Annex H: Glossary of terms

Abuse and Neglect are forms of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm, as well as cases where the standard of care does not adequately support the child’s health or development.

Child Sexual Exploitation is when children and young people receive something (such as food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, affection, gifts, or money) as a result of performing, and/or others performing on them, sexual activities. Child sexual exploitation can occur through the use of the internet or on mobile phones.

Child Welfare is services and institutions concerned with the physical, social, and psychological well-being of children, particularly children suffering from the effects of poverty or lacking normal parental care and supervision.

Community Care is long-term care for people who are mentally ill, elderly, or disabled which is provided within the community rather than in hospitals or institutions, especially as implemented in the UK under the National Health Service and Community Care Act of 1990.

A Criminal Offence is an act harmful not only to an individual or individuals but also to a community, society or the state. Such acts are forbidden and punishable by law.

A Contracted Service is any of the following, procurement of services, grants to voluntary sector, service level agreements, lease agreements, shared services and partnership arrangements.

A Corporate Leadership Team (CLT) is a team of individuals at the highest level of the Council’s management.

A Disclosure is the act or process of revealing, uncovering or the sharing of information.

The Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) decides who should be barred from working with vulnerable groups. They maintain two constantly updated lists – one for those barred from working with children, the other for those barred from working with adults.

Domestic Abuse involves any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality.

A Domestic Homicide Review (DHR) is a statutory requirement for Community Safety Partnerships to undertake a multi-agency review following a domestic homicide to identify what needs to change to reduce the risk of further incidents.

An Elected Member of the Council is responsible to their electorate as: Representatives of a particular ward area, decision makers for the whole Council area, policy makers for future activities of the Council, auditors of the work of the Council, regulators of planning, licensing and other matters required by government and as community leaders.

E-Safety is a term which means not only the internet but other ways in which young people communicate using electronic media, e.g. mobile phones. It means ensuring that children and young people are protected from harm and supported to achieve the maximum benefit from new and developing technologies without risk to themselves or others.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a collective term for illegal procedures which include the removal of part or all external female genitalia for cultural or other non-therapeutic reasons.

A Forced Marriage is a marriage conducted without the valid consent of both parties, where duress is a factor. Duress can involve physical, psychological, sexual, financial and / or emotional pressure.

Modern Slavery or human trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of people who, with the threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, abuse of power or deception are exploited for the purposes of prostitution, forced labour, slavery or other similar practices. Victims are trafficked all over the world, including in and around the UK.

Multi Agency Safeguarding Arrangements (MASA) Working Together (2018) introduced a requirement for new multi-agency safeguarding arrangements to replace Local Safeguarding Children Boards. The responsibility for ensuring implementation of these arrangements’ rests with the three named Safeguarding Partners. These partners have a shared and equal duty to make arrangements to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in the local area. In Worcestershire the three Safeguarding Partners are:

• Chief Executive of Worcestershire County Council
• Chief Constable of West Mercia Police
• Chief Executive of the NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB)

The Safeguarding Partners work together as an Executive Group coming together with a wider group of relevant partners known as the Worcestershire Safeguarding Children Partnership (WSCP).  WSCP replaces the Worcestershire Safeguarding Children Board (WSCB).

The Named Safeguarding Officer will take the lead on safeguarding within the Council.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) is a charity campaigning and working in child protection in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands.

The North Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership brings together representatives from a range of public, private, voluntary and community sector bodies to seek out effective and sustainable solutions to reducing crime across North Worcestershire

A Police and Crime Commissioner is an elected official in England and Wales charged with securing efficient and effective policing of a police area.

Practice is the carrying out or exercise of a profession. The practice performed by Wyre Forest District Council will be reviewed to ensure efficiency.

Procedures are a fixed, step-by-step sequence of activities or course of action (with definite start and end points) that must be followed in the same order to correctly perform a task.

Safeguarding is a term which is broader than ‘child protection’ and relates to the action the Council takes to promote the welfare of children and adult’s and protect them from harm.

The term Staff refers to all employees of the Council including those on permanent contracts, temporary contracts and agency workers.

Volunteers are people working on behalf of Council without being motivated by financial or material gain.

The Worcestershire Domestic Abuse Partnership Board is a statutory partnership that brings together a range of voluntary and statutory organisations and individuals to work on tackling issues related to domestic abuse across Worcestershire.

Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) undertakes the licensing function on behalf of the licensing authority, including the administration, regulation and enforcement.

The Worcestershire Safeguarding Adult’s Board is a statutory multi agency organisation, which brings together agencies who work to safeguard and promote the welfare of adults.

Worcestershire Safeguarding Children Partnership see above.