Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies.

There were no declarations.

To agree the public minutes and non-public summary of the previous meeting held on 30 June 2014.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 30 June 2014 be approved as a correct record.

Matters Arising

The Assistant Director of People advised that the information regarding how many Acts of Legislation affecting the Safeguarding service had been circulated to Members electronically in July 2014, and it was noted that the annual reception for the City’s Looked After Children and Care Leavers was being discussed and planned by the new Children in Care Council.

The Sub Committee was asked for input as to a visit to elderly tenants in Tower Hamlets and for another visit to be present at a review meeting, and it was agreed that the number of Members should be kept to a minimum as to not overwhelm the residents in question. With regard to the ‘Notice the Signs’ campaign being included in ward newsletters, officers confirmed that this had appeared in some but not all, and undertook to ensure it went to all wards.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Sub Committee received a report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services which provided an update on the progress made on the Service Improvement Plan. This plan had been in place since March 2012 and contained actions from previous inspections, reviews and audits within Children’s Social Care. In September 2014 there were 133 actions on the Service Improvement Plan; the review in November 2014 concluded that this has now been significantly reduced to 32 actions, with 7 completed, reducing the number outstanding to 25.

Officers reported that there had been an inspection of the Tower Hamlets Youth Offending Service, which the City of London commissioned. Members noted that there had not been any children or young people from the City requiring youth offending services for the past three years, and as such the review had not looked at any cases from the City.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Sub Committee received a report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services about the Adult Social Care (ASC) Safeguarding Improvement Plan compiled following an independent quality assurance review of safeguarding commissioned by both the City and Hackney. While the independent freelance consultant commissioned to undertake the review made no specific recommendations for the City of London, an Improvement Plan was drafted to support the implementation of key development areas for safeguarding practice, which were agreed for annual review by this Sub Committee. Members noted that the same consultant had been re-commissioned to return in January 2015 to carry out a City-specific audit of ASC safeguarding, which had a far wider remit.

In response to Members’ questions, officers reported that the completed audit forms were not publically available but would remain on file as a tool for ongoing measurement and development. Officers advised Members of the statutory nature of adult safeguarding under the impending implementation of the Care Act in April 2015 when Safeguarding Adult Boards would become statutory.

RESOLVED – That the report and Improvement Plan be noted.

Report of the Assistant Director of People Services

The Sub Committee received a report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services informing Members of the mechanisms currently in place in the Department of Community and Children’s Services to enable staff at all levels in the Children and Families Service to raise safeguarding concerns and issues with managers and, if they feel these are not being considered appropriately, how they will be escalated to senior managers as necessary. 

The report also highlighted the formal Escalation Policy agreed by the City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Board which provided transparency and organisational accountability for ensuring that conflicts between staff from partner agencies are formally addressed and, if necessary, escalated to the Independent Chair of the Local Safeguarding Children Board.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Sub Committee received a report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services seeking approval for the City of London’s renewed Corporate Parenting Strategy. This included the City’s “Pledge” to its Looked After Children (LAC) and Care Leavers; this was is a set of promises identified through consultation with children and young people in or leaving care. Members noted that the Action Plan would be refreshed annually, and the Safeguarding Sub Committee would have oversight of its implementation.

In response to Members questions, officers confirmed that everyone who worked for the City of London Corporation, including elected Members and Chief Officers, was a corporate parent to the children and young people in the City’s care. With regard to the development of the Pledge, officers confirmed that it was agreed at the first meeting of the City’s Children in Care Council (CiCC). Although only a small number of children and young people attended the CiCC, officers reported that (four4 LAC attended the meeting (out of 23 invited) officers reassured Members that the City was committed to. The Corporation had a statutory requirement to actively informing children and young people them of their rights and entitlements through a range of means, including social media, but with a small number of LAC attaining a high attendance was difficult. In response to a Member’s follow-up question, officers confirmed that social media was used, and the issue would be discussed by the Children in Care Council.

Members noted that the City and Hackney Social Care Safeguarding Board Sub Committee had made recommendations for additions to the Strategy regarding training on the risk of child sexual exploitation, and Members agreed that delegated authority be granted to the Town Clerk in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman to approve these changes. Members also requested that a

Report of the Assistant Director of People Services

The Sub Committee received a report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services regarding the review of the current City of London Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP) 2012–2015. This review would ensure the work of the Children Executive Board (CEB) continued to meet the needs of the City community, was responsive to local/regional and national policy development, was compliant with updated statutory requirements, and that the new CYPP be in place to take effect from 2015. Members noted this Plan would be presented to the Grand Committee in early 2015 with monitoring remaining the responsibility of the Safeguarding Sub Committee.

Members queried the figure relating to deprivation, and officers clarified that the City of London had a low level of deprivation ranking of 262 out of 353 boroughs. Members requested that the numerous strategies and plans in place (statutory and otherwise) be collated for Sub Committee Members.

RESOLVED – That:

(a)  The review of the Children and Young People’s Plan be noted;

(b)  The final version of the Plan be presented to this Sub Committee in 2015; and

(c)  The strategies and plans governing Safeguarding services in the City be collated and distributed to Safeguarding Sub Committee Members.

There were no questions.

There was no other business.

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.

Item                                                                Paragraph

12                                                                    1, 2

13                                                                    1

14                                                                    2

15                                                                    -

16                                                                    3

To agree the non-public minutes of the previous meeting held on 30 June 2014.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 30 June 2014 be approved as a correct record.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

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

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

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

There were no questions.

There was one item of other business.