Agenda item

Report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services.

The Sub Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services informing members of the activity of the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) over the past year. Members asked that the paper be circulated to the Committees of the City Schools to promote the LADO role.

Is there confidence that partners are making referrals?

It was noted that referrals made to a school would be treated differently depending on the nature of the allegation, with only those involving a member a staff being first directed to the City, with all others first going to the local authority of the child’s residence. The LADO was working with agencies to help promote the role and raise awareness. There had been an increase in referrals in the first quarter of 2015.

How well is safer recruitment policy and practice understood in the Corporation and across partner agencies?

This was currently being reviewed by HR, who would approach Community and Children’s Services if an issue arose. The Corporate Safeguarding policy, which included the role of the LADO, had been circulated to Safeguarding Champions across the Corporation.

In response to an enquiry by members, officers noted the importance that cases passed to other authorities were followed up on. It was acknowledged that it was not a statutory duty for LADO’s to update the former authority on cases they had taken on. Officers advised that the LADO action plan would be coming to a future meeting of the Sub-Committee.

RESOLVED –that the report be circulated to the City Schools Committees and the Grand Committee, and that the report be noted.