Agenda item

Report of the Safeguarding Children’s Board

[Ian Vinall, Independent Chairman and Scrutineer of the Staffordshire Safeguarding Children’s Board]

The Staffordshire Safeguarding Children’s Board (SSCB) partners had changed the role of the Board Chair in May 2022, adding the function of Scrutineer and therefore making the role different from that of the previous Board Chair. This role enabled a critical friend approach, considering the impact and outcomes on children and young people of the safeguarding system. It was designed to promote reflection and drive improvements. Listening to the voice of the child was crucial within this role. The new independent Chairman shared initiatives with the Committee, including: an inaugural meeting with the Chairs of the Health and Wellbeing Board, the Child Safeguarding Board and Adult Safeguarding Board to enable consideration of shared priorities; understanding the impact of neglect; impact of graded care profile and disparity between the number of practitioners trained compared with its use across the safeguarding system; the role of schools as key stakeholders in safeguarding children, although schools were not statutory partners; scrutiny of the MASH as Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent form separate Hubs; Staffordshire Police inspection and the poor findings with regard to children’s safeguarding; changes to social care and health, and ensuring there wasn’t a negative impact on the safeguarding system resulting from these changes; a focus on transitional safeguarding at 18 from children’s to adults social care; and, safeguarding concerns identified in the inspection report at Werrington Youth Offender Institute (YOI).

The Committee were aware that the SSCB worked together in partnership to safeguard and promote the welfare of children across areas of safeguarding activity that considered the need to promote equality of opportunity and to meet the diverse needs of all children in Staffordshire. The objectives of the Board were pursued through core statutory functions which were set out within the Children Act 2004 and the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018. These core functions were achieved through the work of the Board’s revised subgroup structure.  Governance arrangements of the SSCB had been the subject of significant review since 2019 and were in line with the statutory guidance.

The Committee heard that child grooming and online harm was being considered by the Board’s Child Exploitation Task Group, a joint group with Stoke-on-Trent, looking to identify where exploitation was taking place. Members asked if further detail of the work could be shared with the Committee at a later date.

Family Involvement Boards were raised by Members as a vehicle where concerns around a number of safeguarding issues were discussed. One area of concern was around teenage pregnancy and Members asked what work the SSCB was undertaking to tackle this area. The SSCB Chairman suggested this was an area that could be taken back to the Board for further consideration.

Members also raised concerns at the continued difficulties around communication and sharing information. These frustrations were shared by many practitioners across the system. Appropriate information sharing was key and this happened well within the MASH. However, challenges were present where children fell below the statutory framework, as in these cases consent to share information was necessary, and this was not always forthcoming. 

Members noted a new information system was proposed for the MASH and asked what timescales were anticipated for its introduction. The IT system currently used had been in place since 2010. However, this was no longer fit for purpose and options were currently being explored to introduce an updated system with consideration around the most effective systems and cost. There was no agreed timescale at present but it was anticipated the changes would take place within the next 6 to 12 months.

Members noted that the number of missing children had decreased recently, however it remained a concern as missing education left them vulnerable.  The Committee were reminded of the work undertaken by the Sexual Harassment in Education Inquiry Day. This work would be shared with the new SSCB Independent Chairman.

Members remained concerned at the safeguarding impacts of online abuse, feeling there was an epidemic of mental health issues for children related to this and asking whether the Board were able to assure the Committee around the work undertaken to mitigate this. In particular they noted the work of the National Crypto Security Agency and crypto analysis at GCHQ, being aware that security services saw online grooming as a step towards radicalisation. Members also raised the importance of education in awareness raising with children and young people, and the 5 Rights campaign by Baroness Beeban Kidron OBE, which Members hoped would be adopted in Staffordshire. The Board were aware of the range of risks. The Independent Chairman agreed to take these issues back to the SSCB, and in particular the very tangible suggestion around the 5 Rights campaign. The Committee asked for further detail on developments with this.

Members also queried what emotional support was available for children and young people post covid, particularly tackling issues around social anxiety. Examples of partnership working were shared through Integrated Care Boards and Early Help Teams in other local authorities. Part of the SSCB’s role was to encourage partners to hear children’s stories to help explain issues and unblock support. Challenges for children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties and CAHMS support was an area of work for the Board.

Resolved: That:

a)   the SSCB Annual Report setting out progress made by the partnership during 1st April 2021 and 31st March 2022 be received;

b)   the Chair of the Child Exploitation Task Group attend a future Safeguarding O&S meeting with the Independent SSCB Chairman to consider progress in tackling the issues raised;

c)   further detail is shared with the Committee on work to tackle safeguarding concerns of teenage pregnancy; and

d)   the SSCB Independent Chairman take back to the Board the Committees concerns and suggestions around online abuse and the 5 Rights campaign, updating the Committee on progress.