Gateshead LSCB first met in 2005 and replaced the Area Child Protection Committee in line with the Children Act 2004.
Following the murder of Victoria Climbié in 2000 and her great-aunt's subsequent conviction for murder in 2001 the Government launched a full enquiry. The enquiry was conducted by Lord Laming and lead to 108 recommendations to reform the nation child protection system, including the formation of the Every Child Matters programme and the Children Act 2004.
Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) are the key statutory mechanism for agreeing how the relevant organisations in each local area will cooperate to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, and for ensuring the effectiveness of what they do.
Working Together to Safeguard Children (2010) sets out how individuals and organisations should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It replaces the previous version of Working Together which was published in 2006.
Chapter 3 of Working Together sets out the role, functions, governance and operation of LSCBs.
Gateshead LSCB is made up of a number of statutory partners including Gateshead Council|, Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust|, Gateshead Primary Care Trust|, North East Ambulance Service, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, Northumbria Probation Trust, Northumbria Police|, Strategic Health Authority, Tyne & Wear Fire and Rescue Service and CAFCASS.
Gateshead LSCB is independently chaired by Nancy Palmer and meets three times a year. Board members are senior representatives from each partner agency. A smaller LSCB Executive also meets four times per year. The work of the LSCB is also carried out by the seven sub-groups and other ad-hoc working groups.
