Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Children, Education and Young People’s Services

Forward Plan Ref: 2024/248

Contact: Laura Gajdus, Business Manager

laura.gadjus@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Report by Director of Children’s Services (CA8)

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to note the annual report of the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board senior safeguarding partners and to consider the key messages.

Recommendations approved.

Cabinet considered a report which highlighted the findings from the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children’s Board's annual report on the effectiveness of local arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in Oxfordshire.

Councillor John Howson, Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, presented the report.

The Head of Safeguarding (Children’s Services) and the Business Manager (Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children’s Board) answered a number of questions from members.

During discussion, the following points were made:-

·       There was considerable concern about the timely flow of information for children placed outside Oxfordshire, who continued to face long delays in their initial and continued health assessments. The issue was particularly acute in the area of community dentistry.

·       The report highlighted the effectiveness of multi-agency working in response to an increase in violence between two groups of children in a specific area within the county. Rapid action and the formation of a task group had led to significant improvements

·       The report noted that the cultural support offered to families who suffered the tragic death of a child was relatively limited for non-Christian faith families, those of no faith, or other faiths. This was an area identified for improvement

·       School attendance in Oxfordshire had shown improvement compared to the previous year, but there were still concerns, particularly in the secondary school sector. The correlation between attendance and exclusion was discussed, with a focus on the need for more work with academies to address this issue.

·       There was a significant increase in safeguarding issues in West Oxfordshire, particularly related to child exploitation. This increase was noted by the independent chair and was being investigated further

·       The partnership had made significant progress in early help assessments, with a combined effort leading to the achievement and even exceeding of targets.

·       The use of the graded care profile as an intervention tool was emphasised. This tool helped parents understand the impact of neglect on their children and was being promoted across the partnership.

·       The report also referred to the issue of elective home education, noting that there were strengthened processes in place to ensure that children who were electively home educated were still receiving appropriate support and oversight.

Councillor Howson moved and Councillor Sudbury seconded the recommendations, and they were approved.

RESOLVED to note the annual report of the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board senior safeguarding partners and to consider the key messages.