Agenda item

To consider the Annual Report of Haringey Local Safeguarding Children’s Board.

David Archibald, the Independent Chair of the Haringey Local Children’s Safeguarding Board (LSCB), introduced its Annual Report for 2018/19, which also included the period up to its dissolution on 29 September 2019.  The LSCB had been replaced by a new multi-agency body, which had been named Haringey Safeguarding Children’s Partnership.  The Partnership aimed to ensure continuity and consistency so a similar name had been chosen.  The new arrangements specified three strategic partners – the Council, Police and Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) – who had joint and equal accountability.  Other partners nevertheless continued to be actively involved.  He felt that the new arrangements were working well and had responded well to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, despite them still bedding in.  The strategic partners had worked especially well together.  The Annual Report was the last one required by the old legislation and the first report put together under the new arrangements was due in eight months’ time.

In answer to a question on the lack of reference to school governing bodies within the report, he commented that this was a valid point.  There had been some debate when the government was developing proposals for the new arrangements on whether to include schools as the fourth strategic partner.   However, it was felt that including all schools would not work well.  It was nevertheless recognised that schools had an extremely important role to play.  There was good involvement from Headteachers in Haringey, who were part of the Leadership Group. He would be happy to talk to school governing body Chairs on how they could best be involved in the new arrangements.  Ann Graham, the Director of Children’s Services, agreed to refer the issue of how best to involve school governing bodies to the next meeting of the Executive of the Safeguarding Partnership. 

In answer to another question regarding to decrease in the number of children subject to a child protection plan, Ms Graham reported that numbers had been steadily climbing two years ago and action had therefore been taken to reduce them.  The same levels of protection were still being provided though through the effective use of the signs of safety policy and the early help that was offered as part of the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub.  Help and support was now being provided instead of a formal intervention. 

In response to a question regarding the disproportionate funding of safeguarding partnerships by local authorities, Mr Archibald stated that there had been requests at a national level for clarification regarding budget arrangements.  It had been suggested that each statutory partner should contribute one third but this had not been built into the guidelines.  The three statutory partners were required to make their own decisions locally but the issue was currently under active review.  The matter continued to be discussed within Haringey.  Specific government guidance on contributions from agencies other than the three statutory partners would be welcome.

In answer to a question, he stated that it was important to compare performance with statistical neighbours.  There also needed to be clarity regarding what constituted good progress.  Beverly Hendricks, Assistant Director for Safeguarding and Social Care, reported that high standards had been maintained in the timeliness and responsiveness of child protection assessments.  It was agreed that work would be undertaken to ensure that there was greater clarity in statistical data in future reports and, in particular, whether developments were positive or negative.

Mr Archibald reported that it had been intended to set up a Shadow Children’s Board in order to engage and involve young people.  This had been delayed by the pandemic but it was hoped to progress this shortly.

AGREED:

1.    That the issue of how best to involve school governing bodies in the Safeguarding Partnership be referred to the next meeting of the Haringey Safeguarding Partnership Executive;

2.    That an interim report on the effectiveness of the new partnership arrangements for safeguarding be submitted to the Panel ahead of the publication of its first annual report; and

3.      That work be undertaken to provide greater clarity in statistical data in future safeguarding partnership reports and, in particular, whether developments are positive or negative.