Our Legal Frameworks

Freedom of Information Requests

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI) provides the public with a general right of access to information held by public bodies, such as local government, the police, the NHS and state schools.

The Lewisham Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) is a statutory partnership in its own right set up under the Children Act 2004 and is not a public authority for the purposes of the FOI.

It is therefore exempt from the duty to provide information under the FOI.

Section 3 of the FOI provides that:

(2) For the purposes of this Act, information is held by a public authority if—

(a) it is held by the authority, otherwise than on behalf of another person, or
(b) it is held by another person on behalf of the authority.

A FOI request may be made directly to partner agencies of the LSCP.

Where a LSCP partner which is deemed to be a public authority under the FOI holds information for its own purposes, then it does so otherwise than on behalf of another person and the information held will be subject to the FOI.

However, partners in possession of LSCP minutes, documents, reports etc. are holding this information on behalf of ‘another person’ (the LSCP) and it is therefore not liable to disclosure under a FOI request.

Details of how to access information from a public body can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/officialinformation 

National Guidance and Legislation 

The Lewisham Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) is governed by, and adheres to different policies and procedures, developed in accordance with the "Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023" and other National Guidance.

London Child Protection Procedures provide standards for agencies and a framework to promote children’s welfare and protect them from abuse and neglect.

Safeguarding Disabled Children Practice Guidance

Children's Act 1989

Children's Act 2004

FACT SHEET: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child

The Munro Review of Child Protection: A Child-Centred System

Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023 Practice Guidance

Children's Social Care: Stable Homes, Built on Love

Children's Social Care: National Framework

Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

As you navigate around this site you will see we have done our best to ensure that relevant policies and procedures are included on our main pages to make them easier for you to find and read, depending on what information you looking for.