Part 1: Children Chapter 2: Safeguarding of children Section 13: Functions of the Panel
This section adds a new section 16B into the Children Act 2004. References to subsections below are to subsections in that new section.
	Subsection (1) sets out the functions of the new Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel. These are, in accordance with regulations made by the Secretary of State:
to identify serious child safeguarding cases in England which raise issues that are complex or of national importance, and
where it considers appropriate, to arrange for such cases to be reviewed under their supervision.
	Subsection (2) explains that the purpose of these reviews is to identify what improvements should be made by safeguarding partners or others to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
	Subsection (3) specifies the actions the Panel must take when they arrange for a case to be reviewed under their supervision. These are:
to ensure the reviewer provides a report on the outcome of the review;
to ensure that the reviewer (i) makes satisfactory progress and (ii) that the report is of satisfactory quality.
to provide the report to the Secretary of State.
	Subsection (4) specifies that the Panel must publish the report, unless they consider it inappropriate to do so.
	Subsection (5) states that if the Panel consider it inappropriate to publish the report, they must publish any information relating to the improvements that should be made following the review that they consider it appropriate to publish.
	Subsection (6) allows the Secretary of State to make regulations about various matters relating to the functions of the Panel. These may include:
the criteria to be taken into account by the Panel in determining whether serious child safeguarding cases raise issues that are complex or of national importance;
eligibility for appointment as a reviewer;
the selection process for the appointment as a reviewer;
the person who is to select a reviewer;
the supervisory powers of the Panel in relation to a reviewer;
removal of a reviewer;
payments of remuneration or expenses to a reviewer by the Secretary of State;
the procedure for a review;
the form and content of a report;
the time when a report is to be provided to the Secretary of State or published.
	Subsection (7) specifies that the Panel must have regard to any guidance given by the Secretary of State in connection with its functions.
	Subsection (8) states that guidance given by the Secretary of State may include guidance about circumstances in which it may be appropriate for a serious child safeguarding case to be reviewed, matters to be taken into account in deciding whether a review is making satisfactory progress or whether a report is of satisfactory quality.
	Subsection (9) states a ‘reviewer’ can be one or more persons who are appointed to review a case under the supervision of the Panel. This subsection also defines what is meant by ‘safeguarding partners’, ‘serious child safeguarding cases’ and the term ‘serious harm’.