LSCP Responding to Need
Nothing is more important than children's welfare. Children who need help and protection deserve high quality and effective support as soon as a need is identified. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play. (Working Together to Safeguard Children).
Effective safeguarding arrangements is underpinned two key principles:
- Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility: for services to be effective each professional and organisation should play their full part; and
- A child-centred approach: for services to be effective they should be based on a clear understanding of the needs and views of children.
Everyone who works with children – including teachers, GPs, nurses, midwives, health visitors, early year's professionals, youth workers, police, Accident and Emergency staff, paediatricians, voluntary and community workers and social workers – has a responsibility for keeping them safe.
See: Responding to Need Guidance and Levels of Need Framework.
Note: when referencing this Guidance, please use the updated 'Safeguarding Windscreen' and 'Level Indicators' below.
Liverpool Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) Levels of Need & Response Safeguarding Windscreen' and Levels of Need 'Level Indicators' are made available so that:
- All who work with children and their families to inform the most appropriate action and intervention to be taken in response to a child's identified needs;
- Professionals who are in contact with children and families who have a concern about a child and want to know how they should help them;
- All children's service providers to provide clarity on thresholds and to enable them to be consistent in how they support children who are referred to them;
- Anyone who has concerns about the welfare of a child;
- Understand the needs of children and local criteria for action when needs are identified.
Responding to a child's needs at the earliest opportunity, and in the right, way will support their needs from escalating.
Levels of Need & Response 'Safeguarding Windscreen' illustrates that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and takes place across the continuum of need from universal services (Level 1) through (Levels 2 & 3) to statutory intervention (Level 4).
Understanding needs across the continuum and how they relate to the appropriate action to be taken, ensures that the response to identified needs supports children to achieve to their potential.
Level 1 - Child's needs are met through access to universal services
Level 2 - Child has additional, or emerging, needs which may require support. Consider an Early Help Assessment EHAT.
See: Early Help Assessment & Tool.
Level 3 - Child has complex or multiple needs which require targeted support.
Initiate an Early Help Assessment EHAT.
See: Early Help Assessment & Tool.
Level 4 - Child with significant welfare concerns. Social work led specialist Intervention (Child in Need S17) (Child Protection S47).
MARF required.
See: LSCP Multi Agency Referral Form (MARF).
Levels of Need 'Level Indicators' describe the factors which may give rise to need. Where need is identified an appropriate response must be taken.
NOTE: Levels of Need indicators are to be used a guidance only.
Indicators should be used in conjunction with single and multi-agency safeguarding children procedures, best practice guidance and protocols for specific issues or concerns. Indicators do not replace children's assessments but can be used to aid the identification of strengths and protective factors, for a child at the earliest opportunity, as well as any additional unmet needs or welfare concerns.
Where a professional is unsure of the most appropriate response to identified needs, appropriate discussion with managers or a designated safeguarding lead will support the most appropriate action to be taken. Advice and guidance should always be sought to ensure appropriate action is taken.
Last Updated: October 25, 2023
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