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Please also see www.somersetsafeguardingchildrenboard.org.uk
Somerset Social Services has a wide range of duties and responsibilities to provide services for individuals and for families. The services that they are required to provide encompass people of all ages, abilities and social groupings. Social Services provide services for people living in the community in their own homes and they also provide residential and day care services.
The processes for safeguarding children in Somerset should be considered in the wider context of all the department's work and more precisely in the context of its child care services. Field workers engaged in safeguarding work are also involved in a wide range of other child care work. They are aware of the wider child care facilities provided and known to the department and can draw on these in order to provide support and treatment services for children who have been abused. These include day care facilities, residential accommodation and foster homes.
Local authorities are under a statutory duty to make enquiries where they have reasonable cause to suspect that a child is or is likely to suffer significant harm or is subject to an emergency protection order or police protection. Social Services carries these responsibilities on behalf of the local authority. They do not do this alone and of necessity call on the expertise and knowledge of other agencies and professionals. Social Services takes the lead role in managing individual cases but also relies on the assistance and co-operation of professionals in other agencies. Social Services also carries responsibilities for managing key parts of the child protection service such as child protection conferences and the child protection register.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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