Agenda item

Briefing Note of the Director of Children’s Services

The Board considered a briefing note of the Safeguarding Boards Business Manager which introduced the Safeguarding Children’s Partnership Annual Report 2021-2022. The full report was appended at Appendix A.

The annual report must be published as per the requirements of the Working Together Act 2018 which states that “In order to bring transparency for children, families and all practitioners about the activity undertaken, the safeguarding partners must publish a report at least once every 12-month period. The report must set out what they have done as a result of the arrangements, including on child safeguarding practice reviews, and how effective these arrangements have been in practice”.

The Independent Chair of the Coventry Safeguarding Children Partnership, together with the Safeguarding Boards Business Manager introduced the annual report and provided progress on the three key priorities; (i) neglect, (ii) contextual safeguarding and (iii) making the system work.  The report further provided information on what had worked well, area of concerns and what needed to happen for each of the priorities.

The following points were highlighted:

·  Despite the ongoing effects of the Covid pandemic, professionals from across the Partnership kept safeguarding at the forefront of daily activity and the ability to meet remotely resulted in a greater number of partners being able to attend meetings and be more involved

·  A Neglect toolkit had been developed and shared across the partnership

·  Continued improvement in the learning culture tailored events which provided an opportunity to share learning from safeguarding practice reviews

·  West Midlands Police have invested heavily in hidden vulnerability training with greater focus around the voice of the child

·  92% of children who went missing received a return to home interview

·  Over 90% had completed the mandatory safeguarding training

·  Quick response from partners to emerging issues

·  Engagement with children from all backgrounds and act on what they say

·  Offer multi agency training

The report also provided information on the statutory review undertaken, details of audit activity, the different types of resources available and STAG, the frontline practitioners group.

The Business Plan for 2022-2023 would be based on 3 priority areas as determined by the Coventry Safeguarding Children’s Partnership Executive Group. These being (i) Child Sexual Abuse, (ii) Exploitation and (iii) Making the system work

The Board questioned Officers and received responses on a number of matters including:

·  Category of children who had absconded

·  Cross border liaison with neighbouring authorities in relation to missing children

·  Whether the data highlighted certain communities were affected more than others

·  Consideration to be given to whether places of worship had a role to play

·  Issues around involvement of fathers

·  Shortage of CAMHS beds on the paediatric ward

·  More detail on the type of things that make children feel unsafe, whether on line, etc 

The Board commended the officers on an excellent, informative, and well-structured report.

RESOLVED that the Board:

1.  Note the content of the report

2.  Requests that the Partnership consider including the following information in next year’s annual report:

(i)  The involvement of faith groups

(ii)  Progress on equality, diversity and inclusion

(iii)  Work on identifying areas where children and young people say they feel safe and unsafe