Safeguarding Children

What is this about?

In 2006, the Children Act 2004 placed a requirement on the Local Authority, along with its statutory partners, to set up a Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB).

The Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Board was therefore set up in order to make sure that key agencies work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in Thurrock.

As a statutory Board, the LSCB has a strong membership of key partner agencies who all come together to ensure that we:

  • Protect children from maltreatment
  • Prevent impairment of children's health or development
  • Ensure that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
  • Undertake that role so as to enable those children to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully
  • Promote a safe environment free from violence

The Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Board is made up of representatives from statutory, voluntary and community organisations/services and meets regularly to agree and oversee the effectiveness of agencies working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in Thurrock.

For more information about safeguarding, child protection and the Thurrock Safeguarding Children Board, you can contact us in three ways:

  • By email:  
  • By phone: (01375) 652730
  • By post:     Thurrock LSCB c/o Thurrock Council, Civic Offices, New Road, Grays, Essex RM17 6SL

On this website there is information for children, young people, parents and carers, as well as professionals who work with children.

What do we do?

The purpose of the LSCB is to do two main things:

  • To look at what all those adults who work with children are doing to ensure that children are kept safe.
  • To ensure that all those organisations that employ people to work with children have in place policies that are effective in keeping children safe.

Some of the areas we look at include how organisations big and small recruit, train and oversee their staff in the work they do with children; how good they are at using child protection procedures, and what more they can do to make Thurrock safer for children and young people.

What else?

The LSCB looks at the work of other Partnerships in Thurrock to ensure that keeping children safe remains a priority. The Thurrock Children and Young People’s Partnership and the Thurrock Community Safety Partnership both have plans which show how they aim to improve the lives of Thurrock children and this includes safeguarding.

Who is involved?

A number of public and voluntary organisations have signed up to be part of the Thurrock LSCB. These include:

  • Thurrock Council
  • Essex Police
  • NHS South West Essex
  • South Essex Partnership NHS Trust
  • Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Trust
  • East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
  • NSPCC
  • Thurrock Community Voluntary Services
  • Child And Family Court Advisory and Support Service
  • Essex Probation Trust
  • Thurrock Youth Offending Service
  • Thurrock Primary Heads Association
  • Thurrock Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges
  • Essex County Fire and Rescue Service

How is the community involved?

Children, young people and their families should be able to have a say in the work that the LSCB undertakes.

The Board has a communications strategy to ensure that safeguarding messages are available to Thurrock people and we are looking at ways to make sure your voice is heard. You can download the strategy below (please see how to access PDF files):

Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Board - Communication Strategy, August 2011 (PDF 138.8kB)

The board is also looking to recruit two lay advisors by early next year to assist in this communication process. More details will be announced shortly.

Further information

Please also see