Agenda item

To receive and discuss the Annual Report.

The Board considered and discussed the Child and Exploitation: Elected Member Steering Group Annual Report 2022-23 submitted by Gerard Jones, Managing Director of Children and Young People which had been produced as a record of the progress and impact of the Cross-Party Steering Group on Child Sexual Exploitation during its first year in existence. This is the first Annual Report report of the Steering Group and will be presented to Council.

The first meeting of the group was on 23 November 2022 and the group had met in February, June and October of 2023 and a summary of each of those meetings were set out in the report.

Oldham Council made a commitment to establishing a cross-party Steering Group at a meeting of Full Council in September 2022 which followed on from the conclusion of the Independent Review into historic safeguarding practices in Oldham, the findings of which have been fully accepted by the Council.  The review focussed on multi-agency responses to allegations child sexual exploitation in the borough during the period 2011-14. 

In response to the publication of the review the Council has produced a Plan on a Page aimed at supporting survivors of child sexual exploitation and tackling perpetrators of abuse.  This is attached at Appendix 1 to the report. 

The purpose of the Elected Member Steering Group is to provide cross-party oversight of current safeguarding practice and the progress of the Plan to seek justice for and offer support to historic victims of child sexual abuse.

The aim is to raise member awareness, provide scrutiny and assurance on the effectiveness of current practice and to increase public confidence in the partnership response to complex and contextual safeguarding in Oldham. 

The objectives of the Steering Group are to:

1. Not duplicate the scope of existing Boards in place but will work alongside the Council’s existing governance arrangements. 
2. Be provided with assurance on the support to victims both present and historic by way of data and insight reports
3. Be provided with assurance on progress of Operation Sherwood and the support given by the Council to Operation Sherwood by way of data and insight report
4. Be provided with assurance on current complex safeguarding activity and practice within the context of wider children’s social care activity by way of data and insight reports
5. With agreement by the Steering Group, request and receive detail in relation to current safeguarding practice and be able to make suggestions to improve processes and practice in place
6. Have the ability to refer any matters for additional information or advice to the independent Chair of the Oldham Safeguarding Children’s Partnership

The Steering Group will provide reports to Council summarising matters considered within the 12-month period. A minimum of one report within each municipal year will be presented however, there may be more should the Steering Group feel it has something to report.

The Group is not a decision-making body. Any proposed changes to process/current practice that requires a decision will be referred to the appropriate decision-making forum in line with the Council’s Constitution/Schemes of Delegation. What actions the decision-making bodies make on such matters referred to them will be formally reported back to the Steering Group.

Details of the Review into historic Safeguarding practices in Oldham were set out in Appendix 1 to the report. The Terms of reference of the Oldham Council Elected Member Steering Group on Child Exploitation were set out in Appendix 2 to the report.

Gerard Jones informed the Board that the Steering Group is not a decision making body but gave the Board assurance that it keeps in close touch with the police and multi agencies and it learns in detail about the on going safeguarding work. As the meetings have progressed the Group has often requested more detail and assurance on safeguarding matters. The group will constantly review its work to keep aligned with new challenges. Following the CSE Review the priority Action was to work closely with the Greater Manchester police to investigate historical allegations  of sexual exploitation and to bring offenders to justice. The Group also have to ensure that support is being provide to victims. The work of the Group is also subject to Peer and Ofsted reviews which are reported back to the Group and Agencies. It was emphasised that there is also an extensive briefing with all Members of Oldham Council about how to report a concern to either Children’s Services or Adult Services.

In response to a query, Gerard Jones informed the Board that the word ‘contextual’ on page 4 of the report refers to criminal exploitation of children, children who might go missing and are vulnerable, together with a range of reasons where children might by exploited. On the same page of the report ‘Transitions Hub’ refers to other forms of exploitation which are brought together in the Hub and the wider theme of exploitation of young people, support for families being one of these areas.

On a question of funding Gerard Jones informed the Board that the work of the Steering Group and Multi Agencies had been very successful and  continued funding is and will be explored for the forthcoming financial year. He drew attention to the voice of victims that was the strongest indicator and testament on the work to date and shows a need to continue with the efforts with regard to the Child Sexual Exploitation work.

A suggestion was made that there needs to be development to achieve a clear reporting pathway to the public to make sure the public are aware of what is taking place and indeed how to report an issue which for any member of the public is a big step to take. Also that any issue reported needs to be acted on quickly.

Mr Hutchinson informed the Board that the policing group have a daily scan of issues reported. Referrals are acted upon with all due haste to support those victims.

Mr Gerrard informed the Board that the Multi Agencies deal with young male victims as well as female victims and it is very much the case that any investigation is carried out at the victim’s pace. Male victims tend to move at a lot slower pace than female victims. Discussion then ensued regarding how investigations are progressed with victims.

It was suggested that to receive an even higher degree of transparency, the Board should receive a 6 month report rather than an Annual Report updating Members of the work of the Steering Group, the strategy being taken forward and the progression of public communication. It was also suggested that Members could receive more I depth safeguarding training to get a better understanding of the issues involved.

Gerard Jones informed the Board that the 12 Months Annual Report is a Council decision. He advised that the work of the Oldham Safeguarding Partnership which includes a report of the Safeguarding Steering Group, meets on a more regular basis and is available on the Safeguarding website.

In response to a query regarding the specific findings of the national Independent Inquiry into Sexual Abuse, page 8 of the report refers, Gerrard Jones informed the Board that a letter has been sent to the Home Office to say that the findings need to be carried out. He advised that with regard to this Council, the findings are taken on board and continually reviewed and where possible included into current systems. He would bring an update to a future meeting on the progress with the twenty recommendations.

Gerrard Jones asked Board Members to advise him of specific issues for him to update the Board at a meeting in 6 months.

A Member raised the point that there was no mention of Scrutiny in the Terms of Reference of the Elected Member Steering Group. Shelly Kipling, Assistant Chief Executive, informed the Board that the Terms of Reference of the Steering Group will be reviewed in the near future and the reference to Scrutiny will be included.

Resolved: that

(i)            the Child Sexual Exploitation: Elected Member Steering Group

Annual Report 2022-23 be noted; and

(ii)          an update on the work of the Elected Member Steering Group together with a wider safeguarding report to include specific issues notified to Gerard Jones by Members of the Board together with an update on the way in which the specific findings of national Independent Inquiry as referred to in the report are being taken forward by this Council.