Toggle Contrast
Home > About us > Lay Members

Lay Members

Lay Members are a critical part of the Partnership. They act as ambassadors for the community and for the ESSCP by building stronger ties between the two, making the work of the ESSCP more transparent. The Lay Members also act as a further independent insight on behalf of the public into the work of agencies and of the Partnership Lay Members support the work of the Board by:

  • Encouraging people living in East Sussex to become involved in child safety issues
  • Helping people living in East Sussex to understand the work of the ESSCP
  • Ensuring that plans and procedures put in place by the ESSCP are available to the public
  • Assisting the development of links between the ESSCP and community groups in East Sussex

The ESSCP has three Lay Members – Graham Cook, Harriet Martin and Jacqueline Staveley. As well as acting as a critical friend at Partnership meetings, providing additional challenge and scrutiny, during 2020/21 the Lay Members have:

  • Met with young people from the Eastbourne Youth Forum to consider their priorities (around mental health and emotional wellbeing) for the next Eastbourne Youth Strategy
  • Attended the Annual Safeguarding in Schools Conference to hear how schools are strengthening safeguarding practice.
  • Taken part in practitioner workshops for serious case reviews (SCRs) to champion the voice of the child and provide independent challenge and scrutiny of agencies.
  • Acted as members of a challenge panel at the East Sussex and Pan Sussex Section 11 challenge events, to provide independent challenge and scrutiny.
  • Taken part in the ESSCP’s ‘deep dive’ audit on fabricated and induced illness and perplexing cases, to champion the voice of the child and provide independent challenge and scrutiny of agencies.
  • Met with Lay Members from the Adult Safeguarding Board to share best practice and learning.

We always welcome expressions of interest in becoming an ESSCP Lay Member. If you are interested in the role please review the East Sussex ESSCP Lay Member Job Description to see if you meet the essential criteria. Please contact us on 01273 481544 or ESSCP.Contact@eastsussex.gov.uk to discuss further.

Pages