SVPP newsletter Issue 10
Welcome to Issue 10 of Wiltshire SVPP’s e-newsletter, bringing you the latest news and updates from the SVPP, including the Wiltshire Community Safety Partnership (CSP).
Book your SVPP Safeguarding Week
SVPP Safeguarding Week is taking place next week, from the 4th to the 8th December 2023. There are still various courses available, please see below for details of events to book, all events are offered free of charge.
Safer Sleep in Winter - please take opportunities to remind families about safer sleep in your work with them, with information from the Lullaby Trust. See further in the newsletter about support that may be available to families who cannot afford to buy appropriate baby equipment.
The colder months can be difficult for families - the cost of living, paying for heating bills and trying to keep homes and babies warm. The recommended room temperature for babies is 16-20 degrees, which may be difficult to maintain in the colder months. It can be tempting to wrap babies up to keep them warm, however overheating a baby increases the chances of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS, also known as cot death). Research shows babies are better to be cooler than too hot. Please visit The Lullaby Trust for more information on how to keep babies safe when sleeping.
Safer sleep for babies away from home/out of routine
Over the Christmas holiday season, many families spend time staying away from home. This can mean the usual bedtime routine and safe sleeping space for babies may change. Here are some key tips for keeping babies safe when sleeping away from home:
- Always put babies to sleep on their back, day or night, in the ‘feet to foot’ position (placing baby’s feet to the bottom end of the travel cot to avoid them wriggling down under the covers).
- Travel cot mattresses are fine for a baby to sleep on as they are, even though they are a lot thinner than a standard cot mattress. Folded blankets, towels or a quilt should never be placed under the baby to make them ‘more comfortable’.
- Avoid loose bedding – babies are at higher risk of SIDS if they have their heads covered with loose bedding. Use a thin blanket no higher than their shoulders, and firmly tucked in under the mattress, or a sleeping bag of appropriate thickness for the room temperature.
- Use a safe, firm, flat space for babies to sleep on if there is no travel cot, cot or a Moses basket. You could use a pram/carrycot or a buggy, but the base must be flat and not sloping or tilted. Use the hood rather than covering the buggy or pram/carrycot. Do not use swings and baby bouncers as they are not firm and flat.
Please download Safer sleep for babies away from home or in emergency situations - The Lullaby Trust for more information and advice on keeping babies safe during the holiday season, away from home and out of routine.
16 Days of Action Against Gender Based Violence
The annual International 16 Days of Action Campaign begins on 25th November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) and runs until 10th December (Human Rights Day).
Sadly, issues of gender-based violence, particularly domestic abuse*, are part of our day-to-day lives, with many SVPP partners doing amazing work in this field. These issues will also touch many of us in our personal lives in one way or another, with 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men expected to experience domestic abuse at some point in their lifetime.
With this in mind, the local theme for this year’s campaign is ‘What would you do?’ and is aimed at friends, family and colleagues – raising awareness about the signs of domestic abuse, how to respond if someone you know is affected by DA and promoting information on local specialist support services. Public Health and the commissioned Domestic Abuse service provider, FearFree, are running a number of events over the 16 Days and would love to see you there.
Anyone you know who may be affected by domestic abuse, support is available below:
*Although domestic abuse disproportionately affects women, we recognise that anyone can experience domestic abuse, and DA services in Wiltshire provide support for people of all genders.
Specialist support for the military community
Frear Free provide a Forces Intervention Programme which gives service personnel and veterans the opportunity to change abusive behaviour. The course is delivered by specialist advisors and consists of group sessions and one to one support. Partners, children and affected others will also have the opportunity to access support. For more information, self and professional referrals please visit: Wiltshire - FearFree
Useful links, resources and events in brief
Private fostering - a guide for professionals in social care, health and education
Private fostering is when a child under 16, or under 18 if they are disabled, lives for more than 28 days with someone who is not a close relative. Close relatives include grandparents, siblings, uncles, aunts, step-parents, people with parental responsibility for the child
Please visit Wiltshire Council Private Fostering for information on the laws governing private fostering, responsibilities of foster carers and other agencies as well as any FAQ.
All Together is a new resource in Wiltshire aimed at supporting families with information and advice on what services are available for a range of topics including things to do, places to go, practical tips on who to talk to. The All Together website is a general hub of information for families, children and young people to access the right help at the right time.
Reducing Violence Programme
StreetDoctors deliver emergency training sessions for young people affected by violence to enable and empower them to keep themselves and others safe. In these sessions young people are taught how to approach a medical emergency with confidence and skill. Sessions are available to individuals or as a comprehensive four week programme. Each session lasting 45-60 minutes will be delivered by young healthcare volunteers to a group of 15-30 young people between the ages of 11 and 25.
For more information on programme costs, delivery methods and how to make a booking go to StreetDoctors – Empowering young lifesavers
Victim Support Wiltshire
Victim Support (VS) is an independent charity dedicated to supporting victims of crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales. VS are looking to increase their presence within the wider Wiltshire and Swindon community by working with local agencies to create referral pathways. The highly trained Wiltshire team will support victims until they feel they have confidence to cope following a crime or trauma.
Please contact the Wiltshire team leader Rebecca Molloy Rebecca.molloy@victimsupport.org.uk to discuss a mutual referral process. Organisations can also request pop up and awareness sessions within the community.
Please see the attached links for the Victim Support website as well as the Wiltshire Victim Support social pages to see what the VS team has been doing in the community recently.
https://www.facebook.com/victimsupport/
https://twitter.com/victimsupport
https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/
Transitional Safeguarding: knowledge briefing for health professionals
Achieving a Transitional Safeguarding approach requires whole systems change involving input from all agencies, and colleagues working in the health sector have a vital and particularly important role to play. This briefing is aimed at health professionals involved in safeguarding children and young adults accessing healthcare – from practitioners and managers through to commissioners, strategic leaders, and others with accountability for safeguarding in health services. It will also be useful for those who don’t usually work with young people and/or young adults directly but provide care or support to their family members or carers.
The briefing draws on evidence from research and practice to describe:
- What Transitional Safeguarding is and why it is needed
- How the adoption of Transitional Safeguarding across health is key to developing a truly person-centred approach to safeguarding young people into adulthood
- What you can do – as a practitioner, supervising manager, senior manager, or board member – to help implement and embed Transitional Safeguarding
For more information and to download the briefing, please click here
Unseen have launched an app which provides a simple guide to recognising the signs of modern slavery and human trafficking and is a channel to report concerns in confidence. There is also a guide to types of modern slavery, an outline of key legislation, and an explanation of how to contact the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline in 27 languages. This latter feature is useful for frontline professionals to communicate with people they suspect are victims of exploitation and who do not have good command of English. The app is on the phones of thousands of frontline professionals across the UK and is recommended by senior police officers and Anti-Slavery experts as an important tool in identifying and reporting human trafficking and modern slavery.
You can download the app:
Cost of living Crisis - Household Support Fund Round 4 funding
Wiltshire Council has been allocated £5.4 million in round four of the Household Support Fund (HSF). The funding will be distributed through partner organisations and council departments, including Children’s Centres, and will run from April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The HSF should be used to support households in the most need, particularly those who may not be eligible for other government support. This includes in Wiltshire military as well as Gypsy, Roma Traveller and Boater families.
There is £100,000 funding for families with a child under two who are adversely affected by the Cost-of-Living Crisis. This funding can be used at your discretion, relying on your organisation’s knowledge of family need, no proof is required. Here are the categories:
- Food
- Baby milk
- Clothing
- Baby equipment
- Travel support
SVPP Training and Learning Events
Did you know the SVPP offers a range of free e-learning courses? Modules include Child and Adult Exploitation, Self-Neglect, Learning from Case Reviews, Mental Capacity Act and DoLs and E- Safety. To book any SVPP training courses including e-learning, click here
07.12.2023 DASH Risk Assessment and MARAC Training
08.12.2023 Working Together: A Shared Responsibility
13.12.2023 Neglect
14.12.2023 Specialist Advanced Practitioner Training
New 2024 course dates have already been added for some of our courses – more to follow soon. Please see the SVPP website, Learning Hub for details.