Children's services' relationships with other agencies

In carrying out the Council's duties, the children's services department has to act in partnership with key agencies, such as the Police, Probation Service and Courts, with regard to young people who have been arrested, remanded or convicted.

Safeguarding children

Wandsworth Safeguarding Children Partnership (WSCP) is jointly led by the Police, Clinical Commissioning Group and the Council. We are responsible for protecting children and young people in Wandsworth from harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation, and promoting their welfare. View the arrangements for the new Wandsworth Safeguarding Children Partnership.

Working with schools

There is a strong working relationship between the Council and all schools. A Headteacher Standing Conference Executive has been established which meets three times a year with senior members of the Children's Services Department. There are also termly meetings per phase with all headteachers.

This working relationship extends beyond schools maintained by the Council, to the academies and free schools in the borough, and the independent sector and FE/ Sixth Form colleges.

All state schools in Wandsworth, including academies and Free Schools, are entitled to a link inspector at no cost to the school. Link inspectors work in partnership with schools to provide them with challenge, support and external scrutiny.

There are also a number of other important collaborative arrangements, such as the Secondary Improving Behaviour and Attendance Partnership.

Regardless of their status, schools come together with the LA to discuss issues such as admissions, funding and major policy areas.

There are also termly briefing meetings for chairmen and vice-chairmen of governing bodies and an annual meeting between the Cabinet Member for Children's Services and chairmen of governors.

The Council's role

The Council's education policies have traditionally had three interrelated aims:

• To introduce the widest range of parental and pupil choice
• To bring the supply of school places into correspondence with demand
• To raise educational standards in Wandsworth schools

It is fully behind the ambitions of the Children’s Act to improve outcomes for children and young people and has taken significant practical steps to reshape provision in order to realise these ambitions.

At the heart of the Council's education policies is the intention that parents and pupils should have the widest possible choice, and that pupils should be taught, whenever appropriate, in a setting most suitable for their needs. This means supporting selection, specialisation and differentiation where appropriate.

The Council has a crucial role in striving for educational excellence within an increasingly enabling environment. 35% of the borough's schools are currently judged to be outstanding by Ofsted and a further 56% are judged to be good.