Working Together to Safeguard Children states that the LSPs should agree on the level of funding needed to deliver multi-agency safeguarding arrangements. This includes consideration of business and analytical support, independent scrutiny, infrastructure, and core functions including local children safeguarding practice reviews, multi-agency training and learning events. It is the responsibility of the LSPs to ensure that adequate funding is allocated and spent in line with agreed priorities.
In Leeds, funding contributions from the statutory safeguarding partners are agreed by the LSPs with the arrangements reviewed annually to ensure that they can meet the financial needs of the arrangements.
The funding partners have continued their commitment to funding the multi-agency safeguarding arrangements as set out below.
Contributions for 2025/26
| Leeds City Council – Children and Families | £159,000 |
| NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board | £135,000 |
| West Yorkshire Police | £23,492 |
| West Yorkshire Probation Service | £6000 |
| Leeds City Council - Housing | £51,645 |
| Training charging | £13,459 |
| Overhead charges for hosting the Business Unit (from Leeds City Council) | £54,064 |
| Total | £442,660 |
This funding provides staffing and resources that are managed by the LSCP Business Unit Manager as detailed below and regular oversight reports are presented to the LSCP Executive.
Spending 2025/26
| Staffing | £342,433 |
| Bought in Professional Services | £18,323 |
| Running Costs | £519 |
| Meetings & refreshments | £2697 |
| Memberships | £1080 |
| Total | £365,052 |
As anticipated, much of the budget for the partnership is allocated to the staffing of the LSCP Business Unit. There has been an underspend during 2025/26, in part attributed to staffing where there was a period when the LSCP Business Unit Manager role remained vacant and bought in professional services spending decreased during this period.
For 2025/26, professional services which have been brought in include the undertaking of Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews (CSPRs), which require the partnership to commission an independent author along with a dedicated training provider to deliver the partnerships Working Together to Safeguard Children training offer.