Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

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 15 November, 2017, be approved as a correct record.

The Director of People stated that the task was to consider the Council’s Policy Commitment.  She referred to previous presentations to the Committee with regard to the progress with the Family Support Commissioning Review, the Children and Young People Strategic Partnership Plan and the role of the Corporate Parenting Board.

She added that the Authority had signed up to good practice networks around Safeguarding. 

Members’ discussed: the importance of feedback from consultations with policy makers and individuals requiring safeguarding; engaging all Councillors and School Governors in the process, including relevant training; inconsistency within schools for discussing LAC at Governors meetings and the need to include statemented and children with physical disabilities into the process.

The Chief Social Services Officer referred to the corporate parenting responsibility imposed on Governors and in some instances, their insistence on asking too many questions about specific individuals which is the opposite of what the Council aims to achieve. 

He referred to children with additional vulnerabilities/behavioural/attachment difficulty (including adoptive children) needs and questioned whether schools were doing enough to help those children. There was a requirement to work with parents, carers and other useful people to ensure that the Authority was doing its best. 

The Chair referred to specific school responses and urged Members to follow up their respective schools’ response to the consultation.

The Chair thanked the Officers for their informative presenation.

Resolved that the Director of People prepare a report detailing current procedures/principles with regard to school governing bodies and safeguarding for consideration at the meeting on 21 February, 2018.

The Chief Social Services Officer referred to an audit undertaken by the Welsh Audit Office (WAO) on safeguarding arrangements across Welsh Councils. 

The WAO audit had exposed some challenges in respect of the corporate safeguarding responsibility being exercised in a coherent fashion (e.g., safe recruitment arrangements in place, safeguarding responsibilities towards young people being fulfilled by both Members and Officers within the Council and the presence of a performance management framework).

It was noted that the Council had scored relatively well.  However, further work was required in terms of organising procedures.

He referred to the Corporate Safeguarding Policy which served to coherently detail all these procedures.   The Corporate Safeguarding Group (co-chaired by the Chief Social Services Officer and Cabinet Member) had developed e-learning, performance indicators around safeguarding and the safeguarding needs in all areas of the Council.  Contacts had been re-visited to ensure that a safeguarding element was included in all services commissioned. 

There was an anticipation that when the WAO return, the Council would better organised.

He stated that the Policy had been developed a few years ago and, at the time, there was a commitment that it would be kept under regular review.  However, the Policy had not been updated and therefore the Policy was not reflective of how things had moved on or how ambitious this Authority was in terms of focusing. 

He requested that a small working group of Committee Members examine the Policy (with the assistance of Simon Jones, Performance Officer) to ensure it was fit for purpose and make necessary recommendations to the Corporate Safeguarding Group to take that forward. 

The Chief Social Services Officer referred to the dilemma faced in terms of attaining the right balance.  Should actions been too dramatic, there was a risk of overwhelming our front door with hundreds of referrals which would break our system down.

The Director of People referred to the UNCRC and Children’s Rights.  It was noted that the feedback within schools had been positive.  However, measuring the impact of success had been challenging.  Further work is being undertaken in respect of raising awareness in the nursery context (0-5 age group). 

Positive feedback had been received from Welsh Government and the Children’s Commissioner. 

Members asked questions regarding: the process and the role of the Western Bay Safeguarding Board; best practice within other Authorities and engaging with young people, in a child friendly manner; the necessity of working with nursery children to raise awareness; ensuring future work was generational, capturing teenagers who would become parents.

It was noted that the existing Corporate Safeguarding Policy does reflect UNCRC and Council’s Policy.  An addition was required detailing the Council’s ambition to actively promote safety and wellbeing amongst the population.  In that way it would be more consistent with the ambition of the Council.  This Council should be proud of its achievements.

Resolved that:

1.    Councillors C R Doyle, E T Kirchner and E J King participate in reviewing the Corporate Safeguarding Policy and report back to a future meeting; and

2.    The Democratic Services Officer circulate the Council’s Safeguarding Policy.

The Chair presented an updated Work Plan 2017-2018.

Resolved that:

1.     The Day Services Commissioning Review and Residential Services Commissioning Review, both scheduled for the meeting on 21 February, 2018, be deferred to a future meeting;

2.     A report be presented to the next Committee in respect of School Governing Bodies current practice and principles around  Safeguarding;

3.     Councillors C R Doyle, E T Kirchner and E J King report back to a future meeting regarding their review of the Corporate Safeguarding Policy.