Agenda item

Oldham Safeguarding Children Partnership and Oldham Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Reports 2023-24

The Health and Well Being Board heard from the Independent Board of the OSCP and the OSAB who presented on both reports.

Oldham Safeguarding Children Partnership Report

The Oldham Safeguarding Children Partnership report, detailed actions delivered on children’s safeguarding. The report highlights the activity and impact of priority areas that pose a risk to the children of Oldham including domestic abuse, neglect, transitions, complex and contextual safeguarding and mental health. The Partnership have identified continuity in key issues as they are similar to previous findings.

The report notes that the level of demand in Oldham is high and there is significant pressure on agencies. Despite these pressures, key actions have been taken in priority activity areas. For example, some of the priority work has focused on children’s mental health which continues to be a significant issue. Focus is now on child’s voice and agencies are working with schools to talk about safeguarding issues.

Overall, the Board heard that Oldham is in a good place and some of the positives have been emphasised and reinforced by recent Ofsted inspection report.

A 3 year strategy concluded in March 2024- a revised strategy has since been devised. The vision of Oldham Safeguard and aims of the Oldham Safeguarding Partnership are the six stated in the Oldham Strategic Safeguarding Plan 2024 – 2027. Vision:

1.     Excellent practice is the norm across all practitioners in Oldham.

2.     Partner agencies hold one another to account effectively.

3.     There is early identification of new safeguarding issues.

4.     Learning is promoted and embedded.

5.     Information is shared effectively.

6.     The public feel confident that children are protected.

The Board discussed the work being done to support those in situations of domestic abuse. Officers have confirmed that funding has been received but this is no recurring so discussions are taking place on how it should be used.

The Board queried the high proportion of children coming to notice by the safeguarding agencies and questioned the nature of the notifications. Officers explained that a significant number if notifications are just concerns raised and not substantive safeguarding matters.

The Health and Well Being Board suggested that partnership and decision makers should be more reflective of the demographic of the community they service. This feedback is to be shared with partnership boards with the view of developing more bespoke safeguarding partnerships

Oldham Safeguarding Adults Board

The annual report of the Oldham Safeguarding Adults Board for 2023-24 demonstrates the extent of activity undertaken by a wide range of local agencies for the residents of Oldham. The report reflects both the strength and depth of safeguarding work delivered within localities to identify and address safeguarding need and the extent of innovation and commitment shown by those working in such settings.

The report also demonstrates how safeguarding initiatives commenced in Oldham have been taken up by other boroughs and, in some instances, actioned across Greater Manchester such as the TRAM protocol. The conclusion of the reporting period of this report (March 2024) also marks the conclusion of the Safeguarding Board’s three-year strategy.

A new three year strategy statement for the period 2024- 27 has now been produced and seeks to deliver on a number of safeguarding priorities including:

·       Improved joint working with the Oldham Safeguarding Children’s Partnership.

·       Enhanced staff training on issues relating to the mental capacity of individuals with safeguarding needs.

·       Combatting exploitation and issues of complex safeguarding arising from risks encountered outside of the family home.

Members of the Health and Well Being Board discussed how some of the issues pertaining to adult safeguarding have changed in recent years following covid. People were made to stay at home, and a consequence of this is an increase in self-neglect.

The Board also noted that there was an increase in need because of an increase in issues being recognised. Situations such as financial abuse are more recognised now as safeguarding issues.

RESOLVED that, the Health and Well Being Board note the OSCP and the OSAB reports.