Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to a report of the Assistant Director for Safeguarding and Partnership on a new member training package that had been developed to bring together an overview of safeguarding of children and adults and Prevent (i.e.: part of the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy). A further review of the training content had been requested. The Sub-Committee was asked to approve an information gathering exercise to identify the safeguarding concerns that elected members were presented with in carrying out their function.

The author of the report attended the meeting to present the information and to gather elected members’ view on what additional topics should be included in the training.

It was reported that, so far, 35 members had attended the training session on safeguarding. On the evaluations received following the training, the majority had indicated that the training was both useful and relevant. However, several attendees had commented that the two hour session limited the opportunity for more in depth consideration. Those members who already had an understanding of the topic commented that they would like to focus more on particular issues. Feedback had also indicated that training needed to be more tailored to the safeguarding concerns that were being raised specifically with members by their constituents or issues that emerged as they discharged their duties. 

Members would be asked to outline the safeguarding scenarios that they were presented with while discharging their function.

Members sought and received clarification / commented on the following points:

-       Training sessions delivered in stages and advanced training focussing on specific safeguarding issues - It was explained that the revised training would take into consideration these requests.

-       The training sessions would need to be repeated periodically – It was explained that the training sessions would be revised and delivered every so often.

-       Members found helpful the visit to the MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub) facility.

-       To develop a step programme to allow members to develop knowledge and understanding of different aspects of safeguarding and issues that the community was facing and the work of other agencies.

The Health Scrutiny Sub-Group was prepared to endorse a member wide consultation exercise and to work to encourage a greater take up of the safeguarding training.

RESOLVED that:

1.    The Sub-Committee support a follow up review of member safeguarding training;

2.    Members consider the safeguarding scenarios that they are presented with and provide this information to the Local Safeguarding Children Board training sub-group for consideration;

3.    The evaluations of the new training package and the outcome of the information gathering exercise be presented to the Member Training Working Group;

4.    Consideration be given to separating the current safeguarding input into individual sessions for members, giving priority for each within the member’s training calendar.

5.    Consideration be given to the possibility of involving Group Leaders to encourage elected members to engage more readily with the revised safeguarding training package.

6.    A progress report be presented to the Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee in June 2019.