Issue - meetings

To receive the  update report on the delivery of the Safeguarding Plan, for the period up to February 2011.

RECEIVED the report on the Safeguarding Plan for Haringey (pages 25 – 86 of the agenda pack) introduced by the Director of Children & Young People’s Service (CYPS).

NOTED

• The Committee congratulated the Director of CYPS on achieving Grade 2 “Good” rating by Ofsted in “capacity for achievement” (paragraph 18, appendix 3).
• In response to a suggestion by a Committee Member it was reported that until recently a magistrate had sat on the Haringey Children’s Trust and discussions about recruiting a permanent magistrate to the Trust will be taken forward.
• In response to concerns raised about assistant social workers conducting assessments (supervised by qualified social workers and signed off by managers) the Director of CYPS reported that, whilst the Ofsted report highlighted that this was not consistent with national guidance, assistant  social workers conducted assessments in many other local authorities and this was a comment found in many Ofsted reports.
• The Committee requested information on how children in care homes (including the 5 private homes) were monitored in terms of where children spent their time if they were not at the home and who they mixed with and whether the Police were involved when there were concerns (Action No. 236.1).
• Committee Members expressed concern about the additional investment for 2011-12 (paragraph 19, appendix 3) and noted that this was further investment by the Council and NHS rather than overspending. The Director of CYPS explained that the service had been asked to make savings and was doing so.
• The Committee recommended that the Safeguarding Action Plan be considered by the Committee twice per year (Action No. 236.2).

RESOLVED to note the report and that the Safeguarding Action Plan be considered by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee at least twice a year in future.