Agenda item

[To provide an update on progress made thus far against the Adult Safeguarding Peer Review Action Plan.]

Amrita Sharma provided an update on progress made against the Adult Safeguarding Peer Review Action Plan.

She advised panel that there has been a strong partnership commitment to the execution of the peer review action plan and that all actions have been accepted by the respective leads/groups and progressed within respective work plans. Out of the 28 individual actions, seven have been fully accomplished; 21 are work in progress.

The Panel considered the importance of bullet point 1.5 in the action plan relating to member development, the scrutiny panel were advised that guidance notes had been distributed to all councillors however they recognised the importance for all councillors to fully understand their role and constitutional powers. Amrita Sharma advised that a safeguarding training module is available on the Learning Hub to support councillors understanding of their newly defined roles and responsibilities within the Councils Constitution.

Cllr Stephen Simkins suggested that councillors should receive mandatory safeguarding training every four years as part of the councillor’s induction and training programme. 

Scrutiny panel highlighted the importance of requesting partners to carry out safeguarding training modules and were advised that partners have access to training and that the most effective challenge to encourage partner organisations take up of training modules would be from Safeguarding Board.

Panel was advised that next year safeguarding training may be a statutory requirement and that it is wise to get ahead of the game.

Councillors voiced concerns about reporting lines and feedback to them about reported safeguarding matters:

·         When a report is made via a third person there is no feed back to the Councillor and they are not clear if the report has been made, they are out of the loop.

·         When out of the loop there is little or no feedback or information to pacify themselves that contact has been made and the case has been taken on.

In response to concerns Dawn Williams, Head of Safeguarding advised that:

·         If a referral is made officers have to update the person who originally reported the alert.

·         If the report came to a councillor as a complaint and the matter was passed to a third party to action the feedback would not come via the councillor.

·         When an alert is raised there is a requirement to notify that action has happened. 91% got feedback, 9% did not as they may be a third party or anonymous.

·         Children safeguarding matters there are 72 hours to respond. Adults safeguarding procedures do not have a set timescale for feedback and there may be some delay.

The Chair suggested that a pro-forma would be useful to keep councillors informed of progress. Dawn Williams cautioned that the panel should be clear what information is being asked for, no details of the parties involved should be disclosed. Councillors confirmed that they just want to be sure that they have done their bit and can reassure others that action is being taken, rather than no news at all.

Tony and Dawn agreed to consider options for a mechanism for notifying councillors that an alert has been received and that action is being taken, such as a simple pro-forma email or text message.

 Resolved:

1.    That the Chair of the Adults and Community Scrutiny Panel write to the new Managing Director Keith Ireland to share this Panels commitment to Safeguarding matters and to recommend on line safeguarding training should be compulsory for all Councillors and should be included in the Member Induction Programme. 

2.    That Safeguarding Board be requested to encourage partner organisations to take up safeguarding training modules.

3.    That employees develop a mechanism to notify councillors that a safeguarding alert has been received and that action is being taken, such as a simple pro-forma email or text message.