Introduction
The Association has continued to run the SCR Peer Challenge Scheme for a number of years. The Association is badging the scheme ‘peer challenge’ to make clear its voluntary nature, and that a Chair’s statutory duties and exercise of independence remain unfettered. It is congruent with the underpinning Objectives of the Association i.e. to provide support to Chairs and sharing learning in order to improve the lives of vulnerable children.
Following discussion with members at the Annual Conference in 2014, it was agreed that the scheme will essentially revolve around Chair to Chair support, usually, although not exclusively, on an in-Region basis. The support is not imposed, but is encouraged as good practice, and nothing in the scheme impairs a Chair from fulfilling their statutory duties as they see fit.
Process
Association Members have described wanting the process to be as easy as possible, especially bearing in mind that providing peer consultation is likely to be a good will gesture, rather than remunerated. A Chair should simply consult a fellow Chair for support on a particular issue related to the SCR, and agree the nature of this between themselves. This could be, for example, on:
-
the decision to hold an SCR (including whether any other form of review would be appropriate)
- setting up the SCR and process issues
- how to make the report publishable
- decisions on publication
- the LSCB response to the SCR
The status of any challenge given is captured by the intent behind this scheme i.e. this is a voluntary exercise and final accountability and independent rests with the LSCB Chair. LSCB Chairs will routinely seek challenge, at a local level, in their decision making and this scheme enhances this practice, by providing LSCB Chairs with a regional/national resource on which to draw. The challenge should be provided on a voluntary basis, in line with the help requested, and provided in a non-judgemental (even if frank) way.
Reporting
In order to oversee the usefulness and effectiveness of this scheme in contributing to the Objectives of the Association it would be useful that a record is kept of the challenge process sought and provided. In order to increase the opportunity for recording the process, the "survey" details have been reduced down to just capturing the occurrence. AILC would be grateful if the survey would be used even if the consultation leads to no SCR being commissioned.
If peer challenge and consultation is sought at different stages in a single SCR please complete the survey for each consultation.
COMPLETE THE BRIEF SURVEY NOW!
Queries
Any queries about the scheme should be addressed to either: Alison Thorpe, manager@lscbchairs.org.uk or Sarah Webb policy@lscbchairs.org.uk