Signs of Safety

Norfolk Safeguarding Children Partnership – Policy Statement

Norfolk Safeguarding Children Partnership (NSCP) has adopted Signs of Safety as the basis of work with children across all partner agencies engaged in providing services for Children in Norfolk. Signs of Safety has also been adopted by Norfolk County Council Children’s Services and the Norfolk Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership Board as the core philosophy for working with children and families across Norfolk.

We will ensure that a proven, evidence-based practice framework is used across all services creating consistent and inclusive experience across Norfolk for children and families in receipt of services. Families will become increasingly familiar with the concepts and vocabulary of Signs of Safety as it is used routinely in all our work with children and families from their first contact with practitioners in universal services and where necessary right through to child protection, children in public care and back to universal services

Central to this approach is the use of specific practice tools and processes where professionals and family members can engage with each other in partnership to address and work together on solutions to meet the needs of children. As practice depth grows, Children’s Services and partner agencies will use Signs of Safety as the basis of case discussions in multi-agency fora such as Child Protection conferences, Child in Need planning meetings and Looked After Children’s Reviews.

Click here to read the Norfolk Signs of Safety Plan 2018.

Signs of Safety Briefing Paper

Other assessment tools

This section contains various Signs of Safety practice tools and information for direct work with children and their family networks to help understand the Signs of Safety ethos and methodology.

Signs of Safety does not preclude the use of other well tested evidence based theories and assessment tools used by a wide spectrum of professionals, indeed it complements them.

Signs of Safety Training

The 2 day Signs of Safety training course is aimed at those who will be attending Child Protection conferences and contributing to/conducting Signs of Safety based assessments.

Please note that not all delegates will need the 2 day training course, and details of briefings and workshops for those that do not require the 2 day course can be found below.

To request a 3 hour briefing session, please contact signsofsafety@norfolk.gov.uk.

Click here for the latest dates for Signs of Safety Development Sessions for 2020.

Family Networking is an integral component to Signs of Safety practice, which involves delivering care and support through extended family networks. We know that young people grow more resilient and are more likely to achieve better outcomes when they have the support of a naturally connected network, yet this is one of the most underdeveloped areas in safeguarding. Family Network training will provide critical search and engagement tools that both build and strengthen important connections for young people and their networks. Information sheets can be found below.

Family Networking info sheet – For children and young people

Family Networking info sheet – For parents and families

Family Networking info sheet – For foster carers

Family Networking info sheet – For workers re young people living at home

Family Networking info sheet – For workers re young people in care and leaving care

For further information on either training course and to apply for a place, please email signsofsafety@norfolk.gov.uk.

For more information please see our NSCP training page.

Further Signs of Safety Information

Subscribe to the Norfolk Signs of Safety Newsletter.

Click here for the latest Signs of Safety Newsletter.

Vital Signs for Children
Click here to see information about the Signs of Safety International Gathering 2018 and find out where you can watch the live streaming in Norfolk.
Click here to see the results of the staff survey carried out with the 10 local authorities involved in the second wave of the England Innovations Project for Signs of Safety.
Signs of Safety EIP2 presentation to LSCG’s 2018
From 27 July 2015, Norfolk County Council will be implementing a new approach to Child Protection Conferences, using the Signs of Safety approach. For more information, forms and guidance see our How to Raise a Concern page.
Signs of Safety Timeline of Events
Partnership Approach – Across Norfolk we are implementing Signs of Safety briefing sessions and if you want to know more, here is what is on offer for you.
Signs of Safety training levels information
Adapting Signs of Safety to other service settings
Norfolk SofS Practice Leads (by location) – updated June 2019
Norfolk SofS Practice Leads (by team) – updated June 2019
Role of Practice Leader Information Sheet
Modelling leadership on practice Poster
Through the England Innovation Project, research and evaluation is taking place using staff and parents surveys designed by Professor Eileen Munro.
This is the Overview Report, co-written with Marie Devine, following the parents survey.
Signs of Safety Multi-agency Meetings Glossary
You can’t grow roses in concrete’ Action Research Report – Following the England Innovations Project, which Norfolk Children’s Services took part in from October 2014 to March 2016, this report, released by MTM, the team behind the Signs of Safety approach, give their findings on the project, which involved 10 local authorities all at various stages of implementing Signs of Safety.
As part of the Innovation Project, the Department for Education commissioned Mary Baginsky of Kings College London to provide an evaluation report on implementing Signs of Safety across 10 pilot local authorities.