Issue - meetings

10 minutes / 5.45 – 5.55pm.

The Trust received a report that presented the final iteration of the Safeguarding Plan for Haringey for approval.

The Trust was advised that the Plan was now presented in a more streamlined format that was designed to simplify the programme and ensure that there was a focus on the delivery of actions that had to be achieved in terms of Safeguarding in the short term.

Since the report had been circulated a number of the actions showing as Red had been achieved including:

• Family Support Strategy –this would be published by the end of December
• Mental Health Specialist for Referral and Assessment Team –this had now been resolved
• Effective Working at Child Protection Conference –this would be complete by the end of December
• Expansion of Social Work Graduate Trainee Scheme–this had now been expanded and funding had been identified for the continuation of the scheme
• Developing a Multi Agency Core Safeguarding Induction Programme –it was noted that the completion of the second phase of the induction programme was now on track with respect to the attendance of appropriate staff
• Tools Implemented to Help Ensure the Quality of NHS Referrals Meet Acceptable Standards –work had now been carried out with NHS colleagues with respect to this

The Chair noted that there was also a detailed evidence log to demonstrate how each of these had been achieved.   

In response to a question the Director of Children’s Services advised that he considered that children in the Borough were now safer than they had been prior to this work being undertaken. There was evidence that internal departments within the Council and partnership agencies and were working in a more coordinated way and information was being shared more quickly and effectively than previously.

The Trust was advised that NHS Haringey had employed an independent team to carry out a ‘temperature test’ to assess how well the organisation dealt with Safeguarding issues.  This had shown that the outcome of this had been very positive with the organisation being cited as an a good example of innovative practices.

There was agreement that a tangible sense of joint ownership had been developed across the Partnership over the last six months.

The Trust was advised that there were now nine Social Workers from the USA working in Haringey and a further eleven would be in post by the end of January.

RESOLVED: