NHS England East of England’s safeguarding team works with partners from across the East of England to ensure that our most vulnerable and at risk communities are supported.

Our team

Anneliese Hillyer-Thake – assistant director of nursing, quality and safeguarding

Chelle Farnan – safeguarding clinical lead

Louise Warren – regional SEND manager

Kirstie Blakemore – senior safeguarding manager

Maki Modhvadiya – safeguarding and children and young people co-ordinator

Please email the team if you have any questions.  They are happy to support you england.eastsafeguarding@nhs.net

Please visit our regional learning platform to access a range of resources, training and material across safeguarding, Mental Capacity Act, and SEND here: East safe guarding learning platform – NHS training videos

What is our role in special educational needs and disabilities?

• We support integrated care systems (ICS) with readiness and preparedness to comply and deliver the statutory duties identified within the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Care Act 2014.
• We continue to raise the profile of our SEND population and support our practitioners to deliver high quality children and young persons centred care.
• We work collaboratively with the national SEND team and our partners in the Department for Education, Ofsted and the CQC to deliver on the national SEND inspection framework and to undertake monitoring and compliance.
• We champion the role of health services within the SEND agenda and strive to achieve a consistent and child centred approach across the region.

Four key areas of oversight of our work are:

• strategic programme development
• quality improvement and service development
• partnerships and relationships
• monitoring and oversight of our six integrated care systems
• SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

What is our role in safeguarding? 

• We deliver NHS safeguarding statutory functions providing leadership, support, and guidance.
• We work with the national safeguarding team whilst striving to improve safeguarding practices across the NHS to produce positive health outcomes for victims and survivors of abuse and exploitation within all communities.
• We work with multi-agency partners across the East of England to develop best practice for safeguarding the most at-risk populations.
• The implementation of effective safeguarding assurance arrangements via Schedule 32 of the NHS Standard Contract. We support improvement through regional safeguarding commissioning assurance governance processes whilst ensuring the following key objectives:
  • • identify and clarify how relationships between health and other systems work at both strategic and operational levels to safeguard children, young people and adults under the care of the NHS at risk of abuse or neglect;
    • clearly set out the legal framework for safeguarding children and adults as it relates to the various NHS organisations, in order to support them in discharging their statutory duties and requirements to safeguard children and adults;
    • outline principles, attitudes, expectations, and ways of working that recognise safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility, and that the safety and wellbeing of those in vulnerable circumstances are at the forefront of our business;
    • outline the ways in which NHS England Regional and National teams support integrated care boards (ICBs) accountability and leadership at local level, fostering effective place-based partnerships;
    • identify clear arrangements and processes to be used to support evidence-based practice and provide assurance at all levels, including NHS England Board, that safeguarding arrangements are in place and are effective; and
    • promote equality by ensuring that health inequalities are addressed and are at the heart of NHS England, ICB and provider values.

Safeguarding accountability and assurance framework

The safeguarding accountability and assurance framework (SAAF) set outs the safeguarding roles and responsibilities of all individuals working in providers of NHS-funded care settings and NHS commissioning organisations.

NHS England » Safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk in the NHS: Safeguarding accountability and assurance framework