Agenda item - Local Children Safeguarding Board Annual Report

Report of Graham Bartlett, Brighton and Hove Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (copy attached)

Introduction

36.1    The Board considered a report of the LSCB Independent Chair which set out the Local Children Safeguarding Board Annual Report 2013/14.  The Annual Report provided an assessment of the effectiveness of local arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Safeguarding activity was progressing well in the area and the LSCB had a clear consensus on the strategic priorities for the coming year.  A protocol for co-working between the LSCB and the HWB was attached to the report.  The report was presented by Graham Bartlett.

Questions and Discussion

36.2   Pinaki Ghoshal thanked Mr Bartlett for chairing the LSCB and strengthening partnership arrangements.  He noted that a great deal of work had been carried out.  Amongst the issues that stood out was private fostering.  This issue has caused significant concerns and there had been a need to better identify private arrangements.  The increased numbers of private fostering arrangements notified is testament to the work carried out in this area.  A great deal of work had been carried out in the last year on missing children and good work was being carried out on combating child sexual exploitation.  Mr Ghoshal stressed that the LSCB was a learning organisation. Amongst other areas of focus, it identifies where things may have gone wrong and aim to ensure it did not happen again. Mr Ghoshal endorsed the report.

36.3    The Chair saw the learning review as a positive approach. 

36.4    Councillor Morgan thanked everyone involved in the report and found it reassuring to see the depth of the work being carried out.  Councillor Morgan mentioned the Rotherham inquiry into child sexual exploitation and asked for more detail on work to ensure another Rotherham case did not occur.      

36.5    Graham Bartlett replied that there had been awareness regarding issues of child exploitation for some years.  It was important to deal with these cases as well as to identify those at risk.  Pinaki Ghoshal had chaired a meeting about this issue recently.  The LSCB’s models of engagement were very good.  Mr Bartlett had data on this issue.  He stressed the need to identify factors that put children at risk. 

36.6    Mr Bartlett reported that he was aware that investigating cases of child sexual exploitation was very complex.  Children could be very vulnerable and put themselves in harm’s way.  However, this must not deter action to help children before they became victims of crime.  The LSCB is revising its structure to deal with this issue.

36.7    Councillor Norman commented that the reports on children’s and adult’s safeguarding were closely related.  He thanked Mr Bartlett and everyone involved in the work of the LSCB.  He stressed the need to be vigilant and to report cases where there might be an issue.

36.8    Penny Thompson stated that as Chief Executive she had the responsibility of holding the Independent Chair of the Safeguarding Children’s Board to account.  She assured the Board that these matters were taken very seriously and officers were open, vigilant and learning from experience. Ms Thompson thanked colleagues from health and other organisations such as the police. The degree of open joint working in these demanding roles was exceptional.   

36.9    Tom Scanlon thanked everyone involved in the work and stressed the need to focus on child protection plans.  Dr Scanlon mentioned the work of the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) which linked to work with schools and public health.   There also needed to be a link with primary care.  

36.10  Pinaki Ghoshal informed the Board that the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub had been operating for a short while.  Health staff would be joining MASH from 14 December. 

36.11  The Chair referred to Appendix 2 of the Annual Report.  This set out details of membership and representation at LSCB meetings in 2013/14.  The Chair asked if the Board could help to improve attendance. 

36.12  Graham Bartlett replied that there was an attempt to demonstrate who was playing a part in the LSCB main meetings.  It did not reflect the attendance at sub groups or in other LSCB activities.    Members could be encouraged to take a more active role in attending meetings.  

36.13  Fran McCabe referred to the figures quoted in the section of the report titled Child Protection and Children in Need Plans – Example of Multi-Agency Audit (page 125 of the agenda). She asked if the initiatives that were being put in place would address that issue. 

36.14  Mr Bartlett replied that all audits had action plans in place to fill gaps.  These areas would be tested.  There had been a great deal of work carried out around the audit.

36.15  Pinaki Ghoshal stated that there had been an audit a year ago and the scale of the audit had been increased. There had been an improvement in the scale of practice.

36.16  Resolved –

(1)    That the information report is noted and that members of the Board support their relevant organisations in their contribution to keep children safe from abuse and neglect. 

(2)    That the challenges for the LSCB in 2014/15 be noted.  

(3)    That the protocol for co-working between the LSCB and the HWB be approved.