Decision details

Child Sexual Exploitation Post Rotherham

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Decisions:

The Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Young People and Families which provided an outline of the learning from Rotherham and other child sexual exploitation reviews which had taken place since the publication of the Professor Jay report. Information was provided as to the actions that had, and were still, taking place in Sefton to address the national lessons learned and to safeguard children and young people in Sefton from child sexual exploitation.

 

The report included the following appendices:

 

Appendix 1 - PAN Merseyside Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Strategy 2014-2017

Appendix 2 - Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) CSE Strategy on a Page

Appendix 3 - LSCB Governance Structure

Appendix 4 - LSCB CSE Partnership Pathway

 

Members of the Cabinet raised questions on the following issues referred to in the report and the Director of Young People and Families responded to the issues as indicated below:

 

To what extent do we have a problem of child sexual exploitation (CSE) in Sefton and how do we compare in comparison to other local authorities?

 

Response:

We do not know the level of CSE in any local authority area, but what we do know is that it was occurring in every area. We have increased the awareness of CSE in the Borough of Sefton and across the Merseyside area and the number of CSE referrals received by the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) had increased from 30 for the period 1 January to 19 October 2014, to 100 for the period from 20 October 2014 to 13 March 2015 and as of 13 March 2015, Sefton had 12 children and young period who were the subject of a Multi –Agency Child Sexual Exploitation Panel (MACSE) Plan.

 

What are we doing to inform agencies of the action been take on CSE? and do we have any joint working/liaison between the Sefton Local Safeguarding Children Board and the Sefton Adult Safeguarding Board?

 

Response:

A wide range of CSE awareness sessions have been held with Managers of Children’s Homes within Sefton; Taxi Companies; Public Health Commissioners; Sexual Health Service Strategic Leads; Neighbourhood, Anti - Social Behaviour and Domestic Abuse Service staff; and Adult Substance Misuse Services staff.

 

100,000 CSE awareness cards had been produced and distributed locally, 66 buses in Merseyside were displaying CSE awareness posters and the Director of Young People and Families represented Sefton Council on a debate on BBC Radio Merseyside during the National CSE Awareness Day on 18 March 2015.

A number of Independent Children’s Homes in Sefton provide accommodation for children and young people who have been relocated from other local areas, and Sefton Council ensures that close liaison is maintained with them and Ofsted, which has resulted in the closure of 3 Homes following concerns raised by the Council about inadequate practices.

 

A single point of contact on CSE issues is maintained with all agencies on the Local Safeguarding Children Board.

 

The MASH deals with all CSE referrals both for children and young people, and young adults and Dr David Sanders is the Chair of the Sefton Local Safeguarding Children Board and the Sefton Adult Safeguarding Board.

 

Is there liaison between Sefton Council and other local authorities who place children and young people from their area in Children’s Homes in Sefton?

 

The Director of Young People and Families had taken a lead nationally in changes made to procedures implemented by the Department for Education and Ofsted in 2014  to ensure local authorities placing ‘looked after’ children outside of their boundary notify the local authority within which they are placing the child. If a child is being placed in an area which is not a local geographically next to the responsible placing authority, the placing Director of Children’s Services must discuss the placement with the Director of Children’s Services for the area in which the child is being placed.

 

Are all local agencies represented at a senior level on the Sefton Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB)?

 

Response:

Yes – the Independent Chair of the LSCB had ensured that there is senior representation from all agencies.

 

What are the internal management arrangements and who reports to who on CSE issues?

 

The Independent Chair of the LSCB was appointed by the Chief Executive and a Children’s Services Continuous Improvement Board had been established to provide scrutiny of Children’s Social Care and the LSCB. The Board was chaired by the Chief Executive and attended by a challenge partner, the Chief Executive of Halton Council, the Cabinet Member for Children, Schools, Families and Leisure, the Director of Young People and Families and the Independent Chair of the LSCB

 

What action has been taken to the request made by Government Ministers to ensure information is shared amongst key stakeholders?

 

A formal agreement on information sharing between Sefton Council, the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner, Health Authorities, Clinical Commissioning Groups and other agencies would be signed on 27 March 2015

 

Decision Made:

 

That:

 

(1)       the work taking place in Sefton regarding Child Sexual Exploitation be noted;

 

(2)       the Director of Young People and Families submit a report to the Cabinet on a quarterly basis on the number of CSE referrals in Sefton and the action that had been taken; and

 

(3)       the report be referred to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Children’s Services) for consideration.

 

Reasons for Decision:

 

To ensure Members were aware of the partnership activity undertaken to safeguard children from child sexual exploitation in Sefton.

 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

 

None.

Report author: Colin Pettigrew

Publication date: 01/04/2015

Date of decision: 26/03/2015

Decided at meeting: 26/03/2015 - Cabinet

Accompanying Documents: