Issue - meetings

The Board considered a report of the Independent Chair, Halton Safeguarding Children Board, on the Halton Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) Annual Report 2016/17.

Richard Strachan, Chair of the LSCB, attended the meeting and described how organisations and individuals across all sectors were working together to safeguard children and young people. The Annual Report provided a rigorous and transparent assessment of the performance and effectiveness of local services to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. The report included details on lessons from learning and improvement activity within the reporting period, including Serious Case Reviews, Practice Learning Reviews and Child Death Reviews and audits. In addition, it listed contributions made to the LSCB by partners as well as details of its expenditure.

It was noted that since November 2013, the LSCB had become subject to review of their effectiveness. In 2014, the LSCB was reviewed by Ofsted, alongside the inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, looked after children and care leavers.

A summary of the report’s content was set out for Members’ information. It was reported that the Children and Social Work Act 2017 would abolish LSCBs from 2019. There was an expectation that key safeguarding partners such as the Local Authority, the Police and the Clinical Commissioning Group, would establish multi-agency safeguarding arrangements to ensure the effectiveness of safeguarding children processes and practice.

Mr Strachan dealt with Members questions and was thanked for attending the meeting.

RESOLVED: That the contents of the report and associated Annual Report, attached at Appendix 1, be noted.