Agenda item

This report is a covering report for the main City of York Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2024/25 and the Independent Scrutineer Report.

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 Independent Chair and Scrutineer of the City of York Safer Children’s Partnership (CYSCP), presented and gave an overview of the CYSCP Annual Report 2024-2025.

She explained that this had been published in line with a statutory requirement for safeguarding childrens partnerships. She also noted that the report had been analysed by What Works Network, who provide evidence for decision-making in public services, on behalf of the Department for Education; this analysis was publicly available. In her capacity as an experienced independent scrutineer, she endorsed this as a really strong report; setting out difference, impact, case studies and aspirations.

The Independent Chair and Scrutineer, CYSCP also presented the CYSCP: Independent Scrutiny Annual Report 2024-2025, stating that this evidence-based report adhered to national statutory expectations and involved the wider partnership.

The Business Unit Manager, York CYSCP joined at 16:49 to assist in answering questions from the board.

Members noted the report’s case study on the role of primary care within safeguarding and asked how the board might better facilitate picking issues and risks up early and making sure that partners were pulling their weight within the safeguarding system.

The Business Unit Manager, York CYSCP responded that in autumn last year under priority one (Prevention, Early Support and Early Help) they had relaunched the Early Help strategy, with a group of partners around the table including primary care. This focused on a strong partnership response for which everyone can take responsibility, from universal services to the top end of safeguarding. Within the partnership of CYSCP are representatives of York Hospital, CAMHS/TEWV, the ICB and GPs all of whom play a part across the early help landscape in York.

Members noted with pleasure the inclusion for the voluntary and community sector in the report, though it was pointed out that some of the voluntary organisation names cited in the report were outdated or incorrect:

In a couple of places “York Carer’s Centre” was renamed as “York Carer’s Forum” (which is actually a different charity); the “Young Carer’s Centre” should actually be the “Young Carer’s Project at the York Carer’s Centre” and also “Parent Carer Forum York” was named such because “York Parent Carer Forum” was a different organisation that didn't exist anymore. The Manager, Healthwatch York offered to check through reports to avoid such errors going forward and also requested a link to the cited Healthwatch York report would be both appreciated and useful for readers.

The Business Unit Manager, York CYSCP accepted responsibility for the group names in the document but by way of explanation she clarified that the names given were derived from partner submissions. She accepted the offer of Healthwatch York’s assistance in the future.

Members asked about the language used as a partnership; about working with fathers and about working in partnership with schools, and what this would look like in York.

The Independent Chair and Scrutineer, CYSCP said that the use of language arose from a challenge by young people about the language used – particularly acronyms and terminology used to refer to young people; the partnership immediately pledged to change its language to ensure it was communicating in a way that was respectful, accessible and culturally sensitive.

Regarding work with schools, she stated that the education sector was not yet a statutory partner. She suggested that the publication of “Working Together 2023” highlighted the valuable role of schools, education providers and the early years sector, and it was clear that a representative of this sector should be invited onto the partnership.

The Business Unit Manager, York CYSCP emphasised the importance of communications between education and safeguarding and discussed the new education safeguarding lead Sophie Coles, with whose team the partnership have strong links. The CYSCP andeducation teams would be working together for the upcoming Section 1572 audit (in which the safeguarding partnership is responsible for undertaking a schools safeguarding audit).

The Business Unit Manager, York CYSCP addressed the issue of engaging with fathers, explaining that the national panel had found there to be a lot of emphasis on mothers, where both parents actually have a role to play, particularly with the practice model being implemented in Children's Services, where the focus was around the family network. Consequently the partnership ran a campaign around both parents and asked specific questions about how partners had engaged with the fathers, this had allowed data to be produced through audits. The Independent Chair and Scrutineer, CYSCP reiterated that this was something that was tested at every level in terms of the partnership’s quality assurance processes. 

Members praised the voice of children coming across in the report but asked about how non-verbal children’s safeguarding was ensured.

The Independent Chair and Scrutineer, CYSCP noted that some such cases involved pre-verbal children, and others involved those that were selectively non-verbal. In such cases tools were used, based around what was important to the child, including advocates, and careful consideration of the best person to talk to the child (not necessarily a social worker or teacher). Since there had been a drastic reduction in agency workers, children were able to benefit from more consistent and trustworthy relationships.

Members asked about children not in school – both due to refusal and just not being there.

The Independent Chair and Scrutineer, CYSCP responded that children missing from education were a key priority for the partnership – be they absent, excluded or electively home educated. There was a recognised potential to be vulnerable, and therefore these children should be on the radar for Early Help, Child in Need and Child Protection teams. Regarding elective home educated children, limited powers to intervene and must work within the law. Additional powers will be coming in to give oversight to this group.

Members noted the importance of careful language when discussing “electively home-educated” children – such cases were not necessarily elective and many parents would consider this to be something they have to do rather than a choice.

The board publicly thanked The Independent Chair and Scrutineer for her skill and experience in preparing the report.

Resolved:   That the Board note the City of York Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2024-2025 and the Independent Scrutineer Report.

Reason:      So that the Board were kept up to date on the work of the CYSCP and Independent Scrutineer.