Job summary
The HIOW (HIPS) Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP) is a statutory, multi-agency panel set up by child death review partners to review the deaths of all children normally resident in the HIPS area and if appropriate, and agreed, between child death review partners, the deaths in the area of non-resident children, in order to learn lessons and share any findings for the prevention of future deaths.
The statutory task of the multi-agency panel lies in its ability to scrutinise the circumstances surrounding each child's death and where appropriate, to provide challenge to the agencies involved to further enhance the learning, as well as make recommendations to the appropriate agencies to improve service delivery and patient experience.
The Children Act 2004 requires Child Death Partners, to ensure arrangements are in place to carry out child death reviews, including the establishment of a Child Death Overview Panel. The reviews are conducted in accordance with Working Together 2023 and follows the legal framework for the child death review process.
Since October 2019, there has been a strategic Child Death Overview Panel covering all of Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton, the HIPS CDOP. This is an equal partnership for the mutual benefit of all children and young people involved and provides an oversight and assurance of the whole Child Death Review (CDR) process in accordance with legislation and local Child Death Review policies.
Main duties of the job
The CDOP team consists of a Designated Doctor for Child Deaths, CDOP Manager and Co-ordinator. CDOP sits under the umbrella of the NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board.
The role of Independent Chair is to oversee the partnership working between the constituent organisations, engaging with panel colleagues and other stakeholders to maximise the benefits of collaborative working, shared decision making and effective governance.
This is a statutory and complex, challenging, system-wide post across four local authorities, requiring extensive experience and subject matter expertise in child death review, safeguarding and prevention.
The post also demands high levels of diplomacy and managerial skill to work across an internal and external network of organisations, each with their own priorities.
About us
As CDOP Chair you will also work collaboratively with CDOP Partners and the CDOP team to identify factors that may contribute to the deaths of children. With your developed understanding of the process, practice and legislative framework, you will contribute to the reduction in the number of child deaths in the future. This includes development of working relationships across the system, identifying trends and themes.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To ensure compliance with statutory guidance the CDOP should be chaired by someone independent of all Child Death Review partner agencies and the key providers (NHS, social services, and police) in the area.
The post holder will be required to work with staff across all settings, where staff have contact with children and adults, to promote good knowledge, understanding and practice and effectively enabling safeguarding within local communities.
The post holder will contribute to the development, implementation, auditing and evaluation of policies, procedures and pathways. These would include and reflect national standards and legislation, supporting providers to ensure that practice is in line with local, regional, national regulatory and statutory requirements.
The post holder will also be responsible for ensuring that health is familiar with learning from safeguarding reviews, seeking assurance that this learning is embedded.
The post holder will be required to develop good working relationships with partner agencies and external organisations and effectively communicate matters regarding safeguarding to ensure that practice relating to information sharing and confidentiality are compliant and of a high standard.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To ensure compliance with statutory guidance the CDOP should be chaired by someone independent of all Child Death Review partner agencies and the key providers (NHS, social services, and police) in the area.
The post holder will be required to work with staff across all settings, where staff have contact with children and adults, to promote good knowledge, understanding and practice and effectively enabling safeguarding within local communities.
The post holder will contribute to the development, implementation, auditing and evaluation of policies, procedures and pathways. These would include and reflect national standards and legislation, supporting providers to ensure that practice is in line with local, regional, national regulatory and statutory requirements.
The post holder will also be responsible for ensuring that health is familiar with learning from safeguarding reviews, seeking assurance that this learning is embedded.
The post holder will be required to develop good working relationships with partner agencies and external organisations and effectively communicate matters regarding safeguarding to ensure that practice relating to information sharing and confidentiality are compliant and of a high standard.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Professional Training
Essential
- Relevant BA or BSc (Hons) or equivalent.
- Evidence of continuing professional development.
Desirable
- Master's Degree or Equivalent.
Experience
Essential
- Experience and ability to challenge agency practice and positively contribute to processes required for improvement.
- Knowledge and experience of quality assurance work in safeguarding children.
- Experience of working effectively as part of a senior strategic management team or at a strategic level with managers across various agencies.
- Experience of working in the field of children's safeguarding and / or health, specifically at least one of the following: children's social care, public health, and/ or health services.
Desirable
- Experience of working at Board level
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Sound understanding of Working Together 2023, and the supporting Child Death Review statutory and operational guidance (2018), Children Act 1989 and 2004, and all new legislation, regulations and guidance.
- Recent experience of working at a senior level within a statutory/voluntary/independent sector.
- Knowledge and experience of leadership including partnerships.
- The ability to work effectively at a strategic level with senior managers across various agencies.
- High level of individual and group communication skills transferable to a variety of audiences including children and families.
- The ability to manage sensitive and/or confidential information appropriately.
- Experience of chairing complex partnership meetings and the ability to summarise discussions in order to facilitate effective communication.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Professional Training
Essential
- Relevant BA or BSc (Hons) or equivalent.
- Evidence of continuing professional development.
Desirable
- Master's Degree or Equivalent.
Experience
Essential
- Experience and ability to challenge agency practice and positively contribute to processes required for improvement.
- Knowledge and experience of quality assurance work in safeguarding children.
- Experience of working effectively as part of a senior strategic management team or at a strategic level with managers across various agencies.
- Experience of working in the field of children's safeguarding and / or health, specifically at least one of the following: children's social care, public health, and/ or health services.
Desirable
- Experience of working at Board level
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Sound understanding of Working Together 2023, and the supporting Child Death Review statutory and operational guidance (2018), Children Act 1989 and 2004, and all new legislation, regulations and guidance.
- Recent experience of working at a senior level within a statutory/voluntary/independent sector.
- Knowledge and experience of leadership including partnerships.
- The ability to work effectively at a strategic level with senior managers across various agencies.
- High level of individual and group communication skills transferable to a variety of audiences including children and families.
- The ability to manage sensitive and/or confidential information appropriately.
- Experience of chairing complex partnership meetings and the ability to summarise discussions in order to facilitate effective communication.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).