Ian Dean Email & Phone Number

Leading the magnificent multi-agency, multi-disciplinary team at the Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse, with responsibility for all aspects of the CSA Centre’s work to drive evidence-informed practice improvement in the prevention, identification and response to child sexual abuse across England and Wales. Funded primarily by the Home Office (with additional support from the Indigo Trust and the Ministry of Justice) and hosted by Barnardo’s, the team and I work closely with key partners from academic institutions, central government, local authorities, health, education, police and the voluntary sector to drive real change in the response that children, families and adult survivors receive. The team brings together research, evaluation, practice development and policy and communication activity, and we’ve produced a range of practice tools and resources, training courses, research reports, support and guidance for professionals, all of which can be accessed at www.csacentre.org.uk.

Responsible for leading the LGA’s work on children’s social care, working closely with senior officers and elected members alongside a range of internal and external partners to support, promote and improve local government children’s services. Responsibilities included:- Leading the LGA’s policy response to high profile child protection issues such as child sexual exploitation, child criminal exploitation and unaccompanied asylum seeking children.- Chair of the Advisory Board for the Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse, and member of national leadership bodies and steering groups including the Adoption and Special Guardianship Leadership Board, the Triennial Review of Serious Case Reviews and the Care Crisis Review.- Taking a lead role in the establishment of national initiatives such as the Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse and the National FGM Centre.- Regular engagement with senior officers (including Directors of Children’s Services and Chief Executives) and elected members (primarily Leaders and Lead Members for Children’s Services) from across local government, representing the LGA at national stakeholder groups and in meetings with senior civil servants, and providing policy support at Ministerial meetings, Parliamentary evidence sessions and other high profile events.

Managing the work of the London Safeguarding Children Board, providing a strategic lead on multi-agency child protection issues across the capital. Experience of working with a diverse group of multi-agency partners, including high level representatives from London local government, health services, the police and voluntary sector organisations. Specific tasks included:- leading the roll out of the London MASH (multi-agency safeguarding hubs) project across all 32 London boroughs;- Developing London's safeguarding children response during the 2012 Olympic Games;- Leading the development of new procedures and guidance for London LSCBs, including the pan-London Child Protection Procedures, the London Safeguarding Trafficked Children Toolkit and the London FGM Resource Pack.

Providing policy support to the Manager of the London Safeguarding Children Board, and leading policy development in areas such as child death reviews, the implementation of a pan-London safeguarding dataset and the revision of the London child protection procedures.Additional tasks included redeveloping, launching and maintaining the London Safeguarding Children Board website, delivering presentations at national seminars and managing a range of multi-agency networks and subgroups.

Researching and writing briefings, articles and reports on the latest national policy developments for Children’s Services and partner agency staff, including briefings for the Director and Lead Member for Children’s Services. Also researched and wrote the Harrow Council Research Handbook for Social Workers, collating and summarising the latest research around various aspects of safeguarding children.