Agenda item

(Mrs P Davies, Manager for Kent Safeguarding Children’s Board (KSCB) was present for this item)

(1)       The Committee received the second annual report of the KSCB, a statutory requirement, and the Business Plan of the KSCB for 2008/11 following its establishment in April 2006. 

(2)       Mrs Davies was present to answer Members’ questions and comments which included the following:-

(a)       In response to a question from Mrs Angell regarding the underspend detailed on page 158 of the report, Mrs Davies explained that since 2006 there had been an underspend from the Kent Child Protection Service due to job vacancies.  This was a shared problem with a number of agencies.  The three year Business Plan had been signed off and this was where the budget would be spent. 

(b)       In response to a question from Mr Gough on Kent’s figures being higher than neighbouring authorities for Children in Need on page 145 of the report and children on Child Protection Plan on page 151 of the report, Mrs Davies explained that the records were produced by the Children Social Services using three different systems since 2001; KAFIS, SWIFT and ICS systems.  In 2001-02 there was a 100% system recorded deemed referral or inappropriate referral, now there were differentials and the figures are more accurate.  Mrs Davies referred to page 145 that indicated a reduction. 

(c)        In response to concerns raised by Mr Gough on the high figure indicated on page 32 that referred to the chart on page 33, Mrs Davies explained that there had been a change in practice, when a child was placed on the Child Protection Register they were at that time subject to Child Protection Plan.  Those children could not be removed from the register or the plan.  The Children Social Services had investigated this.  All children were subject to a Child Protection Plan, some children were coming off too early by children remaining on the register longer made the figures increase.  Case files were monitored pre-Jar inspection.  This figure was now being monitored.  There was now confidence that those children who were on the register need to have a Child Protection Plan. 

(d)       In response to concerns made by Mr Vye that due to the lack of information provided to Members they were unable to scrutinise the information on page 145 of the report that included the chart from 2001-02 in line with reference on page 37 of the Lamin Report on whether all referrals from other professionals led to an assessment, Mrs Davies advised that in light of the Lamin Report the Business Plan would need to be reviewed.  In future all referrals from agencies would lead to an assessment, this would be included in the revised procedure.

(e)       In response to Mr Vye’s three further concerns on the issue of the size of the report and the trust getting into difficulties in overseeing the safeguarding forums, Mrs Davies explained that this had been noted by the Children’s Trust and was being addressed.  With regard to the Board’s Terms of Reference to review what agencies were doing, Mrs Davies advised that one of the Board’s statutory responsibilities was to re-challenge, this was aided by the 14 sub-groups of the Board.  Assistance had also been sought on the Section 11 Audit with Christchurch University.  In response to concerns regarding the thresholds, Mrs Davies confirmed that the Performance Monitoring Group would be looking at thresholds from a multi-agency prospective. 

(f)         In response to a question by Mr Newman on why the bar charts within the report indicated that physical and sexual injury had reduced but emotional abuse had risen, Mrs Davies explained that in 2006 the “Working Together to Safeguard Children” gave a definition on where a child was placed, that heading had now changed.  Children who witness physical abuse before 2006 had been listed under “Physical Abuse” but now they were listed under “Emotional Abuse”. 

(g)       In response to Mr Simmond’s concerns on complexity of the KSCB structure and the risk of issues slipping through the net and the huge responsibility the Board held and whether in light of the Lamin Report, this should be streamlined, Mrs Davies advised that; the Board’s Constitution, the structural and sub-structure was due to be reviewed in 2009.  She added that the local meetings with practitioners were the core business of the Board was to promote safeguards for children.  There was a lot of training at this level too.  The Review should look to improve and build on what had already been achieved.  Mrs Davies assured Members’ that their comments and suggestions would be noted and fed into the review. 

(h)        Mr Abbott advised Mr Wells that his comments on the public’s perception of the same names reappearing on various boards were noted and that a fully independent Chairman would be appointed.

(3)       RESOLVED that:-

(a)       the report and the Business Plan 2008-2011 be noted; and

(b)       the comments and suggestions made by Members be considered in the Review of the KSCB.