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REDCAR & CLEVELAND
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN BOARD
POLICIES & PROCEDURES TASK GROUP
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY 15th JULY 2010,
POOLE HOUSE, NUNTHORPE, MIDDLESBROUGH
PRESENT:
Barbara Shaw Head of Safeguarding, Children and Families, Redcar & Cleveland
Children’s Services (Chair)
Yvonne Priestley Redcar & Cleveland SCB Business Manager (minutes)
Pete Davies Child Protection Officer, Redcar & Cleveland Education
Louise Walker Access Team Manager, Redcar & Cleveland Children’s Services
Colin White Acting Deputy Head of Service, South Tees YOS
Helen Smithies Named Nurse, South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
DI Rob Jones Cleveland Police
IN ATTENDANCE
Margaret Alderdice Criminal Justice Board (item 3)
APOLOGIES:
Sue Malcolm Named Nurse, Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland Community
Trust
Alex Giles Designated Nurse Safeguarding Children - Tees
Karen Agar Designated Nurse – Tees, Esk & Wear Valley NHS Trust
Sharon Burnett Durham & Tees Valley Probation Trust
Roger Shimmin Policies & Procedures Development Manager – Redcar &
Cleveland Adult & Children’s Services
ACTION
1. INTRODUCTIONS AND APOLOGIES
1.1 Barbara welcomed everyone to the meeting, introductions were made
and apologies noted.
2. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING HELD ON 1st JUNE 2010
& MATTERS ARISING
Matters Arising:
2.2 Item 2.3: Yvonne confirmed that the procedure in respect to children
subject to a child protection plan moving from another local authority
into Redcar & Cleveland had been circulated and included within the
LSCB procedures which are available on the LSCB web page.
2.2 Item 3.1: Yvonne confirmed that the terms of reference had been
amended to reflect membership changes.
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2.3 Item 5.4: Yvonne confirmed that she had contacted Helen Smithies in
respect to the Unborn Baby procedure. Helen confirmed that at the
present time the procedure appears to be fit for purpose but is not
being adhered to. It was agreed that both Helen Smithies and Louise
Walker would review the procedure in particular in respect to pre- HS & LW
discharge meetings, forward to Yvonne Priestley who will ensure it is on
the agenda of the forthcoming Policy & Procedures meeting in August.
2.4 Item 6.6: Barbara confirmed that Patti Summerfield had written to the
respective LSCB chairs outlining Redcar’s proposals in working
collaboratively across Tees to revise the safeguarding procedures. The
LSCB chairs have delegated responsibility to the respective Heads of
Service to co-ordinate this piece of work and a meeting is scheduled to
take place in September with the respective representatives to discuss
how best to progress with revising the safeguarding procedures.
2.5 The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as an accurate
record.
3. YOUNG WITNESS SUPPORT SCHEMES – (Margaret Alderdice in
attendance for this item).
3.1 Margaret informed the group that the Local Criminal Justice Board had
provided money to implement specialist support for young witness
within Teesside. Margaret confirmed that work was already in place
mainly by the witness service and some voluntary organisations, and
therefore rather than re-inventing work that was already in place she
agreed to utilise the money to coordinate those agencies already
undertaking work to ensure a co-ordinated response and to minimise
duplication. Margaret had circulated a multiagency agreement that has
been agreed by the LSCBs across Teesside regarding how information
is shared and ensuring the appropriate support is provided to young
witnesses from the most appropriate agency.
3.2 Barbara confirmed that this support scheme works with children aged
from 5 years to 17 years and aims to provide holistic approach to
supporting young witnesses.
3.3 There was significant discussion with regards to at what stage young
witnesses can be referred to the service and Margaret confirmed that
they can be referred to the Witness Service at any time and that this is
at the officer’s discretion Margaret outlined the procedure in relation
to the volunteer visiting the family in adequate time to ensure
appropriate preparation is provided for the young witness in court.
Margaret clearly made explicit the difference between emotional
support and preparing young witnesses for court and their role is simply
to prepare and not there as social workers or therapeutic advisors.
3.4 The Task Group confirmed they were happy to support the protocol and YP
this would be referred to our Business Management Group for full
endorsement.
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ACTION
3.5 Colin Wilson queried whether the Youth Offending Service should be a
named agency within the protocol because the Youth Offending Service
works with offenders who are also victims and therefore it may be that it
would be appropriate for Colin to have further discussion outside of CW
today’s Task Group meeting in respect to whether YOS should be a
named agency.
3.6 Margaret confirmed her contact details as
margaret.alderdice@ntlworld.com, or
margaret.alderdice@safeinteesvalley.org.
4. CORE GROUP GUIDANCE
4.1 Yvonne provided the context in which the core group guidance has
been developed. The development of core group guidance was a
priority for the previous South Tees Policy & Procedures Task Group
and both Linda McCalmont and Jane Kochanowski worked
collaboratively to try to establish a South Tees guidance document.
Due to the differences between Middlesbrough and Redcar &
Cleveland it was acknowledged that a South Tees document was not
be a viable option and therefore the document that had been circulated
with the papers for today’s Task Group specifically in relation to Redcar
& Cleveland.
4.2 People were invited to provide comments on the core group guidance YP
and there were particular comments in relation to quorate, and that key
workers should chair the core group as per Working Together to
Safeguard Children 2010. It was agreed that the comments would be
included within the core group guidance and this be circulated to the
Business Management Group for agreement. In addition, Yvonne
confirmed that she would circulate the guidance to Susan Jackson to
forward to all team managers in Redcar & Cleveland.
4.3 The group considered it would be useful to include the revised core
group guidance within the LSCB drop-in sessions and Yvonne would YP
co-ordinate this activity in conjunction with Claire Seymour.
5. REVISED NEGLECT GUIDANCE
5.1 Yvonne reiterated the South Tees LSCB had developed neglect
guidance which was circulated to the Teeswide group upon request.
The Teeswide Policies & Procedures group had added to the South
Tees guidance and made some changes, and have invited LSCBs to
endorse the document which has been circulated.
5.2 Helen confirmed that under item 3.5, the third paragraph is not
compatible with the Unborn Baby procedure and she would ensure that HS
appropriate comments are forwarded to Yvonne Priestley in respect to
this.
5.3 Helen confirmed that it would be useful for the named doctor to see the HS
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ACTION
document, particularly in relation to this section re. failure to thrive.
5.4 It was agreed that people consider the draft Neglect guidance and
circulate comments to Yvonne Priestley no later than 6th August 2010 All
and Yvonne will ensure that these are communicated to the Teeswide
Policies & Procedures Task Group chair.
6. PARENTAL MENTAL HEALTH PROTOCOL
6.1 Yvonne circulated Swindon’s Parental Mental Health Protocol which
Task Group members considered was succinct and helpful.
6.2 It was agreed that Yvonne would localise the Swindon protocol and YP
circulate for comment to Task Group members.
7. SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN PROCEDURES UPDATE REPORT
7.1 Yvonne confirmed that following the last Policies & Procedures Task
Group the LSCB Chair had formally written to the respective Teeswide
LSCBs and asked for their expressions of interest in collaborating
across Tees in revising the safeguarding procedures. The LSCB chairs
had delegated authority to the Heads of Service to look at how best the
revision of procedures could be progressed. Yvonne confirmed that an
initial discussion is being convened in respect to how the procedures
will be revised and in what format, and has invited Jo Fox and
representatives from each of the other LSCBs to a session in
September 2010 to consider how best to revise the procedures. Jo will
provide this free of charge and then provide a proposal to the LSCBs in
relation to the cost of revising the procedures.
7.2 Yvonne confirmed that the preferred model by Redcar & Cleveland and
Hartlepool is a web based procedure which gives practitioners succinct
guidance as to what to do in which circumstances. This will allow a
Teeswide model to be adopted but hyperlinks can be added to the
procedure for localised practice guidance of protocols. In addition,
hyperlinks can provide practitioners with the relevant documentation to
complete in particular circumstances.
7.3 Helen noted that she is currently undertaking an IMR for a serious case
review within another area and because there are no hard copies of
procedures, it is difficult to record and evidence which procedure was
used at that specific time and the Teeswide group need to be mindful of
this. In addition, Helen asked for consideration to be given to those
people who do not have access to computers.
8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
8.1 Colin confirmed that he has considered the revised Working Together
to Safeguard Children 2010 and the interface with the Youth Offending
Service which was requested at the last Task Group meeting. Colin
confirmed that the guidance in Working Together to Safeguard Children
states “it is the area’s responsibility in which the Secure Unit is based to
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ACTION
ensure that information in respect to restraint is forwarded to the
LSCB”. Colin has initiated discussion regionally through the YJB to
consider what procedure is necessary on a regional basis as to how the CW
Secure Units will inform LSCBs of their use of use of restraint. Colin
confirmed that he would ensure the Task Group are updated on
progress. In addition, Yvonne agreed to add this as an agenda item to YP
the North East LSCB Chairs and Business Managers Group meeting.
8.2 Yvonne tabled the revised cross-boundary procedure produced by the
Teeswide Policies & Procedures group and invited comments by 6th
August 2010. Yvonne confirmed she will collate comments and submit
these to the Teeswide Policies & Procedures group chair – Neil All
Pocklington.
8.3 Helen raised the issue in relation to the Baby K case in Nottingham
whereby a baby was removed from its mother at birth. This followed a
judicial review whereby other agencies were held responsible for the
intervention undertaken. There was significant discussion in relation to
this because there is no opportunity to have a legal order prior to the
birth of the child, and what happens when a baby is born and there is
no order in place, and the baby is deemed at risk of significant harm?
Following significant debate, it was agreed that if a baby is born within a
hospital setting and the child is at risk of significant harm while an order
is being sought it would be appropriate for police protection to be
instigated. Barbara confirmed that even in an out of hour’s
circumstances, local Magistrates can be contacted and sought to sign
legal orders.
8.3.1 Specific reference needs to be made to this situation within the core
group guidance, training and the Unborn Baby procedure which Helen HS, LW
and Louise agreed to consider.
8.3.2 Helen confirmed that she would send the appropriate web links to
Yvonne Priestley to circulate and it was agreed that this would be a
substantial agenda item at the August Policies & Procedures Task
Group meeting.
9. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING
9.1 The next Task Group meeting will take place on 24th August 2010,
9am, Poole House, Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough.
9.2 Louise Walker and Rob Jones provided apologies for the August
meeting.
Yvonne Priestley
Redcar & Cleveland SCB Business Manager
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