Agenda item

This report provides an update on the work of the Medway Safeguarding Children Board (MSCB) and provides an update on the MSCB Strategic Plan 2017-20.

Discussion:

The Independent Chair of the Medway Safeguarding Children Board (MSCB) introduced the report, which updated the Committee on the work of the board prior to the presentation of the Annual Report to the Committee later in the year. He drew Members’ attention to particular sections in the report such as: delivery of multi-agency training, child sexual exploitation (CSE), Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), safeguarding in schools, and the status of current Serious Case Reviews (SCR). Of the three SCR’s currently underway, two were due to be completed by October this year while the third, on the Medway Secure Training Centre, would be completed around the end of the year.

The Independent Chair also drew the Committee’s attention to the MSCB Strategic Plan 2017-2020 and explained that the MSCB would focus on delivering two key themes over the next 3 years.

The Independent Chair then answered questions from Members, which included:

Operation Willow – in response to a request for information on how many taxi firms were engaged with Operation Willow, the Independent Chair said he would forward the information to Members outside of the meeting.

Medway Multi-Agency Sexual Exploitation (MASE) Group – in response to a Member’s question about strategies developed by the MASE to tackle sexual exploitation, the Independent Chair explained that a key objective of the MASE was to review processes and activities supporting CSE with a view to improving them. He also noted that the MASE was led by Medway Police which provided a strong link between the work of the MASE and the wider Police Service.

FGM training – in response to a Member’s question about training on FGM in schools, the Independent Chair noted that the safeguarding leads within schools had been provided with access to information and training materials, including the materials included at Appendix 2 to the report.

Medway Secure Training Centre (STC) - in response to a Member’s question as to whether appropriate safeguards had been put in place at the STC following the initiation of the serious case review, the Independent Chair noted that significant improvements needed to be made, but that the centre had recently appointed a very experienced director who he hoped would look to improve guidance and training available to staff. He added that the MSCB would carry out an annual review of safeguarding at the centre, which would involve meeting children at the centre and speaking to all agencies involved in providing the service. He noted that a report from Ofsted would be published soon and would provide more information on the improvements needed.

The Director, Children and Adult Services, reported that, as part of the SCR of the centre, policies and protocols had been reviewed in conjunction with two other local authorities, Milton Keynes and Northampton. He also reported that the new Director of the centre was committed to working closely with the Council and Police and that the Council had been congratulated on its review of how it conducted its Designated Officer role.

Effectiveness of Prevent - in response to a Member’s question about the effectiveness of Prevent as an anti-radicalisation approach, the Independent Chair explained that it was important that agencies had a way of identifying children most a risk of radicalisation and were in a position to tackle extremism head on, including on social media.

Decision:

The Committee noted the report.