Issue - meetings

The Surrey Safeguarding Children Board (SSCB) is a statutory, multi agency board, chaired by an independent chair.  In the year 2014-2015 the chair was Mrs Alex Walters.

The SSCB is responsible (under section 14 of the Children Act 2004) for coordinating what is done by each person or body represented on the Board for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in the area; and for ensuring the effectiveness of what is done by each such person or body for those purposes

The Annual Report for 2014-2015 details the progress made against the four SSCB priorities and how partners were held to account to deliver improvements.

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015, issued by the HM Government covering the legislative requirements and expectations on individual services to promote and safeguard the welfare of children and which provides a clear framework in which to monitor the effectiveness of local services, requires that the Annual Report covers the preceding financial year and should be submitted to the Chief Executive, Leader of the Council, the local Police and Crime Commissioner and the Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Elaine Coleridge-Smith took over the role of SSCB Chair on 1 September 2015. A robust business plan is being developed by the SSCB.

1.     That the SSCB Annual Report and be noted and that the Cabinet conscious of the time period of the report.

2.     That the appointment of a new independent chair, who is a member of the Council’s Improvement Board be noted and that the Cabinet looks forward to receiving the Annual Report for 2015-2016

Reasons for Decisions

The Cabinet has a responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in Surrey.

The Cabinet Member for Schools, Skills and Educational Achievement introduced the Surrey Safeguarding Children Board (SSCB) annual report and informed Members that this had been published last year and had been scrutinised by the Social Care Services Board in January 2016.  She explained that the report set out to demonstrate how the Board had met its statutory responsibilities.

She said that the Council were determined to improve the services it provides and that a new independent chair had been appointed to the Board. The new chair had worked hard since her appointment to improve partnership working and a business plan was being developed with targeted priorities.

Members were informed that the SSCB had been judged as requiring improvement last year however a lot of work had been done and the target was to move this to a good judgement going forward.

RESOLVED:

1.     That Cabinet notes the SSCB Annual Report and is conscious of the time period of the report.

2.     The Cabinet notes the appointment of a new independent chair, who is a member of the Council’s Improvement Board and looks forward to receiving the Annual Report for 2015-2016

Reasons for Decisions

The Cabinet has a responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in Surrey.