Agenda item

Report by the Independent Chair of the West Sussex Safeguarding Children Board.

The report provides an overview of the work of the West Sussex Safeguarding Children Board (WSSCB), and demonstrates the progress and challenges in the delivery of services to safeguard children.

The Committee is asked to consider the report, and to comment on whether any further scrutiny is required.

37.1   The Committee considered a report by Lesley Walker, Independent Chair of the West Sussex Safeguarding Children Board (WSSCB). The annual report 2017/18 outlined the work of the WSSCB as a statutory body, comprised of a multi-agency partnership, with an independent Chair. The WSSCB has a common goal to promote the safeguarding and welfare of children. The Committee heard the following key points and outcomes from 2017/18:

·         A coordinated approach to services driven through the WSSCB showed significant improvements to the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH).

·         The launch of the Integrated Prevention and Earliest Help (IPEH) model in 2017 resulted in WSCC being recognised nationally as a leading provider of early help and interventions to vulnerable families and children.

·         The Pause programme successfully engaged with a number of women, preventing repeated pregnancies that result in children coming into the care of the local authority.

·         The Young People at Risk pilot was developed to support complex and vulnerable adolescents in West Sussex. Operation Encompass was successfully piloted in Crawley.

·         Delivery of training to the Night Time Economy, including around 1000 taxi drivers, to identify and report signs of Child Exploitation (CE) and organised crime to Sussex Police.

37.2   In mid-2019, a new Local Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) will replace the current WSSCB model. It will comprise 3 named safeguarding partners: Sussex Police, Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and the local authority.

37.3   The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People advised this migration to shared leadership will make the partnership more accountable, and objectives more deliverable.

37.4   The Independent Chair of the WSSCB outlined the priority areas for multi-agency action in 2018/19. The Business Plan will continue to focus on three priority areas, with provision of early help as the thread that runs throughout:

·         Prevention and protection of children at risk of, or experiencing neglect.

·         Prevention and protection of children from exploitation and abuse

·         Children’s emotional wellbeing and mental health.

37.5   The Chairman thanked the Independent Chair of the WSSCB for a visionary report. The Interim Director of Children and Family Services added that he and the Independent Chair would work together to endorse and deliver the refreshed opportunities presented through the new LSCP arrangement. The Committee raised the following questions which were answered by the Independent Chair:

·         Members asked if the WSSCB was confident it could identify neglect at the earliest opportunity. The Independent Chair of the WSSCB advised the early help model was crucial in the identification of neglect before children suffer long term harm. She added the work of the board was both scrutinised and audited for assurances and insight.

·         Members were pleased to see that CCGs would form part of the new LSCP, but questioned whether staff in hospitals were adequately trained to identify and report suspicious circumstances or behaviour. The Independent Chair of the WSCCB advised there would be multi-agency practitioner hubs, facilitated in medical environments, in order to provide a space for such concerns.

·         Members of the Committee raised concerns about the risk and harm of social media, and access to inappropriate material online. The Independent Chair advised e-safety was a continued priority for the board moving forward in order to safeguard children when online. Members added their focus should also include guidance for parents and carers.

37.6   Resolved that the Committee:

1.   considers the successes and areas for improvement for the WSSCB in 2017/18.

2.   consider the WSSCB’s key messages for partner agencies and WSCC.

3.   visits the MASH at an appropriate time.