Concerned About A Child?
Children can only be properly protected if everyone involved with them works together effectively. It is everyone’s responsibility to help keep children safe. If you have concerns about a child or suspect that a child is being harmed, it is your responsibility to report it.
Concerned about a child in Kingston?
If you are worried about a child in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames please contact the
Single Point of Access (SPA) in Kingston on 020 8547 5008 (outside of office hours, please ring 020 8770 5000)
In Kingston you can fill out a SPA Online form at
www.kingston.gov.uk/spa
Concerned about a child in Richmond?
If you are worried about a child in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames please contact the
Single Point of Access (SPA) in Richmond on 020 8547 5008 (outside of office hours, please ring 020 8770 5000)
If you or a child is in immediate danger you should always phone 999.
How SPA manage calls and new information concerning open cases
In general, the SPA (Single Point of Access in Children's Social Care, AfC) has a limited role with cases open to children services. Child Protection concerns should be reported using the on-line SPA referral irrespective of the status of the case, however case discussion should only take place with the allocated team.
- If a partner agency has a concern regarding a child who has an allocated Social Worker, the best advice is to contact the allocated Social Worker or Team directly. If it is something that doesn't require immediate action, send an email to the Social Worker and Team Leader .
- If professional needs to speak to a social worker immediately and the allocated social worker is not available, all teams have Duty Social Workers, who should be available.
- If a professional doesn't have the contact details for the Social Worker they can contact the SPA and they can direct them to the correct team.
- If a professional identifies a new Child Protection concern on an open case, it is best practice to do a SPA referral so that there is a written record. SPA will then put the contact on Liquid Logic and assign it to the operational manager. In such cases always speak to the Social Worker or Team, if they are not available then the SPA can assist.
- All new information sent to SPA by the online referral or to the SPA in box are put on Liquid Logic as contacts and assigned to the operational team manager. All contacts need to be responded to within 24 hours. If SPA identify an urgent Child Protection concerns, they will ensure that the team are aware as soon it is identified.
- While the SPA Service is always happy to help, it is important to remember that SPA is safeguarding and referral hub and not a telephone contact center for AfC, however if necessary SPA will email urgent information to allocated team and put new contacts on Liquid Logic, where appropriate.