Health and Wellbeing Board	24 September 2025
Report of the City of York Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2024/2025 and the Independent Scrutineer Report. Sophia Lenton-Brook, Safeguarding Children Partnership Business Manager Mel John-Ross, City of York Safeguarding Children Partnership Independent Scrutineer

City of York Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2024-2025

Summary

1. This report is a covering report for the main City of York Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2024/25 (Annex A) and the Independent Scrutineer Report (Annex B).

2. The City of York Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report sets out the work that has been undertaken by partners and the sub-groups of the Partnership during that time. The focus of this report is on the Partnership’s current priority areas as set out in the Partnership Business Plan:

· Priority One: Prevention, Early Support and Early Help

· Priority Two: Child Exploitation

· Priority Three: Children Missing from Education

· Priority Four: Engaging with Fathers

· Priority Five: Mental Health and Wellbeing

Background

3. The three Statutory Partners (Police, Local Authority and Health – ICB) of the City of York Safeguarding Children Partnership have a statutory requirement to publish an annual report in order to bring transparency for children, families and all practitioners about the activity undertaken (Working Together, 2023).

4. The focus of these reports should be on multi-agency priorities, learning, impact, evidence, and improvement.

5. Additionally, our Independent Scrutineer Mel John-Ross has written an Independent Scrutineer Report which provides reflections on the activity and the effectiveness of our Partnership working across the city.

Main/Key Issues to be Considered

6. These reports are being presented to the Health and Wellbeing Board to provide oversight, demonstrate and evidence positive change and difference made to children, young people and their families living within the City of York.

Consultation

7. The City of York Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report has been developed by partners across the Partnership. This report was ratified by the Partnership Executive in July 2025 and has been published on the Partnership website.

8. The Annual Report has not gone out for formal consultation to Health and Wellbeing Board members prior to being presented at today’s meeting as the responsibility for formal approval is for the three Statutory Partners and the Safeguarding Children Partnership Executive.   

Options      

9. There are no options included within the Annual Report for the Health and Wellbeing Board to consider. The Annual Report is for information.

Analysis

10. There is no analysis required for the Annual Report.

Strategic/Operational Plans

11. The Annual Report demonstrates how the Safeguarding Children Partnership has delivered against the priorities set out within the City of York Safeguarding Children Partnership Business Plan. 

12. It is a statutory requirement for all Safeguarding Children Partnership’s to produce an Annual Report as set out in legislation.  This legislation is ‘Working Together to Safeguarding Children (2023)’.

13. This report relates to the Council Plan: One city for all, 2023 to 2027, in particular Priority b: Education and skills: High quality skills and learning for all. 

14. The Annual Report also supports the ‘Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy’ to ensure ‘York's Children have the best possible start in life’.  One of the Safeguarding Children’s Partnership priorities is also Mental Health and Wellbeing which is one of the ten goals highlighted within the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.  The Annual Report demonstrates the work undertaken in relation to Early Help and Prevention during this past year which is also one of the Partnership priorities.  Prevention is also one of the ’Ambition’s’ within the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

15. The work of the Safeguarding Children Partnership also supports the City of York Children and Young People's Plan 2024-2027.

        Implications

16. There are no implications for the Health and Wellbeing Board Members to consider:

· Financial

· There are no financial implications.

· Human Resources (HR)

· There are no HR implications.

· Equalities

· There are no equality implications.

· Legal

· There are no legal implications.

· Crime and Disorder

· There are no crime and disorder implications.

· Information Technology (IT)

· There are no IT implications.

· Property

· There are no property implications.

· Other (State here any other known implications not listed above)

· There are no other implications.

        Risk Management

17. There are no risk management implications.

        Recommendations

18. There are no recommendations for the Board to consider.

Contact Details

Author:	Chief Officer Responsible for the report:
Sophia Lenton-Brook Business Manager, City of York Safeguarding Children Partnership, City of York Council	Martin Kelly Corporate Director of Children Services City of York Council
	Report Approved	Y	Date	10/09/25
Wards Affected:  List wards affected or tick box to indicate all					All	Y
For further information please contact the author of the report

Annexes

All annexes to the report must be listed here. 

Annex A: City of York Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2024/25

Annex B: Independent Scrutineer Report