Agenda item

The Board gave consideration to the Annual Reports of the Safeguarding Adults Board and the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board for 2017/18.

In relation to the Safeguarding Adults Board, the Board noted the Annual Report had been signed off on 14th November 2018 and would be published on the safeguarding pages of the Council’s website.

The Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report set out:

·         The achievements of the sub-groups of the Safeguarding Adults Board, linked to the priorities identified in the action plan

·         The benefits of undertaking a peer review with Stockport Safeguarding Adults Board, and how the outcomes of this would feed into the development of the business plan for 2019/20

·         The activity data relating to Safeguarding and to the Deprivation of Liberty

·         Safeguards for the year

·         Reports from the partner agencies on their challenges, achievements and ambitions

·         Priorities for the Safeguarding Adults Board for 2018/19 and beyond, as set out in the 2018/19 business plan, and 2018-2021 three year strategy.

Members were informed that the Board had revised it structures to provide both a strategic and targeted approach. There were specific work groups in relation to integration and joint working. Work was focussed on PREVENT, domestic violence, mental capacity and deprivation of liberty. There was a commitment to performance management and the quality of service was both assessed and audited.

Members noted there had been a growing number of safeguarding adults reviews and learning from these had been shared with partners. There had been mutual peer reviews undertaken with Stockport and the recommendations would be actioned.

Members sought and received clarification/commented on the

following points:

·         Did the targeting recognise learning disabilities – there was a need to assess mental capacity to put in place a protection plan. There was a difficult balance to be undertaken by social workers between the need to protect and the wish to provide as full a life as possible, and this would usually involve a multi-disciplinary team. There was a particular challenge around getting clients into employment.

·         The number of granted applications for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) had reduced – the current DoLS system was under review and these safeguards were due to change. A number of assessments had been brought together and, as they could only be signed off at a very high level, a backlog had arisen. The system was due to become less bureaucratic and this may address some of the challenges. 

In relation to the Annual Report of the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB), members were informed that the LSCB had a statutory responsibility under Section 14 of the Children’s Act 2004 to co-ordinate the safeguarding activity of agencies within the local area and to ensure the effectiveness of this activity for the purposes of promoting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. Working Together 2015 required that LSCB’s publish an annual report which provided an assessment of the performance and effectiveness of local services in their safeguarding activity.

Members were informed that the current focus was on improving the functions of the Board, following the 2015 Ofsted report. The Board had a small executive and a number of groups, with core function groups and priority issue sub-groups.

The core functions had shown significant improvements. It was recognised that safeguarding risks did not only arise within the family and that there were a wide variety of forms. Members were to the detail in the report concerning the priority issue sub-groups. Current issues included children missing from education, children educated at home and peer-on-peer abuse. The Adult and Children’s Boards were jointly working on the priority area of transition between youth and adult services. 

Members were informed that the arrangements for the Board would change in 2019. Revised procedures would be developed and would be submitted for approval in early 2019.

Members sought and received clarification/commented on the

following point:

·         Training for voluntary groups – Members were informed that the website was due to be refreshed and the availability of training could be highlighted.

RESOLVED that :-

1.    Both Annual Reports be approved.

2.    The Board would receive an update on progress from both Boards in 12 months.