To receive the annual report of the HSCB setting out the Board’s annual assessment of safeguarding arrangements for children and young people in Herefordshire.

The committee received a report from the Director of Children and Families which set out the Herefordshire Children Safeguarding Board (HSCB) annual report 2017/18 and the latest version of the business plan of the Board for 2017-19. The reports were introduced by Sally Halls, Chair of the HSCB who explained that the Board oversaw the safeguarding arrangements of agencies across Herefordshire. There was significant pressure across the system and the impact of organisational resources on safeguarding arrangements was acknowledged: there had been a high turnover of staff at the CCG; the Wye Valley Trust was assessed as requiring improvement and West Mercia Police’s approach to serious organised crime was also found by HMIP to be requiring improvement. Attendance and engagement by some agencies in Herefordshire with the Safeguarding Children Board was reported as not being good enough, which in turn affected speed of  progress with improving responses to Herefordshire children and families who may need safeguarding or early help services. Some improvement had been achieved and some children and families were receiving a good service but it was not assured that all children received a good service or that responses were sufficiently quick and effective in circumstances where there might be the risk of neglect, domestic abuse and substance misuse.

The HSCB Chair expressed concern regarding the consistency of system-level leadership and the lack of common cause across the agencies. The current situation undermined the operational strength of the system and a culture shift was required to ensure improvement was achieved and children were diverted from the child protection system by receiving effective help earlier.

The HSCB Chair outlined new legislation that would see the local authority sharing responsibility with health (the CCG) and police partners for establishing arrangements for children’s safeguarding in Herefordshire. This need not consist of a Safeguarding Children Board, as previously required. It was important that the three ‘safeguarding partners’ began to think now how this would be structured in Herefordshire. Fresh thinking around governance and accountability was necessary to tackle the problems of domestic abuse, exploitation of children and vulnerable adults. New thinking about how to share responsibility with counterparts in the police and the NHS was also required.

The committee raised those comments below in the discussion that followed:

·         The committee asked how a common cause could be enabled between the agencies.  The HSCB Chair explained that it required strong leadership by the main safeguarding agencies to have difficult conversations and to engage with voluntary and community-level groups.

·         The committee queried why the Board had struggled to engage some agencies.  The HSCB Chair explained that area-wide bodies struggled to engage with the Board itself because of reductions in their capacity which have taken place over a number of years. The Board did expect agencies to respond when challenged. Despite the new legislation this may still be a challenge.  However, in relation to the delivery of effective and timely services to families, this is generally good across the partnership.

·         The committee asked what work had been attempted to engage with the agencies. The HSCB Chair confirmed that she challenged agencies when necessary. The Board received assurance reports from agencies such as the Youth Justice Service and made specific demands as required. Regular meetings with the office of the police and crime commissioner, the chief executive of the CCG and the director for children services were also held.

·         The committee questioned whether the board was happy with the current safeguarding arrangements in Herefordshire and whether it was felt that the board was fulfilling its statutory purpose. The HSCB Chair confirmed that there was a great deal of good work but insufficient assurance that all children got the best service or that safeguarding arrangements were working well enough at all times. The Board does fulfil its statutory requirements but there was always scope for improvement.

·         The new safeguarding arrangements that would be introduced in the 2019 were raised. The DCF explained that there was a requirement from September 2019 to introduce more effective arrangements.

·         The early help service was raised. The HSCB Chair explained that in past years, a government grant had enabled an expansion of early help services by the Council which had unfortunately ended with the withdrawal of funding. However, a system-wide approach to early help had not been developed at the time and this was a lost opportunity to embed a common sense of responsibility for early help across the system. This remains a focus for the Children and Young People Partnership. The DCF explained that the development of the early help service at the Council was now a key priority and consistency across all parties with safeguarding responsibilities was important.

·         The Committee was concerned about the assessment of safeguarding arrangements and monitoring as outlined by the Chair of the HSCB. It was felt that the committee should look in greater depth at the proposed new arrangements in 2019. Following the implementation of the new arrangements it was felt that the committee should review the participation and commitment of all agencies. The DCF confirmed that a report into possible new arrangements had been commissioned and a briefing note on the relevant element of the legislation would be provided.  

RESOLVED – that:

·         The HSCB annual report 2017/18 is noted and the committee recognises the concerns raised by the Chair of the Board;

·         The committee receives details of proposed safeguarding monitoring arrangements in Herefordshire under new legislative provisions; and

·         Following the implementation of new safeguarding monitoring arrangements in Herefordshire from 2019 the committee reviews the involvement and commitment of all agencies.