Safeguard-Me Blog

Building Stronger Safeguarding Networks

2025-07-09 10:32
Effective safeguarding partnerships aren't built through emails and phone calls alone—they're forged through meaningful face-to-face connections and regular relationship-building.
Following on from our previous discussion on reviewing your partnerships with external safeguarding agencies, it's time to move from assessment to action. The most effective way to strengthen these vital relationships? Strategic, well-planned meetings that combine professional objectives with genuine relationship-building.

Who Should Be on Your Meeting List?

Tier 1: Essential Partners (Quarterly Meetings)

Local Authority Designated Officers (LADOs)
  • Why meet: They're your primary point of contact for allegations against staff
  • Best meeting style: Formal quarterly reviews with informal coffee catch-ups
  • Ideal timing: Start of each term/quarter for education settings
Police Safeguarding Teams
  • Why meet: Critical for serious incident response and information sharing
  • Best meeting style: Mix of formal briefings and informal relationship-building
  • Ideal timing: Every 3-4 months, plus after any significant incidents
Children's Services Team Leaders
  • Why meet: They handle your referrals and coordinate multi-agency responses
  • Best meeting style: Working lunches or site visits work well
  • Ideal timing: Termly meetings, with additional contact during busy periods

Tier 2: Important Collaborators (Bi-annual Meetings)

Health Services Representatives
  • School nurses, GP practice managers, mental health liaison officers
  • Meeting style: Joint training sessions or case study discussions
  • Timing: Twice yearly, ideally aligned with health service planning cycles
Educational Partners
  • Other schools, colleges, or training providers in your area
  • Meeting style: Peer learning sessions or shared training events
  • Timing: Start and mid-academic year
Voluntary Sector Organisations
  • NSPCC local coordinators, Barnardo's, local charities
  • Meeting style: Collaborative workshops or joint service planning
  • Timing: Bi-annually, often around funding cycles

Tier 3: Strategic Relationships (Annual Meetings)

Senior Leadership Contacts
  • Assistant directors, chief inspectors, senior managers
  • Meeting style: Strategic planning sessions or policy briefings
  • Timing: Annual strategic reviews, budget planning periods
Specialist Services
  • CAMHS, domestic violence services, substance abuse support
  • Meeting style: Service overview meetings or joint case conferences
  • Timing: Annually, with ad-hoc contact as needed

Timing Your Meetings Strategically

The Safeguarding Academic Calendar Approach

September/October:
  • Back-to-school energy, new academic year planning
  • Ideal for: LADO meetings, police briefings, educational partner catch-ups
January/February:
  • New year planning, budget discussions
  • Ideal for: Strategic meetings, service planning sessions
April/May:
  • Mid-year reviews, preparation for summer activities
  • Ideal for: Health service meetings, voluntary sector planning
July/August:
  • Year-end reviews, forward planning
  • Ideal for: Annual strategic meetings, relationship maintenance

Avoiding Meeting Fatigue

The 60-40 Rule: 60% scheduled meetings, 40% spontaneous relationship-building
The Coffee Test: If you wouldn't grab a coffee with them, reconsider the meeting format
The Value Check: Every meeting should have clear outcomes for both parties

Sample Meeting Agendas That Actually Work

Quarterly LADO Meeting Agenda (90 minutes)

Opening (15 minutes) - Relationship Building
  • Personal check-in and updates
  • Shared challenges and successes
  • Industry news and changes
Business Review (45 minutes) - Professional Focus
  • Review of cases from previous quarter
  • Analysis of referral patterns and outcomes
  • Discussion of any policy changes or new procedures
  • Feedback on communication effectiveness
Forward Planning (20 minutes) - Strategic Alignment
  • Upcoming challenges or busy periods
  • Training opportunities or joint initiatives
  • Resource needs and support requirements
Wrap-up (10 minutes) - Action and Connection
  • Agreed actions with owners and timelines
  • Next meeting date and any interim contact points
  • Exchange of any useful resources or contacts

Informal Police Partnership Coffee Meeting (60 minutes)

Warm-up (10 minutes)
  • Personal updates and local news
  • Shared experiences or recent challenges
Case Discussion (30 minutes)
  • Recent incidents and lessons learned
  • Communication effectiveness review
  • Resource and support needs
Relationship Building (15 minutes)
  • Staff introductions if new team members
  • Shared training or development opportunities
  • Community events or joint initiatives
Next Steps (5 minutes)
  • Key takeaways and follow-up actions
  • Next contact point or meeting date

Annual Strategic Partnership Review (2 hours)

Strategic Overview (30 minutes)
  • Organisational updates and strategic priorities
  • Sector trends and challenges
  • Regulatory or policy changes
Partnership Evaluation (45 minutes)
  • What's working well in our collaboration
  • Areas for improvement or development
  • Resource allocation and efficiency gains
Future Planning (30 minutes)
  • Joint objectives for the coming year
  • New initiatives or service developments
  • Training and development opportunities
Action Planning (15 minutes)
  • Specific commitments and timelines
  • Communication protocols and review dates
  • Success measures and evaluation methods

Making Meetings Meaningful: The Relationship Factor

Before the Meeting
  • Research their current challenges - What's keeping them busy?
  • Prepare specific examples - Bring real cases or scenarios to discuss
  • Consider their perspective - What do they need from you?
  • Choose the right environment - Sometimes their office, sometimes neutral ground
During the Meeting
  • Start with the human element - How are they doing personally?
  • Share vulnerabilities - Discuss your challenges openly
  • Ask for their expertise - People love to help and share knowledge
  • Find common ground - Shared frustrations often build stronger bonds
After the Meeting
  • Follow up within 48 hours - Send a brief summary and thanks
  • Deliver on commitments - Nothing builds trust like reliability
  • Maintain informal contact - Quick updates, relevant articles, or just checking in
  • Celebrate joint successes - Acknowledge when partnerships work well

Actionable Outcomes That Strengthen Partnerships

Immediate Actions (Within 2 weeks)
  • Updated contact lists with direct numbers and preferred communication methods
  • Clarified escalation procedures for urgent safeguarding concerns
  • Shared resource libraries - useful documents, templates, or guidance
  • Joint communication protocols for families and other stakeholders
Medium-term Commitments (1-3 months)
  • Joint training sessions or staff development opportunities
  • Shared case study reviews to improve practice
  • Regular communication schedules beyond formal meetings
  • Cross-agency shadowing or secondment opportunities
Long-term Strategic Goals (3-12 months)
  • Joint service development projects or initiatives
  • Shared performance indicators and success measures
  • Community engagement activities or public awareness campaigns
  • Policy influence activities or sector representation

The Digital Advantage: How Technology Enhances Relationships

Modern safeguarding partnerships benefit enormously from digital platforms that enable:
Real-time Information Sharing
  • Secure, verified professional profiles
  • Instant access to current credentials and checks
  • Transparent audit trails for accountability
Efficient Communication
  • Streamlined referral processes
  • Automated updates on case progress
  • Centralised documentation and records
Enhanced Trust Building
  • Verified professional credentials reduce uncertainty
  • Consistent, up-to-date information builds confidence
  • Transparent processes strengthen accountability
Consider how platforms like Safeguard-Me can support your partnership meetings by providing verified, current information that all parties can trust, making discussions more productive and decisions more confident.

When Relationships Really Work

You'll know your partnership meetings are successful when:
  • Response times improve for urgent safeguarding concerns
  • Communication becomes more informal and direct
  • Joint problem-solving becomes the default approach
  • Staff feel confident contacting partners directly
  • Families experience seamless, coordinated support
  • Outcomes improve for children and vulnerable adults

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Over-formalising everything - Sometimes a quick coffee achieves more than a boardroom meeting
Talking too much - Listen more than you speak, especially in early meetings
Focusing only on problems - Celebrate successes and positive outcomes together
Neglecting follow-up - Relationships need maintenance between formal meetings
Ignoring hierarchy - Understand each organisation's decision-making processes

Moving Forward: Your Partnership Action Plan

  1. Audit your current meeting schedule - Are you connecting with the right people at the right frequency?
  2. Plan your next quarter - Schedule those essential meetings now
  3. Prepare properly - Research, plan agendas, and set clear objectives
  4. Focus on relationships - Remember that trust and rapport enable everything else
  5. Follow through consistently - Reliability builds the foundation for strong partnerships
Remember: The strongest safeguarding networks aren't built through formal processes alone—they're built through genuine professional relationships where people trust each other, communicate openly, and work together towards shared goals.
Effective safeguarding partnerships require ongoing investment in relationships. When you combine strategic meeting planning with genuine relationship-building, you create a network that doesn't just respond to crises—it prevents them.
Next week, we'll explore how to create effective information-sharing agreements that support these strengthened partnerships whilst maintaining appropriate confidentiality and data protection.