"Signs of Safety" approach to child protection

​​​​Hillingdon Local Safeguarding Children's Board has adopt the "Signs of Safety" (SoS) approach to working with families where there are concerns about children's safety.

This approach aims to work with the strengths and resources that exist within families to build safety for children who have suffered, or are at risk of suffering, significant harm of physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect.

The SoS approach considers information about the child and their family across a number of areas, for example:

• Why are we worried about this child?
• What are the dangers / risks?
• What are the complicating factors or grey areas?
• What is working well in terms of existing strengths?
• What is working well in terms of existing safety measures that are in place?
• How worried are we on a scale of 0 to 10?
• What outcomes (or goals) do we need to have to build safety for the child?
• What needs to happen to make the necessary changes to achieve this outcome?

A number of tools and resources have been developed including, 

• Child protection case conference Guide for professionals 2016 [329KB]
• Child Protection Case Conference Feedback from professionals [287KB]
• Child Protection Case Conference Parental feedback [362KB]

Professionals from partner agencies who need to submit a multi agency report for a scheduled child protection conference should do so using the secure email address safeguardingchildrenadmin@hillingdon.gov.uk.

All other general enquiries regarding arrangements for child protection conferences should be made to: qualityassurancemanagers@hillingdon.gov.uk.

Alternatively, all telephone enquiries should be made to 01895 556714.