Date: / 9 December 2008
Venue: / Committee Room 2, Guildhall
Time: / 2.00pm - 4.00pm

Attendees or X

Name / /X / /X / /X
Marie Lebacq (Chair) /  / Jill McBrearty-Gilliam /  / Bev Larkins / 
Lisa Mills / X / DI Mark Chesters /  / Brenda Bishop / 
Rob Ratcliffe / X / Linda Butler /  / Maureen Howell / X
BredaCrowley /  / Roz Harrison / X / Paul Whybro / X
Jenny Gibbs /  / Dr Lawrence Dixon /  / Richard Stanwood-Jones / 
Gerwyn Matthews /  / Chris Elmitt /  / Chris Pearson / X
Kathy Weigh / X / Barbara Norris /  / Bronwen Evans / X
Fred Czulowski /  / Geoff Moore / X / Pauline Preston / 
Angela Roberts /  / Dr Peter Saul /  / Joy Mitchell / 
Louise Bayliss-Chapman /  / Suzanne Metcalfe / 
Emma Brett /  / Francine Salem / 

Outcomes

Agenda Item and Details / Actions/Who
Responsible?
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting, stating that it was encouraging to see a good level of attendance.
  1. Minutes and matters arising not on the agenda

Minutes of the meeting held on 21st October 2008 were accepted for content and accuracy.
  • Leaflets–Sample copies of five printed leaflets were circulated. Jenny Gibbs was given provisional numbers but ordered extra copies. She will be in touch with people who requested copies. Some will be distributed. Gerwyn Matthews and others have agreed to collect copies from the Safeguarding Unit. Social workers will distribute leaflets intended forparents, children and young people, as necessary.The Chair thanked the task & finish group for work done to produce these leaflets.
  • Children Educated Other Than At School: Implications of Khyra Ishaq Case –Marie Lebacq spoke to Sue Willis about this. It is uncertain how health professionals would know or could tap into this information. Gerwyn Matthews advised that Education have a register for categories of education and that an annual check is made of these cases. An ESW will accompany an Education Officer on a home visit. Gerwyn will seek advice from the WCBC Legal Department as to whether information about these cases can be shared with health colleagues. Consent may need to be obtained on each visit to share with health services. This information can already be shared where very specific child protection concerns are identified. Gerwyn advised that a working party has been requested to consider a checklist to use on visits. The Chair asked that Education, Health and Safeguarding & Support Department should discuss this matter further outside of this meeting. The Chair asked that the Birmingham Serious Case Review Executive Summary be checked to see if there is anything about this issue.
  • LSCB Self Assessment and Improvement Tool (SAIT) – Marie advised that she has not yet received the latest version of the tool from the WAG to circulate. Marie and Clare Field are proposing to use the tool as part of the LSCB feedback requested by the WAG following national concerns raised after the death of Baby P in Haringey.It is intended to highlight where the LSCB thinks problems exist and how they will be addressed. Marie advised that Clare will be writing to statutory agencies to ask for their responses. It would be useful if voluntary agencies also provided responses.
  • YP Housing/Accommodation– Marie Lebacq is to report back following a meeting in December with Jan Jones and Marc Williams from the Housing Department. A date for this meeting has now been agreed.
  • The Child Protection Register and number of registrations – Marie Lebacq asked Francine Salem to undertake a review. This will now be part of the Haringey response.
/ Education / Health / S&S Dept. to meet.
BC to check.
  1. Draft strategic guidance on anti-bullying

  • Pauline Preston, Principal Educational Psychologist and Joy Mitchell, Educational Psychologist and Anti-Bullying Co-ordinator gave a presentation.
  • Draft guidance was circulated with the Agenda.
  • A response to bullying was sought, following a conference in March 2007.Six task groups have been co-ordinated.
  • Last year, Hannah Sinfield, NSPCC presented a campaign in Wrexham.Leaflets went out to all parents in Wrexham.
  • Joy Mitchell is in 0.5 post from September 2008 as co-ordinator on implementation of the anti-bullying programme. Her post has been agreed initially for one year.
  • The draft guidance is not a statutory requirement but is in every school in Wrexham now.
  • Working to the same or similar definitions and looking to share good practice.
  • Technological bullying is a great concern.
  • Resources have been sent out to secondary schools.
  • Steering group set up to move this forward. A young people’s steering group is also being set up.
  • A dedicated mobile phone number has been suggested. Children could text their concerns. Christine Jones, Child In Need Co-ordinator, is to look into this.
  • Pauline Preston is looking at legal aspects of this area of work.
  • A lot of work also done in Cardiff and Torfaen. Hoping to do some joint work in this area.
  • There is an issue about sustaining funding for these initiatives.
  • Regular updates on progress will normally be fed back to the Learning & Achievement SCoG.
  • Members are asked to contact Joy Mitchell with any ideas to move this initiative forward.
  • The Chair expressed thanks to Pauline and Joy for the presentation. Further information may be obtained by contacting Pauline Preston or Joy Mitchell at the Education Psychology Service, Erlas Centre, Wrexham Telephone: 01978 317653 or 01978 317693.
/ CJ to look into this.
  1. NSPCC Safe Communities Toolkit

  • Brenda Bishop gave a presentation to members.
  • An Introduction to NSPCC Safe Communities Toolkitwas circulated to members.
  • The toolkit has been piloted in three areas including Denbighshire.
  • The following are available as part of the toolkit: (1) a DVD giving step by step simplified guidance, (2) Educare and Safer Recruitment modules including good practice, and (3) useful posters and leaflets.
  • More information is provided by the NSPCC free to voluntary organisations.
  • This initiative tries to reach community groups working with vulnerable children where perhaps no child protection knowledge or expertise is in place.
  • An individual person can get a certificate.
  • NSPCC linked into the LSCB in Denbighshire during the pilot. This ‘whole package’ toolkit was reportedly very successful there.
  • It can be a useful toolkit as a refresher. Information will be updated all the time.
  • No concerns have been fed back from Denbighshire about compliance issues with existing All Wales Child Protection Procedures.
  • Jenny Gibbs will add this to the Training Sub-Group agenda for discussion.
/ JG to agenda.
  1. Bi-Annual Performance Report for period Apr – Sep 2008

  • Performance Report was circulated with the Agenda.
  • This report is based on Safeguarding & Support Department activity and was presented to the LSCB Executive in November 2008.
  • There have been further increases in activity.
  • Police and Health colleagues confirm similar experiences. There is pressure on resources in key agencies.
  • There are currently 99 children on Wrexham’s Child Protection Register. 45 of these are girls. There are two children from other local authorities given temporary registration.
  • Breda Crowley advised that there are 10 cases which are likely to be removed from the Register at the next review.
  • Marie Lebacq has agreed to an additional duty officer in CAFAT on a temporary basis to respond to demand.
  • Resources across the Safeguarding & Support Department are being reviewed.
  • Dr Lawrence Dixon advised that it is almost impossible for paediatricians to attend strategy meetings now unless for specific reasons.
  • DI Mark Chesters reported that the Public Protection Unit has been given two extra domestic abuse officers. There are domestic abuse panels running, an increasing number of referrals and also joint visits to resource. Marie Lebacq asked for details to be forwarded to her.
  • The remit for the next LSCB report is broad ranging and is intended to reflect safeguarding across agencies using agreed performance measures. The LSCB is working on performance management data.
/ MC to forward details to ML.
  1. Barnardo’s Conference 26.11.08: Preventing Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)

  • Gerwyn Matthews provided some feedback to members.
  • A Barnardo’s policy and practice briefing was circulated.
  • Conference looked at vulnerable children, child sexual exploitation and risk indicators.
  • The main theme was to look at the new All Wales CSE Protocol. There is a push for a named person to have responsibility for CSE.
  • The SERAF risk assessment should be completed when making a referral if relevant. This is a simple two sided sheet, mainly consisting of tick boxes.
  • It was agreed that the Training Sub-Group should look at training around SERAF.
  • Jenny Gibbs and Breda Crowley have previously done some training which included SERAF, about 18 months ago.
/ JG to agenda.
  1. Resource Issues

  • Concern was expressed about children from Originating Local Authorities (OLAs) resident in private homes in the Wrexham area and resulting impact on resources for various agencies.
  • One particular case has resulted in many separate strategy meetings being held to discuss concerns and investigate allegations.
  • One young person went to a secure unit, subsequently returned to this area and is now involved with Wrexham Youth Justice Service.
  • OLA placements are creating major problems regarding time and resources.
  • CAMHS and Health services share the concerns.
  • Angela Roberts said that Health can invoice placing authorities but there isn’t the mechanism in Wales to process this. This issue is currently being looked at, with a view to billing for secondary care to English but not Welsh authorities.
  • Marie Lebacq thinks this area of concern is worth a discussion with CSSIW. The care authority has responsibilities. CSSIW should be notified if the care authority is not attending strategy meetings which are convened in Wrexham.
/ S&S to arrange.
  1. Safeguarding Children – WAG Letter

  • Two letters have been received from the WAG to address safeguarding concerns raised following the death of Baby P in Haringey. These have been circulated to members together with appendices.
  • The letters seek responses from (1) LSCB Chairs and (2) Directors of Social Services.
  • WCBC has begun work on Appendix 2.
  • Marie Lebacq had a discussion with Clare Field and it was decided they will use the Self Assessment and Improvement Tool as part of the LSCB response to Appendix 3.The LSCB will write to the WAG to advise that Wrexham is taking this approach.
  • A meeting of the LSCB Executive is being convened in mid January 2009 before the deadline to agree the proposed response to the WAG.

  1. CSSIW letter dated 3rd December 2008

  • The letter has been circulated to members.
  • CSSIW will visit following responses to the Safeguarding letter. Wrexham will receive a report of findings.There will be an overview report.
  • There are currently two serious case reviews ongoing in Wrexham.A letter is being sent to the WAG to advise timescales for these reviews.
  • Serious case reviews should be completed within six months. There are tight timescales for these, resourcing issues and independent overview reports required.

  1. Verbal report of numbers on Child Protection Register

  • This feedback has been covered under Item 4.

  1. Identify, discuss and respond to new issues that result from government initiatives and national or local events (Business Plan Objective 3.3)
  • Jill McBrearty-Gilliam reported that the WAG has no forward plan for consultations. However, the WAG is working on this.
Draft Action Plan to Reduce Suicide and Self Harm in Wales
  • This was circulated to members with the Agenda.
  • Angela Roberts advised that the Health, Social Care & Well-being SCoG has set up a suicide prevention response task & finish group, with representation from Adult Mental Health. This will report to the Framework Partnership.
  • In the draft Action Plan, page 9 onwards shows seven specific commitments. The following were noted:
(1) This is well taken care of by Health, Social Care & Well-being SCoG.
(2) Development of response plan.
(3) Development of marketing services.
(4) To be dealt with via the plan.
(5) Local research to establish response plan.
(6) Work with media – take advice on this to integrate within the plan.
(7) Youth Justice Service is on board. A representative from North Wales Police as well.
  • Marie Lebacq is trying to cost-in some research into the Business Plan. The LSCB could then be able to look into this. An approach to GlyndwrUniversity is worthy of consideration.

  1. Feedback from LSCB Executive Group

  • Work is ongoing on costing the Business Plan.
  • Other areas of ongoing work have been mentioned in today’s meeting already.

  1. Feedback from Training Sub-Group

  • The Sub-Group has not met since the last Development Group meeting.
  • Attendance on training courses is a big issue. More programmes are being put on but numbers are not going up.
  • People are reportedly not turning up or cancelling on the day – other people are not able to attend at such short notice.
  • Marie Lebacq agreed that a letter be sent to the main agencies stating it is important that successful applicants actually attend the courses.
  • A charge for non attendance needs to be reconsidered. Looking to next year’s training plan, Jenny Gibbs asked members to encourage staff to attend the courses.
  • Areas under consideration for training at this time include Adult Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol issues.
  • Marie Lebacq advised that a managers’ meeting is being planned to review how the system works, to identify gaps and make improvements.
/ ML to write.
JG to review.
ALL to follow up.
  1. Feedback from Audit Sub-Group

  • The Sub-Group met in September 2008.
  • The Executive Summary from the Serious Case Review held in Haringey concerning Baby P has been looked at. It is difficult to address areas without access to the full report. Individual agencies are being looked at to supply comments.
  • It was agreed that the Sub-Group should look at the Action Plan which will come out of Haringey’s new Serious Case Review which has been ordered.
/ BC to agenda when available.
  1. AOB

  • Draft All Wales Domestic Abuse Practice Guidance consultation finishes week ending 27th February 2009. Chris Elmitt will email it to the LSCB Administrator for circulation to members. A joint LSCB response seems appropriate. Members are to provide feedback for discussion at the next meeting of the Development Group. A half hour slot will be set aside for this.
/ CE to email to RSJ
RSJ to circulate.
ALL to feedback.
  1. Date and time of next meeting

  • Tuesday, 10th February 2009 at 2.00pm in Committee Room 2, The Guildhall, Wrexham.

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