The Head of Corporate Strategy has submitted a report to report on the progress made on the Oxford City Council’s Safeguarding Action Plan 2019/20.

Recommendations: That Cabinet resolves to:

1.    Note the key achievements of the Safeguarding work delivered through Oxford City Council  during 2019/20;

2.    Agree the Safeguarding Action Plan 2021/22 set out in Appendix 1; and

3.    Approve Oxford City Council’s safeguarding policy updated May 2021

The Head of Corporate Strategy had submitted a report to report on the progress made on the Oxford City Council’s Safeguarding Action Plan 2019/20.

Cllr Louise Upton, Cabinet Member for a Safer Healthier Oxford, introduced the report. The Council, through its day to day work, came into contact with a significant number of vulnerable people and had a statutory duty to keep them as safe as possible. As part of that duty its safeguarding processes were subject to an annual  review and audit, the outcome of which was made public. All Members and staff had access to training about safeguarding and were made aware of the reporting mechanism “My Concern.” The latest audit before Cabinet took account of some of the particular safeguarding issues flowing from the pandemic. She emphasised the importance of seeing this duty as one which should not just ensure that people survive but that they also thrive. She was pleased to note that as the result of an intensive peer review process the Council’s safeguarding arrangements were judged to be examples of best practice in relation to the five areas under consideration.

The Chair passed on  thanks to all those in the Council who had been involved with safeguarding over the previous year which had been exceptionally challenging.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.    Note the key achievements of the Safeguarding work delivered through Oxford City Council  during 2019/20;

2.    Agree the Safeguarding Action Plan 2021/22 set out in Appendix 1; and

3.    Approve Oxford City Council’s safeguarding policy updated May 2021

Cabinet, at its meeting on 16 June, will consider a report on the Oxford City Council Safeguarding Report 2019/20. The Committee is asked to consider the report and agree any recommendations thereon.

Councillor  Louise Upton, Cabinet Member for a Safer, Healthy Oxford; Dani Granito, Policy & Partnerships Team Manager; and Laura Jones, Safeguarding Coordinator, have been invited to attend for this item.

Councillor Louise Upton, Cabinet Member for a Safer Healthy Oxford, introduced the report. As a Council which, through its many and various ways of working, comes into contact with a significant number of vulnerable people, it has a statutory duty to keep them as safe as possible. In order to do that, its safeguarding processes are reviewed annually and that audit is made public. All Councillors will have the opportunity to undertake safeguarding training which makes clear the responsibility of everyone to be an active participant in safeguarding our community and which draws attention to the “My Concern” reporting mechanism. The latest audit draws attention to the particular safeguarding issues and challenges resulting from the pandemic. Safeguarding was a matter in which the Council worked in close partnership with other agencies, notably the County Council, the Police and Health Service, all of which are represented on the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board (OSCB) and the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Adults Board (OSAB). The safeguarding duty should extend beyond just ensuring the basic welfare of our citizens and from beyond their surviving to their thriving.

Dani Granito, Policy & Partnerships Team Manager, noted that overall responsibility for safeguarding in OCC now lay with the Head of Corporate Strategy. The report drew attention to the safeguarding work delivered via the locality hubs during the pandemic. This included, for example, the provision of 210 laptops to pupils who could not otherwise access remote learning. A continuing national and local concern was that of neglect; the majority of local children on a child protection plan were experiencing neglect in some form. A considerable effort (via external peer review among other things) was being made to see how best to support those young people and prevent them experiencing neglect. All members of the partnership were now required to produce a Neglect Action Plan and a three monthly account of progress with it.

The OSCB and OSAB required the Council to conduct an annual safeguarding assessment. It was pleasing to note that the most recent assessment had, for the 4^th consecutive year, concluded that the Council demonstrated best practice in all 5 subject areas.

The requirement to report “any suspected victims of exploitation (slavery or human trafficking) to the Secretary of State” was of concern to the Committee which sought reassurance that it would not be subverted and used as a means of enforcing immigration controls. Officers emphasised that this reporting requirement fulfilled a statutory obligation and was seen a positive measure, providing a pathway to support. Nonetheless the Committee repeated its wish for the assurance mentioned above.

Officers confirmed that the many voluntary organisations providing support via the locality hubs were subject to the same safeguarding controls, awareness and training as Council employees.

Background was given to the Serious Case Review mentioned in the report and the key findings which had emerged from it.

The report celebrated some examples of positive safeguarding outcomes in numerical form. The Committee suggested that those data would be more meaningful if  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21