Agenda item

Councillor Alun Williams, Cabinet Member and Elizabeth Upcott, Corporate Manager, were welcomed to the meeting to present the CYSUR/CWMPAS quarter 2 report. 

 

Summary of key points were as follows:

➢ In Quarter 2, there was an increase in the number of contacts/reports received regarding children/young people compared to Quarter 1-with there being 928 contacts/reports received in Q2 compared to 888 contacts/reports received in Q1.

➢ However, although there was an increase in the number of contacts/reports received in Quarter 2, there was a decrease in the overall number of contacts/reports which proceeded to actions needing to be taken under Child Protection Procedures, from 172 in Q1 to 132 in Quarter 2. This is reflective of the fact that more contacts/reports are being referred to Early Intervention/Prevention Services or referred for an assessment for care and support and hence is not being escalated to the need for Safeguarding interventions. This is because of the continued development of the Through Age Well-Being model and in particular, the development of Porth Gofal Triage for Children.

➢ The percentage of referrals that proceeded to a Strategy Discussion

was 14.2% in Quarter 2 compared to 19.4% in Q1. In Q2 5.9% of the reports proceeded to a Section 47 Enquiry, compared to 8.8% in Q1 and then in relation to those that proceeded to an Initial Child Protection Conference, 0.9% proceeded to that stage in Q2, compared to 0.7% in Q1.

➢ The total number of children subject to an Initial Child Protection

Conference in this quarter has decreased further to 16, compared to 23 in quarter 1, and 35 in Q4.

➢ The total number of children placed on the Child Protection Register

in this quarter following the Initial Child Protection Conference was

10 compared to 20 in Q1.

➢ The total number of children removed after Review Child Protection

Conferences in this quarter were 22.

➢ There has been a decrease in the number of reports that have been

received from the Police in this quarter and Social Services and Education seem to be the main sources of reporting in this quarter.

➢ The total number of Section 47 enquiries undertaken has decreased

in this quarter also, with 55 undertaken in this quarter compared to 78 in Quarter 1; 41 of those enquiries were undertaken jointly with the Police in this quarter and 14 were undertaken as a Social Services Single Agency.

➢ The main category of abuse which led to a Section 47 enquiry being

undertaken in quarter 2 was Physical Abuse and sexual abuse/exploitation as was the case in Quarter 1.

➢ There were 40 children on the Child Protection Register as at the end of this quarter, compared to 52 as at the end of Quarter 1. This quarter, 21 children were registered under the category of neglect, 14 under the category of emotional/psychological abuse, 4 under the category of emotional/psychological abuse and neglect and then 1 under the category of sexual abuse and emotional/psychological abuse.

➢ The main area of concern in relation to this quarter was the significant decrease in the percentage of Initial Child Protection Conferences that were held within the statutory timescale of 15 working days after it had been agreed that an ICPC was needed. The percentage in Quarter 2 fell to 43.7%  compared to Quarter 1 which was at 80%. The decrease was due to staffing issues. However, the Review Conferences and Core Groups were held mainly in timescales, with 91.7% of Review Conferences being held in timescale and 90% of core groups held within the statutory timescale.

➢ In terms of Adult Safeguarding, there has been a decrease in the number of adults suspected of being at risk of abuse and/or neglect reported, with there being 176 adults at risk reported in this quarter compared to 221 adults at risk reported in quarter 1.

➢ Staff in the Local Authority were the main source of the referrals in this quarter.

➢ The most reported category of abuse this quarter was emotional/psychological abuse (87), neglect (84) reports of adults at risk where this was the main category of abuse; 47 related to physical abuse, 49 was in relation to financial abuse and 9 relating to sexual abuse. Emotional/psychological abuse and neglect were the highest categories of abuse reported in the previous quarter also, but neglect was more prevalent in that quarter.

➢ From the reports received, in relation to all categories of abuse, men

were reported to be the highest victims than women in relation to the category of neglect and financial abuse and the females were more the victims in relation to physical, sexual and emotional/psychological abuse.

➢ In Quarter 2, the majority of the abuse/neglect was reported to have

happened in people’s own homes, with a relative/friend being the person most responsible for the reported abuse/neglect. The second highest was with in a care home setting, with a paid employee being responsible for the alleged abuse/neglect.

 

Following discussion, Committee Members were asked to consider the following recommendation:

 

Recommendation(s): To note the contents of the report and the levels of activity within the Local Authority

 

Reasons for decision: So that governance of the Local Authority activity and its partner agencies are monitored.

 

Committee Members agreed to note the contents of the report and the level of activity within the Local Authority.

 

The Chairman thanked the Cabinet Member and Officer for presenting the information.