Summary information
Study title
Supporting and Engaging Schools in Decision-Making and Multi-Agency Working for the Protection of Children, 2017-2019
Creator
Manthorpe, J, King's College London
Baginsky, M, King's College London
Driscoll, J, King's College London
Purcell, C, King's College London
Study number / PID
854716 (UKDA)
10.5255/UKDA-SN-854716 (DOI)
Data access
Restricted
Series
Not available
Abstract
To investigate the engagement of schools in decision-making and multi-agency working in relation to child protection four data sets were collected during three phases of the research. The first data set is 17 transcripts taken from 'scoping' interviews with local authority education and children's social care staff. The findings of these interviews were used to inform the second phase of data collection involving national surveys of: (a) local authority education safeguarding leads; (b) children's social care leads; and (c) Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs). This is the second data set. The third phase of the project involved interviews with key staff involved in safeguarding and child protection work in 50 schools spread across 5 local authority areas. Staff were also asked to complete the Organisational Social Context questionnaire. The interview transcripts and questionnaire results from these case studies are included here as the third and forth data sets.Schools are an important source for the identification, referral and management of child protection concerns. Yet schools often lack robust arrangements for working in partnership with children's social care departments and/or find it difficult to implement these effectively (Baginsky, 2007; Ward, Brown & Maskell-Graham, 2012). A recent major review identified a lack of engagement by schools with safeguarding, despite the statutory framework to promote inter-agency co-operation (Davies and Ward, 2012). Furthermore, in recent years state-funded schools have been able to sever their links with local authorities and there has been a significant increase in the number of Academies and free schools giving heads and teachers greater freedoms and flexibilities. The Government is clear that schools of all types should continue to maintain a strong relationship with local authorities over child protection and safeguarding concerns, although schools are able to determine the shape of that relationship. These...
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Keywords
Methodology
Data collection period
01/04/2017 - 30/09/2019
Country
United Kingdom
Time dimension
Not availableAnalysis unit
Organization
Event/process
Group
Universe
Not availableSampling procedure
Not availableKind of data
Numeric
Text
Data collection mode
Phase 1 - Scoping interviewsA purposeful sampling approach was followed to identify a geographically and demographically diverse range of local authorities. All interviews took place between April and June 2017 in the offices of the local authority, except for one interview that was carried out over the telephone. Interviews followed a semi-structured approach covering a range topics related to multi-agency safeguarding and child protection as set out in the topic guide. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Phase 2 - National surveysThe findings of the scoping interviews were used to inform the design of three surveys of: (a) local authority education safeguarding leads; (b) children's social care services; and (c) Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs). With regard to the first two surveys, all 150 English local authority children's services departments (covering education and children's social care) were invited to complete the surveys. The survey was open between October 2017 and March 2018. Responses were received from 93 (62%) of education safeguarding representatives and 80 (53%) of children's social care representatives. The survey of LSCBs was sent out later and separately by the Association of Independent LSCB Chairs. 82 (55%) responses were received between January and March 2018. In total 39 local areas completed all three surveys. Phase 3 - Case Studies in SchoolsThe complete sets of surveys for the 39 local areas were analysed to assess the degree of congruence in views expressed across the three agencies. Local areas were then grouped into 5 categories ranging from 'very high congruence' to 'very low congruence'. One local authority from each category was then selected to provide a geographically and demographically diverse range of case studies. A brief questionnaire was sent to all state funded schools in each local authority area asking for basic information about their involvement in safeguarding work and inviting them to participate in the case study. 10 schools were then selected from each local area to arrive at a diverse sample including a mix of primary, secondary and special schools as well as academies and local authority maintained schools. Interviews were carried out in schools with key staff between October 2018 and March 2019. Interviews followed a semi-structured approach using a topic guide. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Staff interviewed were also asked to complete the Organisational Social Context questionnaire after the interview.
Funding information
Grant number
ES/N013980/1
Access
Publisher
UK Data Service
Publication year
2021
Terms of data access
The Data Collection is available for download to users registered with the UK Data Service.
Related publications
Not available