Child Safeguarding Review Panel (National Panel)
The Child Safeguarding Review Panel is a National Panel that meets regularly to decide whether to commission national reviews of child safeguarding cases that are notified to it. The panel’s decisions are based on the possibility of identifying improvements from cases which it views as complex or of national importance.
Local authorities should notify the national review panel:
- if a child dies or is seriously harmed and abuse or neglect is known or suspected:
- in their area
- outside of England, but they’re normally resident in their area
- to report the death of children looked after by a local authority whether or not abuse or neglect is known or suspected
A list of published national reviews and briefing papers is available. Read the Annual Report 2023/24.
Sign up to the national panel newsletter mailing list online here.
The Panel also deliver briefing webinars on themes of national relevance;
- Elective Home Education (03.10.24) This webinar took place on Thursday 3rd October 2024 to inform child protection professionals about the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel's briefing paper on safeguarding children in elective home education. While the Panel acknowledges and respects the rights of parents to determine that their child should be educated at home, this webinar and briefing paper is based on evidence from safeguarding reviews where children who have been electively home educated have suffered serious harm or died as a result of abuse or neglect. The briefing paper is available here.
- Race. Racism and Safeguarding Children (29.04.25) The Panel is hosting a webinar (12.00-13.00, Tuesday 29th April) to cascade the key messages from its report on race, racism and safeguarding children. This 1-hour ‘lunch and learn’ online events will include an overview of the key learning and local recommendations for safeguarding partners and practitioners. The webinar will be hosted by Panel Chair, Annie Hudson, the Panel lead for the report, Jahnine Davis, and Panel member Dale Simon. Read the report and briefing paper.
Recommendations include:
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Acknowledging and Challenging Racism: Local leaders should ensure that appropriate internal structures are in place to support practitioners to recognise, discuss and challenge internal and institutional racism.
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Empowering Practitioners: Creating conditions that empower practitioners to have conversations with children and families about race and identity. This includes building skills and confidence and ensuring there are safe opportunities for self-reflection within teams and in supervision to acknowledge their own biases.
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Reviewing Local Strategies: Child Safeguarding Partnerships should review their local strategies and approaches to addressing race, racism, and racial bias in their work with Black, Asian, and Mixed Heritage children.