The Croydon Safeguarding Children Partnership (CSCP) brings together key agencies to drive continuous improvement in how we safeguard children and young people across the borough. This quarterly update provides a summary of key developments, emerging themes, and progress made between April and June 2025. It highlights how the partnership is responding to local and national learning, strengthening multi-agency practice, and tackling persistent safeguarding challenges through collective action.

🌟 Key Achievements 

• New Neglect Strategy launched (as part of the SWL footprint), helping raise awareness and strengthen early intervention. 

• 450 eLearning courses completed – a 50% increase from the previous quarter. Level 1 and 2 pass rates remain consistently high, good attendance rates from Croydon’s Family Hubs and the NHS. 

• Partnership Working with Faith Groups: A new safeguarding initiative is underway with over 80 evangelical churches in Croydon. “This is a fantastic opportunity to build safer spaces for our communities,” said Bishop Mark Nicholson following a planning meeting in June. 

• Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) are now in use, with Croydon Police among just three forces piloting this new legal power to protect women and children. Early convictions show encouraging results. 

• Young Scrutineer Impact: Deshawn Sterling’s work has helped spotlight young people’s perspectives on language, race, and identity. A QA Group member noted, “Deshawn’s update was really helpful in providing a picture of what’s happening for Croydon’s children and young people – a positive development.” 

• Creative Community Engagement: A new safeguarding poster designed for police custody suites — with QR codes linking to youth mentoring services — is now being rolled out in GPs, schools and community spaces. 

• Audit Improvements: Audits are now more focused and completed on time. Key findings are driving system changes, including how professionals are invited and attend Child Protection Conferences. 

⚠️ Challenges We're Tackling 

• Training attendance: While eLearning is thriving, in-person sessions saw a 58% no-show rate. Fee-based bookings started in July to improve commitment. 

• Data and insight meetings had low attendance, limiting reflective discussion. New Terms of Reference have now been introduced to improve this. 

• MASH pressures: Despite committed teams, the pace and demand remain intense. Four Health staff will now be based on-site, improving coordination — though their availability is limited by wider duties. 

• AI and innovation: Use of AI tools like Magic Notes is being piloted, but Police concerns over data sensitivity mean use in certain meetings is currently restricted. 

🔭 What’s Coming in Q2 (Jul–Sep 2025) 

• Launch of the new CSCP website — to provide clearer, more accessible safeguarding guidance and thematic learning for professionals. 

• Voice of the Child focus — including video content and youth-led agenda items in CSCP meetings, plus continued engagement with Family Hub focus groups. 

• CSA (Child Sexual Abuse) Webinars — launching this autumn, with expert speakers and lived experience input. 

• Suicide & Self-Harm Strategy — being developed in collaboration with Public Health, including a new cluster policy for high-risk situations. 

• Benchmarking tool analysis for youth violence — to evidence the quality of multi-agency work on reducing serious youth violence (SYV) in Croydon. 

• Continued partnership learning — CSCP’s VCS engagement model is now seen as best practice across London. One VCS partner said: “In comparison with other London areas, you realise just how strong the work with the neighbourhood teams is in Croydon — some places feel 20 years behind!” 

💬 Final Thoughts 

The CSCP continues to demonstrate strong partnership working, a learning culture, and meaningful engagement with young people and communities. As we look ahead, the focus remains on listening, learning, and adapting to keep Croydon’s children safe. 

Thank you to all the agencies, practitioners, and young people committed to making this happen. 

Resources:

• Neglect strategy

• Safeguarding Training