Received a report from the Corporate Director of Children’s Services on ‘Project SAFE’ which has been implemented in response to the key findings of Ofsted’s inspection of children’s contact, referral and assessment services, which took place on 18 and 19 November 2009.
The inspection highlighted a number of strengths, some areas for development and one area of priority action which related to the management procedures and decision making in relation to the child protection practice. For example, decisions about contacts and referrals were not always made within prescribed timescales, the recording of decisions was sometimes unclear and risks to children in need of protection were not always being carried out and written up in line with procedures.
Project SAFE incorporates four main work strands, namely:
· Systems – Accurate factual approach follows procedures, checked by Managers
· Accountability – Robust recording, timeliness and evidence for decisions
· Family Focus (child and parent views recorded)
· Effective actions, intervention rather than repeat assessment
Under each work strand are a number of priority actions that are being addressed by the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) Partnership and that discussions are to take place with Headteachers and Governing Bodies.
Agreed, in order to ensure that the Council is able to meet its statutory requirements to provide a safe and robust service to the most vulnerable children living in Barking and Dagenham, to:
(i) Approve the implementation of Project SAFE as detailed in the report; and
(ii) The Corporate Director giving a further presentation to Executive Members on the details of Project SAFE to enable more consideration to be given to the issues.