Report of the MSP Children’s Executive Chair and the Strategic Director of Children and Education Services

The report covering 2021/2022 reflects adult and child safeguarding business and provides an overview of decisions and actions taken by the partners.  The annual report aims to illustrate how the MSP continues to develop an integrated approach to safeguarding across the life course with equal accountability between the three statutory partners (Greater Manchester Police, Manchester City Council and Manchester Health and Care Commissioning, now Integrated Care Board) together with our wider agencies and in cooperation with children and citizens.

The Committee considered the report of the MSP Children’s Executive Chair and the Strategic Director of Children and Education Services which reflected adult and child safeguarding business and provided an overview of decisions and actions taken by the partners covering 2021/2022. The annual report aimed to illustrate how the MSP continued to develop an integrated approach to safeguarding across the life course with equal accountability between the three statutory partners (Greater Manchester Police, Manchester City Council and Manchester Health and Care Commissioning, now Integrated Care Board) together with wider agencies and in cooperation with children and citizens.

Key points and themes in the report included:

• Contextual information;
• Partnership arrangements;
• Communications and engagement;
• Safeguarding effectiveness and scrutiny;
• Safeguarding Practice Reviews;
• Learning and improvement;
• Other safeguarding functions and groups;
• Scrutinising MSP arrangements 2021/22 – assurance statement;
• Review of MSP Joint Strategic Plan 2021/2022; and
• Strategic priorities 2022/23.

Some of the key points and themes that arose from the Committee’s discussions were:

• The establishment of a permanent MSP Steering Group;
• The over-representation of some communities in complex safeguarding and whether this should be a focus in its own right; and
• Work taking place to address homelessness, including the impact of this work on children.

The Strategic Director of Children and Education Services reported that some children were more vulnerable to criminal exploitation, including black boys, and that it was important to consider the context within which it was happening.

Detective Superintendent Chris Downey from GMP stated that data indicated disproportionality in the criminal justice system and that it was important to understand why this was happening.  He informed Members about work with Youth Justice to try to understand the causes leading young people to this situation.

The Assistant Director (Safeguarding and Practice) highlighted that this report related to 2021/2022 and the context for the Partnership at that time, in relation to the pandemic, and the decision just prior to the pandemic to create a combined partnership in relation to child and adult safeguarding.  She advised that, coming out of this period, it was recognised that some transformation work was needed, strengthening and articulating the vision for this combined partnership, and that the Steering Group was established to give leadership and direction in relation to that.  In response to a Member’s question, she outlined the work that had taken place to raise the dangers of co-sleeping and how learning from the joint thematic review with Trafford in relation to serious youth violence and exploitation was being taken forward and had influenced the serious youth violence strategy.

The Strategic Director of Children and Education Services advised Members that a lot of work was taking place in relation to Homelessness and that he could ensure that this progress was reflected in the report for 2022/2023.  He reported that there had been a reduction in families spending time in bed-and-breakfast and temporary accommodation, recognising that temporary accommodation was disruptive for children.

In response to a question about training, the MSP Manager reported that training had continued during the pandemic, delivered online, but that the MSP was looking to re-introduce face-to-face training, as they recognised the value of bringing people from different organisations together in one room to talk and share their experience.  She informed Members about the development of the e-learning offer and recognised that this was useful for those who could not attend day-time training sessions, such as childminders and volunteers.

In response to a question from the Chair about the impact of the Domestic Abuse Strategy, Detective Superintendent Chris Downey from GMP advised that the number of arrests and prosecutions for domestic abuse in Manchester had trebled.   He outlined how in the 47% of cases where a victim of domestic abuse would not support a prosecution, arrests were still being made and civil orders being used to exclude the perpetrator from the home for 28 days.  He highlighted the importance of asking the victim what could be done to support them, not solely focusing on getting a prosecution.  He drew Members’ attention to the Encompass programme, where schools were informed about children living in households with domestic abuse.  The Assistant Director (Safeguarding and Practice) highlighted the Safe and Together model for working with families affected by domestic abuse, including reference to behaviour change work for the perpetrator.  The Strategic Director of Children and Education Services suggested that the Committee receive a report on Domestic Abuse and Children, including the Safe and Together model, to which the Chair agreed.

In response to a question from the Chair about the reintroduction of GMP’s child protection teams, Detective Superintendent Chris Downey advised that these had previously be removed due to the austerity cuts, with the specialist officers re-assigned to deal with all types of crime, in addition to any child protection cases when these arose.  He advised that it had been recognised that this had been a loss, that three child protection teams had now been established within Manchester and that the challenge was building up the specialist knowledge again.

Decisions

1.            To note the progress of the safeguarding partnership arrangements in the city during this period. 

2.            To receive a report on Domestic Abuse and Children, including the Safe and Together model.