire Safety

Fire safety in the home should be considered as part of our care responsibilities. We know from national and local Serious Adult Reviews that people who live with complex health issues are vulnerable and more at risk of fires in their homes. This includes people who have both mental health and physical health issues, as well as complex social issues.

Across our safeguarding system we want to reduce the risks and support people to live safely in their own homes and communities. In safeguarding we work with our partners to do this, including our fire brigade colleagues.

If you think that you, or your family members, have high fire risk factors the fire brigade can help reduce risks with you, including replacing fire alarms and providing practical advice to reduce risks with you. It is a confidential and free service. Please find the link to contact them directly here.

O2 guidance and impact

Oxygen is a drug which requires a prescription. Oxygen should not be started without a clinical and safety assessment and should not be purchased from internet sources. Purchasing oxygen from internet sources without assessment can lead to a number of health and safety risks. Find out more about the risks of buying home oxygen online by clicking here.

Further Information and Guidance

• NHS England » NHS England Safeguarding app
• Working together to safeguard children – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• London Multi-Agency Adult Safeguarding Policy and Procedures – LondonADASS
• Care Act 2014 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Prevent duty guidance – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Modern slavery – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Mental Capacity Act 2005 (legislation.gov.uk)