Issue - meetings

The B&NES Community Safety & Safeguarding Partnership (BCSSP) is introducing its Annual Report for 2023-2024, alongside its priorities to be actioned in the Strategic Plan 2024-2027.

The Director of Children’s Services & Education introduced the report to the Panel and highlighted the following areas from it.

Multi-agency Learning & Practice Development

·  2 serious incident notifications have been received and progressed to Rapid Reviews.

·  1 Child Safeguarding Practice Review (CSPR) has been completed jointly with South Gloucestershire.

·  4 SAR reports have been concluded and a learning event held in relation to self-neglect.

·  No Domestic Homicide Reviews have been received.

What has happened as a result of reviews?

·  BSW wide under 1’s work and the development of new multi-agency policy and procedure.

·  Implementation of the ICON (responding to infant crying) programme across BSW. 

·  A self-neglect and mental capacity learning event.

·  Improving how we capture and reflect the voice of the child/adult/parent/carer.

·  A business case submitted to the executive board to implement change in how we manage self-neglect cases.

Multi-agency Training & Workforce Development

·  The appointment of a BCSSP trainer has mitigated the need to use external trainers as frequently, which has enabled greater focus on local practice issues.

·  76 training sessions held.

·  27 different training topics covered.

Commitments 2024-2025

·  Community Safety Priorities: Priority 1: To develop the strategic oversight and scrutiny of the CSP arrangements.

·  Priority 2: We will further develop our work with partners to prevent people from becoming involved in and reduce instances of serious violence.

·  Safeguarding Children Priorities: Priority 1: We will strengthen the role of education in the partnership.

·  Priority 2: Ensure a child-centred approach with a whole family focus.

·  Safeguarding Adults Priorities: Priority 1: Improve understanding of and support professionals to work with those individuals who self-neglect.

·  Priority 2: We will create confidence in practitioners in the application of the Mental Capacity Act and understanding of the interplay with the Mental health Act.

·  Overarching Priorities: Priority 1: Have policies and procedures that are current and in line with best practice.

·  Priority 2: We will create confidence in practitioners to be professionally curious and improve this practice.

Kevin Burnett commented that it would be useful to understand the exact measures / success criteria BCSSP are using to judge themselves as no specific targets have been given.

Kevin Burnett referred to further areas within the report, including Section 11 Audits, Safeguarding Adult Audits, training and risks and asked multiple questions.

The Director of Children’s Services & Education replied that she would report back to the Partnership that a lack of year-on-year benchmarking data within the report made it difficult to analyse and assess its performance.

She added that the targets for the Partnership are set nationally and that generally there was good engagement from schools in relation to Section 11 Audits. She asked if the questions could be forwarded to her in writing to allow for responses to be drafted.

Kevin Burnett replied that he would circulate his questions to her. He added that he was concerned over the number of missing children within Avon & Somerset, particularly in B&NES.

The Director of Children’s Services & Education replied that they had recently reviewed the Missing Children protocol and who undertakes  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43