Agenda item

(i)            To receive and comment on the Annual Report of Haringey Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) (attached);

(ii)          To receive an update on progress with the implementation of the recommendations of the recent Joint Area Targeted Inspection of the multi-agency response to abuse and neglect.

David Archibald, Interim Chair of Haringey Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB), reported on the LSCB’s Annual Report for 2018.  The period covered by the report included the appointment of a new Director of Children’s Services and LSCB Board Manager, as well as the publication of the new “Working Together”.  From September this year, there would no longer be a requirement to have a LSCB and it would be the responsibility of each local authority and Police and NHS partners to agree suitable local arrangements.   In the meantime, the focus was on ensuring that it was business as usual.  There had been 11,827 contacts with the service during 2018 and 327 child protection plans had been put together by partners by the end of the year. 

He reported that consideration was being given to what would work best regarding future safeguarding structures.  The new guidance in “Working Together” had also suggested that different arrangements would be needed for child death reviews in the future.  However, it needed to be noted that 90% of child deaths arose from medical issues and were not connected to safeguarding issues.

In answer to a question regarding the merger of Haringey and Enfield Police functions, the Cabinet Member for Children and Families stated this had resulted in Police responsibility for safeguarding being brought back into the borough.  Police officers who were now leading on safeguarding had also worked in Haringey before and she had therefore been reassured that there were unlikely to be adverse effects arising from the merger.  Mr Archibald commented that he had been impressed by the involvement of the Police in the LSCB. 

Gill Gibson, Assistant Director for Early Help and Prevention, reported that demand for Early Help services had doubled with 1004 and families contacting the service.  Ofsted had commented that the service was working well with the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH).   It was noted that work had taken place to look at where contacts with the service were coming from.  There had also been training regarding thresholds.  OFSTED had commented that there appeared to be a good understanding of thresholds amongst safeguarding partners. 

In answer to a question regarding the role of the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), Mr Archibald stated that the low number of referrals was consistent with national patterns.  The Panel noted that the recent OFSTED inspection report had praised the performance of the LADO.  Suspension of staff who were the subject of allegations was a last resort.  The LADO worked closely with Human Resources and consulted with Headteachers.  There was also a written protocol.  It was agreed that the LADO would be invited to attend a future meeting of the Panel to present the annual report of the LADO. 

Ms Gibson reported on progress with the implementation of the recommendations of the Joint Targeted Area Inspection (JTAI) that had taken place last year. She stated that progress was closely monitored.  Some of the recommendations were for individual agencies whilst others were for the partnership as a whole.  Each recommendations had either been allocated to a sub group of the LSCB or an individual agency.  56 recommendations had so far been completed.   Progress of 42 of the remaining recommendations had been RAG rated as green, 6 were amber and 3 were red.  Further work was being undertaken on the recommendations that had not yet been completed.  The focus was on making sustainable progress.  Further reports on progress would be made in due course.

AGREED:

That the LADO be invited to attend a future meeting of the Panel to present the annual report of the LADO.