Agenda and 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.

Resolved that the Minutes of the Safeguarding Policy Development & Delivery Committee held on 20 September 2017 be approved as a correct record.

Zero Hour/Relief Contracts

The Head of Adult Services updated the Committee regarding zero hour / relief contracts.  She confirmed that 109 staff worked for RST, which included 67 external staff and 42 who were already employed by the Authority.

The results of the Relief Contract Questionnaire were reported, which provided staff feedback on the advantages and disadvantages of the relief contracts system.  The feedback was largely positive due to the staff having contracts that suited their lifestyles.  Examples of how some of the RST workers time had been allocated over a 3-month period, along with the RST hours and locations worked during August 2017 were also provided.

The Committee asked questions in relation to the following: -

·         If RST staff were working elsewhere, the total number of hours they worked and their patterns of work;

·         Undertaking checks relating to their hours worked by staff who were also employed by the Authority;

·         Flexible working arrangements for staff.

The Committee determined that they did not wish to proceed with a session with staff at the meeting scheduled for 20 December 2017, having considered the information reported by the Head of Adult Services.

Resolved that in view of the information reported by the Head of Adult Services, the Chair reports the findings to the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing.

The Director of People provided the Committee with a presentation regarding the Children and Young People Strategic Partnership Plan.  Details provided included: -

·         Well Being of Future Generations Act 2015;

·         Children & Young People Strategic Partnership;

·         Background;

·         Vision;

·         Aspirations;

·         Children and young people’s priorities;

·         Framework for the Plan;

·         Strategic Objections of the Plan;

·         The work over the last 12 months;

·         Forward look and the next steps.

Councillors asked questions regarding monitoring plans; specific timelines; support needs of vulnerable young people; Head teachers dealing with safeguarding matters and; schools that had signed up to UNCRC.

The Director of People confirmed that only 3 schools had not signed up to UNCRC.

Resolved that: -

1)    The contents of the presentation be noted;

2)    The presentation be circulated to the Committee.

The Head of Child & Family Services provided an overview presentation of Progress to Date with the Family Support Commissioning Review.  Details provided included: -

·         Family support continuum – The Bigger picture;

·         Family support vision & purpose;

·         Supporting well-being and safety for children, young people and families in Swansea;

·         Family support continuum – Commissioning Review;

·         Outcomes;

·         Conclusions – family support services – under 11’s and over 11’s;

·         Conclusions – family support domestic abuse services;

·         Next steps.

Discussions centred around the positive impact of local area co-ordinators; the need for a more joined up approach regarding additional learning needs being addressed in the transition from school to further education; the responsibility of managers to make children safe.

The Head of Child & Family Services stated that the Corporate Parenting Board monitored Looked After Children in order to achieve good outcomes and how to protect children.

Resolved that the content of the presentation be noted.

The Chair presented an updated Work Plan 2017-2018.

He referred to a report regarding the future working of PDDC’s scheduled to be discussed at Constitution Working Group and Council in November.  He added that the Committee would discuss how it wished to work in future at the next scheduled meeting.

The Committee discussed potential topics for discussion and how future meetings could be organised.

Resolved that: -

1)    The contents of the report be noted;

2)    How the Committee wished to work in future be discussed at the next scheduled meeting.