1. Signs of Safety The Joint Investigation Team
by Shadi Shey, Social Worker

2. The Joint Investigation Team
We conduct s.47 investigations
We are a small team of social workers based at Normanton Police Station
Crisis point involvement with families that are not known to us
Our work is very short term, usually a couple of days
Signs of Safety works!
The direct, honest and basic approach sits perfectly with crisis point intervention

3. Our Signs of Safety Journey
We are all total amateurs!
It was essential for us to embrace change and have the confidence to make change
We started with the eradication of the Written Agreements and the development of the Safety Plan
We start by having an agreed goal with families and by literally looking for signs of safety
Mapping Sessions, group working and managerial support and encouragement

4. Case Study: Fiona Referral:
Referral was received from a church group leader that Fiona (7) had disclosed that she is has been raped by her brother Ben (16) for the past two years. It transpired that Fiona had told her parents about this on three occasions over the past 18 months.
Mercy (5), Fiona (7), Stan (11) and Ben (16) all lived at home with their mother and father.
S.47 investigation undertaken jointly with the police
Ben was charged with three offences relating to sexual assault of his sister. He pled guilty to these and he was bailed to a foster placement.
Gathered and shared information with agencies, i.e. school, police
I watched Fiona’s video interview
Numerous home visits to parents and to the children
Safety Plans completed with parents
Safety Plans completed with the children individually
Case transferred to Initial Child Protection Conference

5. Fiona’s Safety Plan

6. Fiona’s Three Houses House of Worries Dad is going in to Ben’s bedroom
Me, Mercy and Stan missing Ben
Bad dreams about Ben
Me missing Ben
Going into Ben’s bedroom
House of Good Things
My little sister and my family
Christmas and birthday presents
My pets
Pictures of Ben
House of Dreams
I want to be a hairdresser for my job
Me as a princess
Tooth fairy in a dream
Me being in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

7. Case Study Two: Nat and Leon
Referral:
Referral was received Nat’s school about Nat having a bruise on her face. When they asked her about it, she told them that her boyfriend Leon had done it to her. Nat refused to speak to the police about it.
Nat is 16 and Leon is 17. They live separately with their parents and siblings. They have been in a relationship for around two years and there have been previous domestic violence referrals.
S.47 investigation undertaken:
Information gathered and shared with agencies
Home visit to Nat and Leon’s parents
Visit undertaken to Nat and Leon
Safety Plan completed with Nat and Leon
Case transferred to Early Help Hub for further support

8. Nat’s Safety Plan

10. Question to Liam and Nicole:
On a scale of one to ten, ten being that it definitely will happen and 0 being that it definitely won’t happen, how likely do you think it is that violence will happen again?
Both Nicole and Liam scored - 0
Next Steps:
A support worker from the HUB will be asked to work with Nicole and Liam. This will try to help them make sure that there is no more violence in their relationship.
They will keeping checking if the safety plan is working and keep checking that there is no more violence
If it is not working, they will see how the Safety Plan could change and what other help is needed

11. Final words It is first the approach that matters, then the paperwork
It is about having the confidence to use SOS creatively to suit each family and child
We keen to develop safety planning further
- Clearer safety plans needed
Need better link up with the next worker