There are a number of meetings that take place to ensure community safety and tackling issues of extra familial harm.
Education Professionals are likely to be able to feed in intelligence to statutory assessments and criminal investigations and are integral part of the safeguarding system.
This page helps curate the various meetings and operations that take place. Some meetings are considered long standing and static, whilst some meetings have been set up to address acute problems.
If you need to discuss a case or work in relation to a meeting/operation please do liaise with one of your locality colleagues who often represented the education sector at these meetings:
Our Locality Designated Safeguarding Lead Networks have been updated to provide contributions from neighbourhood policing. Please sign up to networks here.
Education professionals often have a lot of information to share but do not always have the medium to share it. It is key that acute issues are shared in the normal established pathways.
Child protection/Crime and concerns for immediate safety
For issues relating to context (neighbourhoods, community spaces, parks, roads) you will need to share this at a tactical meeting as this can affect many children and families.
Sharing information with Locality Community Safety Tactical meetings - complete the webform.
For issues relating to individual children/young people and groups of children/young people where there are concerns about anti-social behaviour, risk of child exploitation, weapons/drugs in school pathway, and youth conflict.
Whilst all statutory agencies are likely to be involved in providing holistic support to children and families, these are the most relevant contacts you may be required to contact in managing and responding to an incident.
Education Inclusion Managers - These roles operationalise the Weapons and Drugs in schools pathway. Colleagues also offer a link to Safer Options and education settings to support assessing risk and safety planning for children involved in child criminal exploitation and serious youth violence.
Families in Focus - Teams that provide targeted services to support child and families. They have access to support for children and their families which can include (but not limited to)- signposting, family support, parenting courses and youth work.
Safeguarding in Education Team a team who provide advice, guidance to education settings around effective safeguarding policies and procedures to promote the safety and welfare of children and young people.
Safer Communities - A central team that coordinate meetings relating to community safety, crime, emergencies, and anti-social behaviour. The team coordinate pieces of work to which education colleagues are invited to contribute.
Youth Justice Service - Work with children and young people who get into trouble with the law and help them stay away from crime. This includes the Safer Options Hub looking to divert children from serious youth violence and criminal exploitation. Bristol | Avon & Somerset Violence Reduction Partnership (asvrp.co.uk)
Neighbourhood Policing teams (NPT) - find out what is going in your area and how to contact your local policing team. The teams cover different localities in Bristol and are likely to be your first point of call to support around locality problems. They will provide access to your Police Beat Officers and PCSOs who will be your main points of contacts.
Early Intervention Team - A centralised force wide specialist team who are dedicated to assessing and putting multi-agency plans for children who are at the highest risk of getting involved in serious youth violence and criminal exploitation. Currently the team operationalise Op Hardy.
Criminal Investigations Department (CID)- A branch of the constabulary which manages major crimes in a methodical and systematic way.
Police Operations:
Settings who are working with children who are vulnerable to or experiencing child exploitation will be involved in one or more of these operations. Some of the operations are more static and refer to specialist officers who investigate particular cases and work with other agencies to create safety.
There are more sensitive operations which have arisen. You will need to contact the Safeguarding In Education Team to verify whether you have a role to play in these. Officers will likely need to provide a briefing to you to be able to share additional information.
We mapped these meetings visually - Click on the image for a higher definition.
There are a number of meetings and police operations which attempt to respond to and disrupt criminal behaviour and extra familial harm.
Ad hoc (often in response to an acute/critical incident)
Monthly
Fortnightly/Weekly