Issue - meetings

Elaine Coleridge-Smith, Independent Chair of the Warwickshire Safeguarding Board introduced this item. Warwickshire Safeguarding was required to produce and publish an annual report in accordance with the statutory requirements governing its establishment, also sharing the document with a number of people and bodies, which were detailed in the report.

The annual report provided a high-level overview of key performance data in relation to safeguarding children, young people and adults, details of work undertaken against each of the strategic priorities and learning and improvement work conducted throughout the year. During the course of 2019/20 the new governance structure and constitution had been finalised to enable it to transition into Warwickshire Safeguarding. The detail of the report expanded on the subgroups reporting to the Board and the various strands of work completed over the year.

Questions and comments were invited, with responses provided as indicated:

• Warwickshire Safeguarding had introduced seven-minute briefings as a quick and simple way to share learning on a range of safeguarding topics. The briefings could be accessed via this link: https://www.safeguardingwarwickshire.co.uk/7-minute-briefings 
• Councillor Morgan welcomed this good annual report, which showed that high standards were being maintained and the focus on exploitation was welcomed.
• A question about engagement with schools, to publicise the work of the Board. School representatives did participate in the board. Examples of specific interaction were early help, annual school audits and attendance at head teacher conferences.
• An anxiety concerned children in lockdown not being able to speak out about issues at home, and the level of assurance that there were not hidden problems. Regular reports were provided, but it was hard to be assured when issues were unknown. Every effort was made to maintain contact with children on their own through social workers and health visitors.
• Nigel Minns confirmed that where children were known to authorities, risk assessments took place and mechanisms had been put in place to see them in person or online. The service was now operating mainly face-to face appointments again. The challenge was those children who were not known to system. Traditionally the police and schools were the largest referrers, so school closures were a cause for some nervousness. The council had tried to reach out, making  best use of social media, tailored communications produced by young people and digital solutions, but it couldn’t reach everyone and there was a perception of demand within the system, without yet  knowing its extent.

The Chair thanked Elaine and Amrita Sharma for the work of the Warwickshire Safeguarding Board.

Resolved

That the Board receives the 2019/20 Annual Report for Warwickshire Safeguarding and notes the progress the partnership has made against its strategic priorities during the course of the year.