Section 16 Local arrangements for safeguarding and promoting welfare of childrenI1I2

After section 16D of the Children Act 2004 (inserted by section 15 of this Act) insert—

“Safeguarding partners for local authority areas

Local arrangements for safeguarding and promoting welfare of children

16E

(1)

The safeguarding partners for a local authority area in England must make arrangements for—

(a)

the safeguarding partners, and

(b)

any relevant agencies that they consider appropriate,

to work together in exercising their functions, so far as the functions are exercised for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in the area.

(2)

The arrangements must include arrangements for the safeguarding partners to work together to identify and respond to the needs of children in the area.

(3)

In this section—

• “relevant agency”, in relation to a local authority area in England, means a person who—

  1. (a)

     is specified in regulations made by the Secretary of State, and

  2. (b)

     exercises functions in that area in relation to children;

• “safeguarding partner”, in relation to a local authority area in England, means—

  1. (a)

     the local authority;

  2. (b)

     a clinical commissioning group for an area any part of which falls within the local authority area;

  3. (c)

     the chief officer of police for a police area any part of which falls within the local authority area.”