Issue - meetings

To consider and note the update report on child protection performance.

RECEIVED the update report on key performance information on child protection (pages 87-100 of the agenda pack), introduced by Marion Wheeler (Assistant Director for Safeguarding).  A discussion followed.

NOTED

• The Committee questioned the discrepancy between the figures provided on Page 90 (Children with a Child Protection Plan (CPP) moving into the Borough) and Page 115 (minutes of the previous Child Protection Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting) of the agenda pack.  Page 90 stated that 43 Children on CPPs had moved-into the Borough and 36 had moved out since January 2011 and Page 115 provided the figure of 40 children on CPPs moving into the Borough.  The Director of Children and Young People’s Service would investigate and provide Committee members with an explanation (Action No. 237.1).
• In response to questioning it was reported that where assessments were not completed within timescales managers would establish the reasons, however, some assessments were immensely complex and meeting high standards of work was a priority.
• The Director of Children and Young People’s Service and Councillor Joseph Ejiofor would be meeting to discuss how information should be reported to the Committee and would include how to clarify the performance indicators NI 59 and NI60 (Action No. 237.2).
• The Committee asked for a presentation at a future meeting on the causes for delays in assessments (Action No. 237.3).
• A piece of work had recently been conducted within the Children’s Services department on how child protection had been audited over the past two years and meeting quality standards and timings.  It was agreed that a presentation on the results of this piece of work would be presented to the Committee at a future meeting.
• First Response process was explained to the Committee and in response to questioning it was reported that the First Response team did not always write to people, by way of a follow-up, who had contacted the First Response team as this could compromise cases or confidentiality.

RESOLVED to note the report.