RSCP - Self-Assessment S11 Audit Form 2025

Redbridge Safeguarding Children Partnership (RSCP) - Self-Assessment S11 Audit Form 2025

What is Section 11?

Section 11 (s.11) of the Children Act (2004) places a number of duties on a range of organisations (and the services they contract out to others) to ensure that when they conduct their operational business, they do so in a way that takes into account the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. These duties are expanded upon in HM Government Statutory Guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 (see section 221 – 222, pages 106 – 107). Compliance with s.11 is a statutory requirement for the following agencies:

• Local authorities (including Youth Justice Services)
• NHS organisations including, Integrated Care Boards, NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts
• Police
• British Transport Police (BTP)
• National Probation Service (NPS)
• Governors / Directors of Prisons and Young Offender Institutes
• Directors of Secure Training Centres

We are also asking other agencies, including those Partners that are in the voluntary and community sector, and smaller providers, plus schools to complete the template as far as possible, marking the sections that do not apply as N/A.

Role of the RSCP

In order to ensure compliance with s11, the RSCP is undertaking a s11 Audit. This follows the process of issuing a self-assessment audit tool to agencies, undertaking scrutiny and challenge of returns, agreeing and monitoring action plans. For organisation’s that are not required by statute to comply with s11, the RSCP strongly encourages all agencies that work with children and young people to ensure their arrangements reflect the importance of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. This RSCP self-assessment tool can be used by agencies to review their own practice and the RSCP will be inviting submissions from other agencies not listed towards the end of the process.

Section 11 – Self-Assessment Template

Please arrange for this self-assessment to be completed on behalf of your agency by close of business on 31 May 2025. The questions are based on the duties detailed in HM Government Statutory Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 section 222, pages 106 – 108 plus three additional questions to help inform the work of the RSCP. If you have any queries or need support with this process, please contact the RSCP Manager on 020 8708 5282 or 07775399017, or via Lesley.Perry@redbridge.gov.uk.