Agenda item

To submit a report by the Head of Children’s Services.

Submitted – a report by the Head of Children’s Services in relation to the above.

The Head of Children’s Services reported that the Local Authority is required, on an Annual basis, to undertake a self-evaluation of its safeguarding children

arrangements, and to report its findings to the Regional Safeguarding Board. Appendix 1 contains this report. The report identifies the agreed objectives, progress against these objectives and further areas that require attention. The report includes an analysis of the authority’s contribution to the multi-agency context and to the work of the Regional Safeguarding Children Board, the Local Delivery Group and associated regional sub groups. The Head of Children’s Services wished it to be recorded that the Regional North Wales Safeguarding Board discussed the report at its meeting held earlier today.  The Board welcomed the report and will consider the recommendations contained therein.

The Authority has achieved improvements in both its Children Services and its Education services, and is currently moving to a phase of developing and improving safeguarding arrangements more generally.  The County Council has a Corporate Safeguarding Board in place whose role is to ensure that the Local Authority’s key duties in relation to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults are being adequately discharged. The Local Authority’s policy on safeguarding and the associated safeguarding action plan has been adopted. Whilst progress on the action plan has suffered some delays against original target dates, some key actions have been achieved. The key actions were listed within the report to the Committee.

The Head of Service further reported that there are a number of arrangements in place to ensure that the organisation has services in place to discharge their safeguarding duties – an annual appraisal of each school using a standard safeguarding report card and at a Children’s Services level comprising the reporting of statutory performance indicators. This needs to be rolled out on a corporate basis. Therefor for 2015/16 each Heads of Service will set safeguarding objectives and measures and this will be accompanied by the setting up of a Corporate Safeguarding Scorecard.  Achieving the objectives of the Safeguarding Policy and Action Plan will help introduce a more effective scrutiny of safeguarding issues.

Main issues raised by Members :-

•  The Shadow Portfolio stated that she was pleased to learn that the County Council were at the forefront of the IFSS service.  She stated that a short briefing session to Elected Members would be advantageous.

•  Questions raised in respect of the turnover of staff within the Social Service Department and especially within the Children’s Services.  The Head of Children’s Services responded that the turnover of staff within the service stabilised over the last year (13/14).

RESOLVED :-

•  That the Committee notes the corporate arrangements to implement its Safeguarding Policy.

•  That the Committee notes the conclusion of the self-evaluation presented to the Regional Safeguarding Board and the proposed actions.

•  That the Committee notes the establishment of the Corporate Safeguarding Board.

•  That the Committee scrutinise the corporate safeguarding arrangements on an Annual basis.

•  That the Committee notes that the Authority awaits the final report of the Wales Audit Office review of the Councils’ assurance and accountability arrangements for ensuring that safeguarding policies and procedures are in place and are being adhered to.