Agenda item

To enable Members to undertake a review of the progress being made in the implementation of Signs of Safety.

Members were advised that this report provided the Committee with a presentation on the progress being made in embedding the signs of safety model across children’s services.

The Chairperson welcomed Claire Marchant, Director of Social Services, Deborah Driffield, Interim Assistant Director for Children’s Services and Shirley Saunders, Operational Manager Children’s Services and asked them to take Members through their presentation.

The Chairperson invited questions and comments from Members;

The Chairperson noted that the previous Assistant Director had said over 2 years ago that Cardiff would fully implement signs of safety, and asked how far this had been progressed when the current Assistant Director had taken up post.  Members were advised that there had been lots of resistance from senior managers, hostility towards trainers and consultants; a recent meeting with the consultants had considered that Cardiff was around 3/10 on the scales of implementation.  It was noted that England was funded by Central Government and have lots of support in terms of this and were still only 5/10 on the scale.  It was further noted that Welsh Government haven’t adopted signs of safety.  It was now year 3 and there was no more money left for training.  The Chairperson expressed his frustration with predecessors saying that things were moving along much more than this.  The Director of Social Services stated that the building blocks needed to be properly in place and under the previous structure this would not have been possible; major changes were needed including building in posts.  The Chairperson considered it may be useful to look at previous responses to Committee letters on this issue, to explain his frustration.

Members appreciated officers’ honesty but considered that it raises significant concerns with regard to scrutiny.  Members were not clear if 90 staff trained was good or bad; there was no reporting on the impact of signs of safety on children and families; all information was based on the experience of others or research and there was no evidence base.  Members asked what exactly was being celebrated in January 2020.  Officer’s explained that it was around collating data, there was lots of evidence from families/courts etc. but this was difficult to report.  It was stated that a performance management/quality assurance system was needed to be able to report; there was evidence of the impact, but it needed to be more coherent on how we report statistically.  In relation to training, officers explained this needs to be sustainable, especially for our own workforce in Cardiff.  There is a performance plan with 4 quadrants, however it was very difficult to directly evidence that impact is solely down to signs of safety.  Officers offered to bring a more scientific report to a future meeting. 

Members noted that although there may be anecdotal evidence it would be useful to have a narrative to it.  Members asked if there could be a comparison of comments from families/children who have been through signs of safety; officers state this may be possible if they had social workers before and after signs of safety.

Members asked if the Cost avoidance related to actual figures and were advised that they did.

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