Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies.

There were no declarations of interest.

To elect a Chairman in accordance with Standing Order No. 29.

The Committee proceeded to elect a Chairman in accordance with Standing Order No. 29. A list of Members eligible to stand was read and Angela Starling being the only Member expressing a willingness to serve was declared to have been elected as Chairman of the Safeguarding Sub Committee for the ensuing year.

To elect a Deputy Chairman in accordance with Standing Order No. 30.

The Committee proceeded to elect a Deputy Chairman in accordance with Standing Order No. 30. A list of Members eligible to stand was read and Dr Martin Dudley being the only Member expressing a willingness to serve was declared to have been elected as Deputy Chairman of the Safeguarding Sub Committee for the ensuing year.

A report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services (copy attached).

The Sub Committee received a report from the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the changes to the adoption process made by Central Government which came into effect in July 2013. Officers advised Members that Marie Ologbosere had been recruited to provide expertise and support for the service. The adoption assessment timescales had been changed to speed up the process and increase adoption numbers. Four applicants were currently being assessed and, once agreed, could be ‘purchased’ for a fee by other providers if not needed by the Corporation. 

In response to a question from the Chairman it was established that the child’s Best Interest Decision, which would include their adoption plan, no longer needed to go to the Adoption panel shared with Hackney, but could be agreed by the Agency Decision Maker before being agreed in Court.

In response to further questions from Members, it was noted that officers would be seeking to develop the service and actively recruit new adopters in the future, but currently staff resources would be unable to manage a great influx of applications. It was also reported that assessment costs were covered, as ‘trading’ adopters provided income.

A report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services (copy attached).

The Sub Committee received a report from the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the City of London Safeguarding Adults Annual Report 2012/13. Officers gave an overview of the safeguarding alerts received by the Adult Social Care team and Members were advised that, as part of the Health and Social Care Act 2012, Safeguarding Adult Boards would become statutory.

In response to Members questions, it was noted that the Adult Social Care team had ten officers in total including three social workers. Members discussed some typographical mistakes and errors included in the report, and were assured that a quality assurance process was being implemented to ensure this did not happen again.

A report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services (copy attached).

The Sub Committee received a report from the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the City and Hackney Children Safeguarding Board Annual Report 2012/13. Officers informed the Sub Committee that this was a statutory report which outlined demographic information, governance, performance, quality assurance, and priorities for 2013/14. The report also detailed an increase in training, which was now being held in the City to help prevent a Hackney-centric approach.  

Members noted the need for an organisational diagram to set out the relationship between groups, in particular the Children’s Executive Board and the Health and Wellbeing Board, and highlighted a number of inaccuracies within the document. As Deputy Chairman for the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Board of Governors, Deputy Bennett queried their absence in some of the attendance tables. It was noted that while the school had a Safeguarding representative they had only recently been appointed to the Sub Committee and this report predated the appointment. The Director of Community and Children’s Services advised Members that a meeting had been set up with schools in November to address low attendance of City of London Safeguarding Children Sub Committee meetings.

Officers agreed to circulate an organisational diagram to Members of the Sub Committee.

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items.

MOTION - That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

RESOLVED – That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

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A report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services (copy attached).

The Sub Committee received a report from the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

A report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services (copy attached).

The Sub Committee received a report from the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

A report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services (copy attached).

The Sub Committee received a report from the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

A report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services (copy attached).

The Sub Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

There were no questions.

There were no items of urgent business.