Agenda item

22.1     The Director of Children’s Services introduced the report which outlined work of the Partnership during 24/25. The report detailed changes to the partnership arrangements, including strengthened education involvement and that the new education subgroup had been cited by the Department for Education as an example of good practice. The core function of the Partnership remained to provide leadership to all agencies, critical thinking and professional challenge, embedding a culture of continuous learning, oversight and assurance on single and multi-agency safeguarding practice. The report set out key achievements, including training, case reviews and multi-agency audits; safeguarding priorities for 2025/26, including safeguarding in education, safeguarding adolescents and learning and development; the development of ESSCP scrutiny, with the recruitment of young scrutineers; and an ongoing focus on strengthening quality assurance.

22.3     The Head of Children's Safeguards & Quality Assurance reiterated that there had a period of change within the ESSCP but that it remained a mature and effective partnership.

22.4     The Committee welcomed the report and thanked officers for their work. The involvement of lay people and young people was also welcomed.

22.5     The Committee asked questions in the following areas:

• Digital safety – The Committee raised concerns about online bullying, artificial intelligence (AI), and emerging technologies, asking what strategies were in place to keep children safe. The Director explained that this remained a key and evolving priority. Training was provided to school leaders to manage risks linked to bullying, anxiety, attendance, and decisions by some parents to electively home educate (EHE). However, the complexity of these issues required a whole-system response. Many schools now had roles dedicated to AI and digital strategy to identify opportunities and manage risks. The Director emphasised the importance of understanding young people’s relationship with digital technology and AI, noting that while risks exist, many young people report feeling safer online. The Committee discussed recent examples of banning smartphones in schools; the Lead Member for Education and ISEND commented that such measures were often ineffective, as students find workarounds. The Director reiterated the need to engage young people in these discussions, particularly in light of concerns about future job opportunities.
• School exclusions – The Committee enquired about the number of Early Years children who had been excluded as outlined in the report. The Director commented that there were challenges in the county around exclusions and attendance, as well as increasing numbers of children EHE, although noted this had reduced and expected quarter three monitoring data to reflect this. Data was used to track exclusions, and work continued with schools to prevent exclusions and support children, although schools ultimately made these decisions. Exclusions for Early Years children was likely due to unmet SEND needs, and it was hoped that changes to the Ofsted Framework, which had a greater emphasis on inclusion, attendance and exclusions, would reduce children being excluded. The Director commented on the increase in EHE due to some parents feeling that their child’s needs were not being met and that work was continuing with families to return children to mainstream education.
• Self harm – The Committee asked if the number of children reported as attending A&E due to self harm were children in care or from the wider community. The Director clarified that this was the wider community.
• ESSCP scrutiny – The Committee welcomed the involvement of young people in the scrutiny arrangements of the ESSCP and discussed the use of youth voice in the People Committee, noting examples of youth voice in other forums including the Corporate Parenting panel, although acknowledged that this would need to be managed to ensure young people felt comfortable. The Director commented that the young scrutineers had only recently been recruited but that there could be opportunities for them to engage with the Committee. The role of the partnership was to ensure that youth voice was central to shaping its views and work. The Lead Member for Education and ISEND commented on his positive experiences with engaging with young people through a variety of settings.

22.6     The Committee RESOLVED to note the report.