Contact us
The Buckinghamshire Partnership is not a front line service.
BSCP If you have any concerns relating to a child (including foster placements/offender notifications etc.) please follow the advice on our Report A Concern Page
BSAB If you have any concerns about an adult please follow the advice our Report a Concern page.
The BSCP has a role in co-ordinating and ensuring the effectiveness of local arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. However, it is not accountable for the operational work of Partnership partners or any other agency working with children and young people in Buckinghamshire.
Any complaints about the operational work of such organisations should initially be directed through the relevant organisation’s complaints procedure. You should contact the organisation directly for further information on how to do this.
If you feel that the BSCP is acting against the interests of children and young people and wish to make a complaint about the way we discharge our functions, you should address your concerns to the Independent Chair of the BSCP.
You can make your complaint in writing, by email or telephone using the contact details on this page. The Independent Chair will give due consideration to all complaints and take any remedial action necessary. We will acknowledge all complaints within 10 working days and provide a full response within 28 working days. If we are unable to respond within these timescales then we will contact you and explain why.
Further information on the functions of Local Safeguarding Children Partnerships can be found in the Government Guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018).
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 Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (BSCP) and Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Adults Board (BSAB) are not a public authority as defined by the Act.
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 BSCP/BSAB. Where a BSCP/BSAB 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 BSCP/BSAB minutes, documents, reports etc. are holding this information on behalf of ‘another person’ (BSCP/BSAB) 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. Please see How to access information from a public body.
The Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Partnership therefore has no obligation to respond to approaches for information made under the Act. However, the BSCP/BSA seeks to work in a way that is open, honest and transparent. We therefore make every effort to ensure comprehensive information is available via our website. If you do require further information then please contact us to discuss whether we are able to provide this.