Agenda item

Report by Independent Chair of East Sussex Local Safeguarding Children Board

70.1    Reg Hooke, Chair of the East Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership (ESSCP) introduced the item by providing an overview of a Serious Case Review (SCR) undertaken during 2019/20.  The review concerned the provision of services to a young man referred to as Child T and identified significant neglect in his care and in how agencies worked together to safeguard his welfare.  The areas of concern identified in the report included: a lack of follow-up when appointments were not kept; a lack of clarity by agencies around the understanding of child protection procedures for children approaching adulthood; concerns around information sharing and joint working between health and education services; that there was a general lack of awareness amongst non-health professionals of the risk to life posed by diabetes and other long-term conditions and that overall, the chronic health condition of the child was not fully seen as a safeguarding issue.  Mr Hooke also discussed the recommendations and actions taken as a result of the SCR.

70.2    The Committee then discussed the report, with a summary of the key issues set out below:

·                 In response to queries about communication gaps between education and health services and issues relating to the transition from childhood to adulthood, Mr Hooke agreed that these are areas where there continue to be challenges.   It is for that reason that the recommendations in the SCR report seek to address these challenges and whilst he believes progress is being made, Mr Hooke also confirmed that the ESSCP will continue to review and seek to make improvements in these areas.

·                 Members discussed the impact of Child T’s missed appointments and the lack of home visits.  In response Stuart Gallimore, Director of Children’s Services, informed the committee that one key learning is the need for all colleagues to be curious and to think carefully about the impact of treatments not being delivered and visits not taking place; and to be mindful of the need to potentially refer a case on so that it could be reviewed from a safeguarding perspective.  Mr Gallimore also confirmed that a further key area of learning was the need for colleagues to have a clear understanding of the ‘child’s lived experience’ and to not make assumptions about the individual’s level of engagement in decisions about their welfare and their capacity to understand what is appropriate. 

·                 The Committee sought reassurance that the recommendations and actions contained within the report would be carefully examined and monitored.  In particular Members asked for further detail about the recommendation that requires ‘any child with a serious health condition has a written down multi-agency plan’.  In response, Mr Hooke confirmed that there is government guidance already in place regarding the need for such a plan.  As a result, the focus of the report with regard to this area was directed at re-enforcing the need for joined up working between local health and education agencies.   In terms of training, Mr Hooke confirmed that significant levels of training both within individual agencies and also by safeguarding partnerships had been delivered.  Furthermore, Mr Hooke also confirmed that after approximately  three years each serious case review report has been published, a further review is undertaken to measure the impact of its recommendations.  This longer-term process aims to ensure the whole review process is effective and that learnings are embedded.  

70.3    In conclusion the committee welcomed the actions being taken forward in response to the recommendations contained within the Serious Case Review report.

70.4      The Committee RESOLVED to note the report.