Local Safeguarding Children Board meaning

In practice, a Local Safeguarding Children board (LSCB) was the multi-agency forum that coordinated and scrutinised local arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The term was a statutory one in England and Wales under the Children Act 2004 (notably sections 13–14 and the 2006 Regulations), covering coordination, effectiveness monitoring, inter‑agency procedures, training and serious case reviews. England: LSCBs have been abolished and replaced by local safeguarding arrangements led by the three safeguarding partners (local authority, chief officer of police and health body) under the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and Working Together to Safeguard Children. Serious case reviews were replaced by local child safeguarding practice reviews and the national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel. Wales: equivalent functions now sit with Safeguarding Children Boards under the Social Services and Well‑being (Wales) Act 2014, commonly operating as Regional Safeguarding Boards. Scotland: there are no LSCBs; the nearest equivalent is the Child Protection Committee in each local authority area, operating under national guidance. Northern Ireland: functions are exercised by the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland under the Safeguarding Board Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. The term LSCB survives in legacy documents; interpret it by reference to the current safeguarding body in the relevant jurisdiction.