Learning from Experience
Our Safeguarding Children Partnership (OSCP) for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is committed to the principle that reflective practice, or learning from experience, is essential for achieving high standards for children and young people. A clear learning from experience procedure that reflects on examples of good and poor operational practice is a vital method for continually improving the effectiveness of services in helping and protecting children and young people.
In order to facilitate multi-agency learning, OSCP established a multi-agency Learning from Experience Review procedure (LfER) for reviewing multi-disciplinary practice and how the system worked in cases that fall below the threshold for local child safeguarding practice reviews (LCSPRs). The referral form for an LfE can be found here.
In line with the principle of ‘learning not blaming’, this procedure is an opportunity for the practitioners involved in a case to reflect together on what worked well, what if anything caused concern, and whether there is anything we can do, together, to strengthen safeguarding practice and/or the system.
December 2025
This review explored how the partnership responded to concerns about a white, British young person who reported a sexual assault. They had multiple vulnerabilities and was known to local services. The focus of the learning review was to explore how the partnership should respond to children who are thought to have been sexually abused in a timely, sensitive, and protective way.
November 2025
This multi-agency practice guidance has been developed to support professionals to reach a shared understanding of the key considerations when young people aged 16+ return to Cornwall from out of county placements.
October 2025
This briefing focusses on the partnership response to a young person’s disclosures of sexual abuse and the ability of the people who knew them and church community to provide protection. It highlights the need for cultural confidence; robust safeguarding practice across all sectors and professional ability to challenge parental narrative. The review also highlighted the vulnerabilities of children not known to education or local services.
April 2025
This Learning from Experience Briefing has a focus on the significant neglect experienced by a child who was not in education or known to any local services. The briefing highlights the importance of everyone being able to respond to signs of neglect and being curious about the impact of not being in an educational setting.
October 2024
This Learning from Experience Briefing has a focus on how the partnership responded to a young person’s disclosures of intra-familial harm. The briefing highlights some positive practice in building trusted relationships and offers guidance and resources on how to hear; respond and support young people who have experienced trauma.
September 2024
This Learning from Experience Briefing has a focus on how agencies worked together to respond to concerns when complex parental histories and needs were impacting parental attachment and capacity to prioritise baby’s needs. The Review identified the importance of all professionals being informed and confident when supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents.
July 2024
This Learning from Experience Briefing has a focus on the use of restraints and how agencies have worked together to understand this when supporting children with significant, complex needs.
- LfE Briefing July 2024
- To help prevent future incidents, OSCP partners agreed to develop a multi-agency restraint / restraint reduction policy and pathway. You can access the guidance here.
You can make a referral for a Learning from Experience Review using this form.