Agenda item

Briefing Note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

Councillors K Caan and R Ali, Cabinet Member and Deputy Cabinet Member for Public Health and Sport have been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item 

The Scrutiny Board considered a Briefing Note of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) which provided an update regarding work undertaken to prevent Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Coventry.

The Briefing Note provided background information in relation to FGM, which has been illegal in the UK since 1985. In 2003, the Female Genital Mutilation Act tightened this law to criminalise FGM being carried out on UK citizens overseas. Anyone found guilty of the offence faces a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison but prosecutors had until recently struggled to secure any convictions. This year saw the first successful prosecution for FGM in the UK and details of the landmark case were contained in the Briefing Note,  has highlighted the need to continue to take a zero tolerance approach to the practice in order to safeguard and protect women and girls.

Coventry City Council led a social media campaign to raise awareness of FGM which was supported by members of the Coventry FGM Steering Group and the Safeguarding Boards. The Steering Group is led by Public Health and comprises of key stakeholders such as Health, Midwifery, LSCB and the Voluntary Sector. This Group have been developing a Strategic Statement regarding FGM to make clear the position of the Council and its wider networks on FGM. A final draft will be presented to the Harm Abuse Reduction Partnership (HARP) for agreement on behalf of the Police and Crime Board.

LSCB are also keen to champion the topic and have produced a One Minute Guide to FGM which contains accessible, straight forward information and support to practitioners who may be working with families and young children at potential risk. The guide will be made available at the end of May 2019. FGM training is currently available via the Safeguarding Board. It is delivered annually and has recently been updated to reflect the current picture.

The Briefing Note also detailed the current position in relation to the number of women and young girls it is estimated have undergone and are subjected to FGM worldwide and nationally. In Coventry between April 2017 and March 2018 NHS data confirms that there were 35 newly recorded individuals where FGM was identified or a procedure for FGM was undertaken. This number was down from previous years, which was in line with police data in relation to the total referrals to West Midlands Police for Coventry residents.

Coventry Haven Woman’s Aid continue to offer a service to local womaen and children who are victims or as risk of FGM. Services provided include refuge accommodation, training programmes for professionals and local communities and a trained network of community champions. Since April 2018 Haven have supported 70 new women who have disclosed FGM, an increase on the previous year (45). Ten new community champions have been recruited and fully trained, coming from 10 different countries where FGM is a known issue. Through one to one support provide the service estimates that it has supported in preventing up to 89 cases of FGM, based on the number of service users with female children who have rejected the practice.

The petals web app, created by Coventry University and endorsed by the NSPCC, continues to be publicised and used as a resource for both professionals and the community, providing up to date information and advice in Coventry and beyond. Coventry City Council has recently secured c£10,000 from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in the form of a one-off grant and the Coventry FGM Steering Group will shortly be asked to determine the best way in which this grant can be used.

The Scrutiny Board questioned officers and Inspector Mike Bryon, West Midlands Police (who attended the meeting and provided additional information in relation to the work undertaken by West Midlands Police) regarding this matter. Issues covered included:-

·  West Midlands Police activity in Coventry on this issue and the role of the Police in such cases

·  Work undertaken in the community to prevent FGM and the success of community champions

·  Issues relating to the recent successful FGM prosecution and difficulties experienced in evidence gathering in such cases

·  Data collection and data sharing  between partners

In considering this issue, the Scrutiny Board paid tribute to the late Councillor Alison Gingell who had championed the Council’s and Coventry’s campaign against FGM.

RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee support all of the the work undertaken in relation to the prevention of Female Genital Mutilation, as outlined in the Briefing Note and reported at the meeting.