Agenda item

Members considered the CYSUR/CWMPAS Combined Local Operational Group Safeguarding Report Quarter 3, between the period 1.10.2022 to 31.12.2022, 2022/23.

The Chair welcomed Elizabeth Upcott, Corporate Manager, to provide a summary of the key points, which were as follows:

Summary of Key points:

·       In Quarter 3, there was an increase in the overall number of contacts/reports received regarding children/young people compared to Quarter 2-with there being 1112 contacts/reports received in Q3 compared to 1030 contacts/reports received in Q2.

·       There was an increase in the overall number of contacts/reports which proceeded to actions needing to be taken under Child Protection Procedures, 193 in Q3 compared with 171 in Q2

·       The percentage of reports that proceeded to a Strategy Discussion in this quarter was 17.3% compared to 16.7% in Q2.

·       In Q3, 7.3% of reports proceeded to a Section 47 Enquiry compared to 8.3% in Q2. 0.97% of reports received needed to proceed to an Initial Child Protection Conference in quarter 2 compared to 1.6% in this quarter, Quarter 3. So, there was an increase in the number of contacts/reports received in Q3, which then led on to an increase in the number of strategy discussions held and an increase in the number of children who were the subject of Initial Child Protection Conferences.

·       The total number of children placed on the Child Protection Register in this quarter following the Initial Child Protection Conference was 31 compared to 16 in Q2.

·       The total number of children removed after Review Child Protection Conferences in this quarter were 28 compared to 13 in Quarter 2.

·       The total number of Section 47 enquiries undertaken in this quarter were 81 compared to 86 in Quarter 2. 59 of those enquiries were undertaken in this quarter, jointly with the Police and 22 were undertaken as a Social Services Single Agency.

·       The main category of abuse that led to a Section 47 enquiry in quarter 3 was Physical Abuse (40), sexual abuse/exploitation (15), neglect (13) and emotional abuse (9). This follows the same pattern experienced in Quarter 2.

·       There were 49 children on the Child Protection Register as of the end of this quarter, compared to 46 as at the end of Quarter 2. 29 children were registered under the category of emotional/psychological abuse, in this quarter, 14 under the category of neglect and 6 under the category of both neglect and physical abuse.

·       The main Risk Factors for the 49 children who were on the Children Protection Register as of the 31/12/2022, were domestic abuse, parental mental health, parental substance/alcohol misuse and parental separation.

·       In terms of Adult Safeguarding, there has been a significant increase in the number of adults suspected of being at risk of abuse and/or neglect, with there being 128 adults at risk reported in this quarter compared to 113 in Q2. In particular there was a significant increase in the number of adults being reported, at risk, in the month of November (67) compared to 53 in October and 37 in December. It is not clear why there was such an increase in this particular month, but the reports relate concerns about domestic abuse.

·       The most reported category of abuse this quarter again was emotional/psychological abuse, with 64 reports of adults at risk where this was the main category of abuse. Neglect was the second main category of reported abuse (51), financial abuse (42), physical abuse (33) and sexual abuse (23). This follows the pattern from the previous quarter.

·       From the reports received, in relation to all categories of abuse, women are the highest reported to be most at risk, by a significant margin. However, in relation to financial abuse being the number of male and females reported to be at risk are almost equal (20 male, 22 female). 3

·       In Quarter 3, the Police were the highest source of reporting (40) compared to Quarter 2, where it was a Provider Agency (30). In Quarter 3, the reports received by the Police were significantly higher than any other agency. The second highest being from Provider Agencies (26).

Following discussions, the following was noted:

·       Further to a question regarding an increase in child protection referrals, it was agreed that the Officer would provide information on child protection referral trends pre-covid to date,

·       An explanation was requested on the definition of ‘financial abuse’ – the Officer gave some examples of this,

·       An explanation into the Child Protection referral process was requested, i.e., the steps involved in the process of placing a child on the register and taking a child from the register,

·       Following a question, the Officer will raise the Committee’s concerns with Education colleagues regarding the total number of children (229) who are receiving elective home education in the County.

Members agreed to note the contents of the report and the levels of activity with the Local Authority, so that governance of the Local Authority activity and its partner agencies are monitored.