Agenda item

To enable Members to receive a copy of the report and assess its impact on Children’s services.

Members were advised that this report provided the Wales Audit Office with the opportunity to present their report on corporate safeguarding arrangements to the Committee. This item also enabled Committee to be briefed on the actions being developed and implemented, by the Council, to address the recommendations set out in the Audit Report.

The Chairperson welcomed Ian Phillips from the Wales Audit Office to committee who outlined the report, after which the Chairperson invited questions and comments from Members;

Members asked about Commissioning Services and what the Council should look at in relation this is, in terms of best practice and whether there was any risk to service users.  Members were advised that the absence of Safeguarding provision in contracts could potentially be a significant risk.  The Council could be more explicit in Safeguarding training provision in contracts.  It was noted that it was important to be very clear in what is expected when commissioning provision and having scope to contract monitor those providers.

Members noted that it had been 3 years since the previous audit and asked what timescales realistically should the recommendations from the previous audit have been implemented within.  Members were advised lots of aspects had seemed to stall.  There had been an expectation for recommendations to have been taken promptly following an audit report; work on these recommendations would have been expected within 6/12 months as a rough guide.

Members asked if this was an organisational issue or if there had been practical barriers and were advised that there had been a new administration; and a new director of social services in the role, who had brought forward what arguable should have been done before.

It was noted that there was very little reference to Children’s Rights and members asked if this had been included in the audit.  It was explained that it hadn’t been a topic in focus; there was narrow scope in terms of this review and it hadn’t come up in this particular audit.

Members asked if there was a timescale for follow up for this audit and were advised that there was not, it was an ongoing feature in terms of liaison with the Council but no formal timeline.

The Chairperson welcomed Councillor Chris Weaver, Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation & Performance, which includes Corporate Safeguarding, to the meeting and invited him to make a statement.

Councillor Weaver stated that he welcomed the audit report and considered it to be an accurate reflection.  The new Director of Social Services had pushed forward the focus to implementation including the Safeguarding Board and SMT and giving the priority and focus that it needs.

The Chairperson welcomed Claire Marchant, Director of Social Services and Chris Pyke, Internal Audit Manager and asked them to take Members through their response to the report’s recommendations.

The Chairperson invited questions and comments from Members;

Members asked for an update on the draft report on the volunteering policy and were advised that it had been sent to HR, would go out to consultation and should be back in November, it would go to the appropriate scrutiny committee prior to Cabinet.

Members noted that achieving a 100% target to get all staff trained in Safeguarding would be a challenge and asked how this was being addressed.  Members were advised that it was in the Corporate Plan and was mandatory; it needs to be in people’s performance reviews, including those people who don’t have easy access to PC’s.  There were links with Communications Team to market the e-modules, they were advertised on the front of the Intranet page and communicated through Senior Management Team and Safeguarding Board.

Members noted the 61% compliance for training in March and asked what the current position was.  Officers did not have the current figures but would provide them after the meeting.  The Cabinet Member stated that he recognised that 100% was a challenging target but the reason they do it is to make it clear that it is expected and corporately important.

Members considered that timescales for achieving progress were important and asked if these were mapped out, including target areas etc.  Officers explained that the approach they take is risk based; they know where the risk areas are support is targeted into those areas; it was important to have that data available.

In terms of Commissioning, Members asked if any retrospective work was being done in terms of Corporate Responsibility and were advised that it was; Commissioning and Procurement had identified and taken specific recommendations from the audit report to make sure it is included in the contract and the workforce.

AGREED – That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations discussed during the Way Forward.