Agenda item 7
Meeting / Middlesbrough Health and Wellbeing BoardDate / 7 September, 2016
Title / Middlesbrough Safeguarding Children Board (MSCB) Annual Report
Responsible Officer / Mark Braithwaite Independent Chair of the MSCB
Purpose of Item / To provide the Middlesbrough Health and Wellbeing Board with an update of the work of the MSCB, including the response to the Ofsted Inspection Response
Summary of Recommendations
That Middlesbrough Health and Wellbeing Board:
1. Notes the work of the MSCB and acknowledges the MSCB Annual Report.
2. Notes the progress in response to the Ofsted Inspection.
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PURPOSE OF THE REPORT
1. To provide the Middlesbrough Health and Wellbeing Board with an update of the work of the Middlesbrough Safeguarding Children Board hereafter referred to as the MSCB, including the response to the Ofsted Inspection recommendations.
BACKGROUND
2. The Middlesbrough Safeguarding Children Board is a Local Safeguarding Children Board as described under Part 2 of the Children Act 2004. It is a statutory body with legal obligations to:
· Determine how the different agencies and professional groups should co-operate to protect children from abuse and neglect;
· Ensure the arrangements work effectively to achieve the best possible outcomes for children within Middlesbrough;
· Ensure the effectiveness of arrangements made by agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
3. The Middlesbrough Safeguarding Children Board has been established in line with the guidance contained in Working Together to Safeguard Children published by the Government in 2010/2013/2015 and the Guide to Inter-agency Working to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children published by the Department of Children Schools and Families 2009 and the Local Safeguarding Children Boards Regulations 2006.
4. The primary functions of LSCBs are set out in S14(1) of the Children Act 2004.
To coordinate what is done by each person or body represented on the Board for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in the area of the authority by which it is established. To ensure the effectiveness of what is done by each such person or body for those purposes
The Board’s relationship with the wider arrangements to improve outcomes for children
5. The work of MSCB will be part of the wider context of Health & Wellbeing Board, Children’s Delivery Partnership/Middlesbrough Achievement Partnership (MAP) and other cooperative partnership arrangements that aim to improve the overall wellbeing of all children/young people in Middlesbrough.
6. Reporting
MSCB is independent of all other structures and arrangements. However, it is the role of the local authority to hold its officers to account for their contribution to the effective function of MSCB. Middlesbrough’s Executive Member for Wellbeing, Care & Learning has a particular focus on how the local authority is fulfilling its responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and will hold the Executive Director of Wellbeing, Care & Learning to account for the work of MSCB.
7. Accountability
MSCB has a role in co-ordinating and ensuring the effectiveness of local organisations’ work to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It is not accountable for their operational work. Each agency represented on MSCB retains its own lines of accountability for its services. MSCB does not have the power to direct other organisations. However, it will bring concerns to the attention of the agency concerned and. If necessary, MSCB will also report its concerns to the appropriate government department.
MSCB ANNUAL REPORT SUMMARY
8. Evidencing impact on outcomes for children is a challenge facing all LSCB’s. The emphasis is on improved practice and effective intervention, a process that cannot be measured in the short-term. The ways that this can be measured in addition to the use of the National Indicators that tend to measure processes or activity include:
· Practice audits.
· Assessing the impact on training on improved practice.
· Increased use of the Early Help Assessment (formerly CAF) for early intervention on safeguarding issues.
· Reduction in children with particular vulnerabilities requiring services.
These areas will continue to be considered by the Performance & Quality Assurance Sub Group.
Capacity of partner agencies in the last year has been stretched by an increasing local level of demand placed on them; by the requirements of central government, inspection regimes and by the general economic climate. This has led to some delay in the implementation of some actions.
The MSCB acknowledges the need to review its own capacity to undertake this work and to review its priorities over the coming year
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
9. The MSCB has had one development session in addition to the bi-monthly meetings this was an evaluation of the MSCB performance so far in line with the Inspection requirements.
· Attendance at the board and sub groups remains high an average attendance rate of 67% however a decrease on last year.
· In this financial year 43 Middlesbrough schools contributed to the MSCB.
· Performance Framework has been revised and updated and work on the Tees Performance Framework has been initiated.
· The Threshold document has been reaffirmed by the board and published on the MSCB website.
· The MSCB website has been re-developed in line with the new Council website look and feel.
· Learning from SCRs continues to be incorporated into the training program.
· SCR and Learning Review action plans outcomes are monitored and reported to the MSCB as a standing item.
· The Tees Child Protection website continues to be extensively updated with policies and are now Working Together 2015 compliant with over 82,000 visits this year.
· Between April 2015 – March 2016 approximately 711 sessions were attended by Middlesbrough staff. During this period 24 courses were held (including half day and full day courses).
· E learning continues to expand with the introduction of several new courses such as a refresher in Child protection, Hidden harm and Safeguarding Children with disabilities. Over 13,000 applications for E learning courses have been completed.
· Tees CDOP funding agreed for the next year and an independent audit has been carried out and significant changes have been agreed across Tees including the implementation of Rapid Response.
· The following audits have been completed:
o CP Conference Audit
o VPG Audit
o TAF Audit
o Reflective Supervision/Voice of the Child Audit
o Audit of Safeguarding Policies for agencies continues with the developed Policy audit tool.
· MSCB Bi-annual newsletter distributed to over 500 front line agency professionals.
10. MSCB Supported Key Events 2015/2016
The MSCB have continued to engage professionals, children and young people through events covering a range of topics, as noted below:
25th February 2015 – The Neglect Strategy launch event, to explore and raise the issues of Neglect for the children’s workforce and launch the Neglect Strategy across Middlesbrough.
3rd March 2015 – CSE event commissioned by the MSCB using the experience of Barnardos staff to explore and raise the issues surrounding Child Sexual Exploitation.
June—July 2015 - Chelsea’s Choice drama production is rolled out for the second year running across Middlesbrough secondary schools. A theatrical production using real-life stories to raise awareness around Child Sexual Exploitation. Chelsea’s Choice deals with the issues of trafficking, the ‘grooming’ process, healthy relationships and safe internet use.
7th September 2015 : Inter Faith Network meeting to discuss the MSCB and Safeguarding
13th November 2015 /6th January 2016 – ADFAM Workshops
12th January 2016 : Meeting with Church Safeguarding Leads, Catholic Diocese of Middlesbrough and the Church of England Diocese of York.
9th February 2016 : Cleveland Police /MSCB - Community Chat Safeguarding on Line
9th February 2016 – Safer Internet Day, Letter, Poster and Police Leaflet sent to all schools.
7th March 2016 : MSCB Chair attends Secondary Head Teachers Forum.
14th March 2016 - Safer Sleeping Campaign week beginning supported posters and web links shared across Middlesbrough and across Teesside.
29th March 2016 : BME Community Radio question and answers session
eSafety support to professionals via the circulation of various publications and the support of national eSafety campaigns.
It is recommended that the H&WBB:1. 1. Notes the work of the MSCB and acknowledges the MSCB Annual Report.
MSCB RESPONSE TO OFSTED INSPECTION
Recommendation: 1
Ensure that the Board fully involves all agencies and groups in its work programme, including Secondary schools and the appropriate number of lay members. This includes ensuring that the voices of children and young people, including those from the diverse communities in Middlesbrough, are integral to all of the work of the Board.
Key Actions/Milestone
MSCB to communicate effectively and gain commitment with MAP, Secondary School Cluster Group, - Action Complete
Advert for Lay Person in Love Middlesbrough, and MSCB newsletter. – Action Complete
Voice of the Child to be added to all audits – Action Complete
Recommendation: 2
Ensure that the content of the MSCB ‘Threshold Document’ fully complies with statutory guidance and is well understood by all agencies
Key Actions/Milestone
The Threshold Document has been reviewed and updated in line with Working Together 2015 – Action Complete
The Tees Threshold document is agreed and implemented – Action Complete
A program of drop in multi-agency training sessions on Thresholds are to berolled out – Action planned awaiting roll out Sept 2016
Recommendation: 3
Work more closely with strategic partnership groups such as the Health & Well-being Board (H&WB) and Middlesbrough Achievement Partnership (MAP), to provide robust scrutiny of how well agencies co-ordinate their work and the effectiveness of the services they provide to children and families.
Key Actions/Milestone
MSCB to review partnership arrangements and gain commitment across strategic partnerships (H&WB,MCYDP,MAP)
MSCB supports and promotes Early Help offer
Agree 2017/2020 MSCB Business Plan including a set of shared priorities.
These key actions are scheduled for completion in September 2016
Recommendation: 4
Ensure that performance monitoring and auditing arrangements are robust, including monitoring when agencies challenge each other over the effectiveness of local safeguarding arrangements.
Key Actions / Milestone
Revise MSCB audit program – Action complete
Review MSCB Audit Program – Sept 2016
Link MSCB audit program with SAIG – Action complete
Develop MSCB Challenge log – Action complete
Implement Tees Performance Framework – Sept-Dec 2016
Recommendation: 5
Work with the other local LSCBs to better coordinate Section 11 assessments and how Teesside agencies are held to account.
Key Action/Milestones
Agree across Tees LSCB’s S11 form and schedule – Action to be agreed July 2016
Recommendation: 6
Work through the Child Death Overview Panel to ensure that ‘rapid response’ arrangements are in place in the event of a child death.
Key Actions/Milestones
MSCB assured Rapid Response is in place – Action complete
MSCB review Implementation of Rapid Response – Review Sept 2016
It is recommended that the H&WBB:2. Notes the progress in response to the Ofsted Inspection Report.
Report prepared by: Gary Watson, MSCB Business Manager
Tel: 01642 728704
E mail:
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