Section 11 Audit

 

 

 

 

Safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility.  S.11 of the Children Act places a statutory duty on key organisations to make arrangements to ensure that in discharging their functions they have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

 

It is important to remember that s.11 does not give agencies any new functions, nor does it over-ride their existing functions.  Instead it requires you to carry out your existing functions in a way that takes into account the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

 

 

S.11 compliance is a mandatory requirement for key organisations involved with children and young people, including:

 

 

 

Working Together (2006) recommends that Local Safeguarding Children Boards audit compliance with s.11.  In Sheffield, compliance with s.11 audit will be audited in February / March 2010. Key bodies covered by s.11 will be asked to complete a self assessment and provide evidence of how they comply with s.11 when carrying out their day to day business. The self assessment will be followed up with a number of small scale audits.  Findings will be presented to Sheffield Safeguarding Children Board (SSCB) later this year, and will give an indication of how well organisations are working to keep children safe. The audits will be repeated every three years, and agencies will be asked to develop action plans to address any weaknesses identified.

 

The following documents relating to the audit are available to download at the bottom of this page:

 

 

The documents will be issued to named individuals by 5 February 2010, and should be returned by 19 March 2010.

 

 

 

If you have any questions, please contact the Practice, Review and Standards Team on 0114 2734450

 

Statutory Guidance on making arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children under s.11 of the Children Act 2004 is available to download from the Every Child Matters website.