Agenda and draft minutes

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In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, no interests were declared.

To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

Noted the Minutes of the Safeguarding Policy Development & Delivery Committee held on 21 March 2018.

The Director of People presented the Draft Cabinet Report on Joining Up Services Around Children.  The purpose of the report was to update Cabinet on the progress of the Committee in relation to the Council commitment to continue to develop services that join up around the child.

It was outlined that the Safeguarding Policy Development and Delivery Committee (PDDC), when first established, agreed a workplan for 2017/18. The workplan had a focus upon some key areas that were agreed as policy commitments at the Council meeting on 27 July 2017.  Amongst these included one relating to joining up services around children as follows:

We will ensure that children and young people are engaged and consulted on Council policy and decision making to ensure their voices and opinions are heard.  We will promote the United National Convention on the Rights of the Child in order to give children a voice.

Since that time, the PDDC had explored a number of areas and services that

supported this ambition and were considering ways of further developing the

policy agenda.

The report provided details of the Work of the Committee in 2017/18 and the progress in relation to the objectives in the Children’s Rights Scheme.

The Committee discussed the information contained within the report and the following conclusion was agreed: -

‘On the whole, we are satisfied that the current policies being adopted by the

Council, working with other agencies, achieve good outcomes for children and

young people.  Having invested significant effort in becoming more joined up

for young people in recent years within our own services, increasing challenges in how we join up services with other organisations have emerged more strongly.  For further step change in our focus on children, the Committee has considered how joined up the Council services are around children and young people and suggests that the Cabinet may wish to consider the pace and scale of change amongst wider partnerships and consider recommending this item to the work programme of the Committee in the new Municipal year’.

Resolved that: -

1)    The amended report be approved;

2)    The amended report be circulated to the Committee;

3)    The report be forwarded to Cabinet for the feedback from the Committee to be noted.

The Chief Social Services Officer and Social Services & Wellbeing Act Strategic Lead presented the Swansea Council Corporate Safeguarding Children and Adults Draft Policy.

It was outlined that following discussions at the previous meeting, the policy had been updated and reported for approval.  It was added that the Policy detailed the Authority’s definition of safeguarding.  Specific reference was made to Appendix 3a – Safeguarding Children and Young People and Appendix 3b – Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults, which both outlined the reporting process to be followed. 

The following areas within the document were also highlighted: -

1)    Safe Governance

2)    Safe Employment

3)    Safe Workforce

4)    Safe Practice

5)    Safe Partnerships

6)    Safe Voice

7)    What Swansea Council Must Deliver On?

The Chief Social Services Officer reiterated that the term ‘safeguarding’ went beyond reporting.  He added that streamlined  reporting mechanisms supported a more effective safeguarding arrangement and provided examples of how better training of Council staff had improved Safeguarding and promoted a wider responsibility.

He further commented that the Corporate Safeguarding Group would oversee the Policy following the approval of the Cabinet Member.

The Committee discussed the details contained in the updated Policy.

Resolved that the Corporate Safeguarding Policy be approved and forwarded to the Cabinet Member for Health & Wellbeing.

The Chair presented an updated Work Plan 2017-2018.

He stated that it would be for the Committee to decide its Workplan in the next Municipal year. 

He also expressed his thanks to the Committee for their work during the current year.

Resolved that the contents of the report be noted.