Agenda item

5.1       Reg Hooke, Chair of the East Sussex Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB), introduced the item by providing the Committee with an overview of the role of the LSCB. 

5.2       The Committee then discussed the findings set out in the Serious Case Review report relating to ‘Child M’.  The key issues discussed are set out below:  

·        Sharing information and recording risk assessments.   

A broad area of learning identified in the report relates to how agencies share information and how risk assessments are recorded.   Members noted that issues relating to these two tasks have been cited in a number of other Serious Case Reviews (SCRs).    As result, the Committee asked for clarification as to what steps are being taken to ensure agencies embed these lessons so that key facts relating to vulnerable young people are clearly communicated, understood and acted on.  

In response, Douglas Sinclair (Head of Children's Safeguards & Quality Assurance) informed the Committee that the Department has reconfigured its services so as to improve how information is recorded and appropriately shared.   This has resulted in the deployment of a ‘Single Point of Advice’ (SPOA) system which deals with all referrals into either Children’s Social Care or Early Help.  The Department has also developed a multi-agency services approach.  This means staff within the Department work closely with colleagues from the Police and specialist health visitors in two Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASHs).

The Committee were also informed that the LSCB have requested that the Department conducts a review into the impact of SCRs undertaken over the last five years.   The review will focus on establishing whether the recommendations set out in SCRs have led to the improvements in performance they were intended to bring about.   The LSCB hopes to produce its report by the end of 2017.    Following a request from Members, an undertaking was given to incorporate the findings of the review into next year’s annual Serious Case Review report to the Committee.

·        Time taken to complete the Coroner’s Inquest.  

The Committee were concerned at the length of time it took for the Inquest into the death of Child M to be completed.    In response the Committee were informed that the inquest was performed by a Coroner from a different local authority.  The LSCB share the concerns of the Committee at this delay and consequently this matter is being discussed with the relevant local authority.

·        Role of Acute Hospitals and contact with young People who overdose.   

In response to a query raised by the Committee, Reg Hooke informed Members that the LSCB is aware that the number of young people admitted to acute hospitals as the result of a drug overdose is higher than expected.   As a result, this issue has been identified as a specific topic which the Board is looking to investigate further with relevant agencies.   Members were also informed that a national scheme called the ‘Child Protection Information System’ will be rolled out locally soon.  The system is designed to ensure that relevant health and care professionals are notified when a child, or unborn baby subject to a child protection plan (CPP) or a child with Looked After Child status (LAC) is treated at any health setting in an unscheduled way.

5.3  RESOLVED – to:

(1)   note the findings and lessons from the Serious Case Review; and

(2) request that the Scrutiny Work Programme is updated to include reference to the LSCB’s undertaking to incorporate the findings of its review of the impact of Serious Case Reviews into its annual SCR report to the Committee in June 2018.