Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Chair of the Safeguarding Partnership.

The report outlines what Safeguarding Partners have done as a result of the arrangements, including on child safeguarding practice reviews, and how effective these arrangements have been in practice. 

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: Katie Bates on 0161 475 6828 or email: Katie.Bates@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Chair of the Safeguarding Partnership submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining what Safeguarding Partners had done as a result of the arrangements, including on child safeguarding practice reviews, and how effective these arrangements had been in practice.

The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education (Councillor Wendy Meikle) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Commented on the importance of the Safeguarding Partnership Annual Report as the statement of children’s social care in Stockport.

·         Raised concerns in relation to the lack of clarity in adult safeguarding procedures and reference that Stockport was extremely low, in comparison with other similar areas in that the number of Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SAR), referred and undertaken.

·         In response, it was stated that the service had undertaken through the Adults Partnership a review of the safeguarding reviews and data to understand the issues. The service had identified a need for more awareness raising with its partners when considering if a matter required a review and if learning was required.

·         Congratulated the service for a comprehensive report summarising the good work across Stockport.

·         In relation to the rise in presentations of looked after children at hospital in relation to their mental health, it was noted that there had been a challenge for CAMHS to recruit a psychologist for children in care and queried why the post had been vacant for 18 months.

·         In response, it was commented that nationally there was a challenge in the recruitment of clinical psychologists, particularly for children, however the post had now been filled and the postholder was due to start within the month. It was noted that there was clinical psychologist support within children’s social care at Stockport Family who were able to provide support to children and young people when needed.

·         It was queried why there had been a 44% increase of children subject to Child Protection Plans.

·         In response, it was stated that Child Protection Plans were a statutory process where there was concern that a child was not safe or being safeguarded by their family, a section 47 investigation would be undertaken which may lead to an initial child protection conference which would determine whether a child required a statutory plan. It was commented the increase of children subject to Child Protection was linked to the impacts of Covid as more families had been identified as struggling with emotional mental health difficulties which had impacted on families ability to cope at home. It was noted that there had been a decrease in plans since the 2021/22 data within the report was collated.

·         It was queried whether the increase in referrals were linked to better identification of the signs.

·         In response, it was stated that referrals were made into the front door by people in the community such as schools, health visitors, midwives and the police and the number of referrals were linked with community and partner engagement to ensure that they were reporting concerns. It was noted that there was concern that during Covid there was a significant drop in the number of Child Protection Plans and as since coming out of the pandemic there had been an increase in child protection activity linked to the increasing complexity of need in the community related to the impact of Covid.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.