Agenda item

The Cabinet Member for Children and Family Services presented Members with the West Glamorgan Safeguarding Board Annual Plan and Annual Report.

Council were informed that the West Glamorgan Safeguarding Annual Report 2021/22 provided an overview of the work that the Regional Safeguarding Board had undertaken over the last 12 months, in relation to its Annual Plan.

The Safeguarding Board objectives were noted to be the following:

·       To protect children and adults at risk within the Region, who were experiencing, or were at risk of abuse, neglect or other kinds of harm

·       To prevent children and adults at risk within the Region, from becoming at risk of abuse, neglect of other kinds of harm

Over the course of the year, it was explained that the Safeguarding Board focused on ensuring that there was a robust resilience, and consistent approach to safeguarding practices during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Reference was made to some of the work undertaken across the partnership, which included:

·       Developing the response of child sexual abuse in line with the National Action Plan

·       Working on Liberty Protection Safeguards (Elected Members would be receiving an All Member Seminar on this matter on 16 March 2023)

·       Receiving assurances from all partners and agencies in respect of their safeguarding duties and responsibilities

·       Further development and oversight of the rapid response to suspected suicide

·       Ongoing work with the Junior Safeguarding Board

A discussion took place in relation to the Safeguarding Annual Plan, which set out the proposed strategic priorities:

1.    Learn from experience to improve how we work

2.    Improve awareness of safeguarding across all communities and partner organisations

3.    Develop and deliver citizen-led approaches to safeguarding

4.    Develop and deliver regional approaches to safeguarding practice

It was noted that the Social Services, Housing and Community Safety Scrutiny Committee and Cabinet Board had sight of the circulated report on 9 March 2023.

Members mentioned that there were various elements of this work that was not directly under the Councils control, and instead the Council had to rely on partners to take some of the work forward. It was queried if Officers were aware of any challenging areas, with regards to safeguarding, that would be integral going forward with the Annual Plan, for example discharges from hospitals and waiting times for ambulances.

The Director of Social Services, Health and Housing confirmed that there were risks and particular issues to be aware of; one example being the additional pressures in regards to mental health. It was noted that substance misuse was a particular issue in Neath Port Talbot, and it would be vital to create a plan for this matter going forward, given the number of drug related deaths in the County Borough. Council were informed that Officers were working with the Health Board in order to resolve some of the issues in regards to unsafe hospital discharges.

Following on from the above, it was explained to Members that were a number of challenges that the introduction of the Liberty Protection Safeguards will bring to the Local Authority; the issues around this were reflected in the Strategic Risk Register, and Members will be updated on these during the All Member Seminar. Assurances were provided in that Officers were responsive, and had a mature partnership arrangement in order to be sighted on concerns arising across the wider partnership; the quality assurance framework was also in place to assist Officers in identifying wider issues beyond the day to day safeguarding practice.