Decision details

Safeguarding Children's and Adults Annual Report

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Decisions:

Mandy Symes; Interim Strategic Lead – Strategy and Development

        Kathy Batt; Safeguarding Board Chair attended the meeting to present the Annual Safeguarding reports for both Children and Adult services.  An accompanying report circulated to members prior to the meeting provided information in relation to the following areas:

  • Key achievements
  • Facts and figures
  • Deprivation of liberty applications
  • Plans for 2018/19
  • Safeguarding arrangements in Bury
  • Supporting and coordinating safeguarding in Bury.

 

Kath Batt reported she had been appointed to act as an independent chair for both the Children’s and Adult boards. The Boards have held development days to look at their functions and role and they reported that there was a consensus reported that there is duplication in membership and in some cases, ‘cases’.

 

A new structure, is currently being developed, with an executive group and shared sub-groups, going forward there will be one report from the integrated board.

 

Responding to a Member’s question the Independent Chair reported that there had been some issues with regards to attendance and involvement of some partners/stakeholders.  Greater Manchester Police is undergoing structural changes including the removal of their specialist public protection role, this has caused difficultly in terms of attendance. In respect of the Children’s Board and attendance, there has been on occasion problems with attendance from representatives of Pennine Care this has improved since the publication of the annual reports.

 

Councillor Walker questioned the degree to which ‘inappropriate handling’ and ‘inappropriate contact’ was prevalent; the Independent Chair reported that there has been issues in relation to children with challenging behaviour.  In particular when a child may have been restrained by a member of staff. To tackle this a whole training programme outlining how to do restrain properly has been developed with an emphasis on restraint being a last resort.

 

Dr Schryer wanted to ensure that there was mental health representation especially in relation to adults on the Board; the Independent Chair confirmed that this would be the case.

 

The Chair asked what levers are there in the system, especially with providers, to make sure that staff training is provided and procedures/protocols are in place to prevent incidents.  Responding, the Interim Assistant Director outlined that the contracts would insist/require providers to have appropriate polices in place on a range of issues, including moving and handling, DOLs and safeguarding.  Further assurance is provided via staff within the provider relationship team, the quality assurance framework, good contacts with CQC, as well as the Council provided training for providers, on request.

 

The Director of Public Health reported that the recently undertaken CQC inspection on safeguarding and Looked after Children had been positive.

 

It was agreed:

 

The Independent Chair and the Interim Assistant Director be thanked for their attendance.

 

Publication date: 14/08/2019

Date of decision: 27/11/2018

Decided at meeting: 27/11/2018 - Health and Wellbeing Board

Accompanying Documents: