Issue - meetings

To review the recommendations as discussed at the OSMB meeting held on 27 May 2022 following receipt of the Rotherham Safeguarding Children Partnership CSE Review Final Report.  These are listed below for your information:

1)    That the report be noted.

2)    That the Member and Democratic Support Panel, in conjunction with each of the Council’s political groups draws up proposals in order to co-ordinate the training plan with regard to CSE and to maximise member attendance at training events.

3)    That work be carried out with the Borough’s Town and Parish Council’s to raise Town and Parish Councillors awareness around issues related to CSE.

4)    That as part of the overall scrutiny work programming processes that clear expectations are set to determine which reports will come to the Improving Lives Select Commission and that there is full partnership engagement with regard to these reports (including on health check issues).

5)    That scrutiny carries out further work to examine the link between poverty and deprivation and all issues related to children’s safeguarding, and in particular to issues around CSE.

6)    That clear plans, with defined timescales be developed in order to increase awareness and confidence with regard to issues surrounding CSE be developed in consultation with all partners.

7)    That clear plans, with defined timescales be developed in order to ensure that a consistent approach is taken to how the “voice of the survivor” is taken into account of and listened to across the partnership.

8)    That work is carried out across the partnership to provide clarity with regard to processes surrounding the reporting of and escalation of concerns regarding CSE.

9)    That work is carried out across the partnership to provide clarity with regard to processes regarding performance monitoring around CSE.

Members from OSMB and Improving Lives Select Commission met jointly on 27 May 2022 and received the Rotherham Safeguarding Children Partnership CSE Review Final Report.  Members of OSMB who were not in attendance at that meeting now have the opportunity to consider the recommendations as listed below:

Resolved: That it was agreed the recommendations relating to the Rotherham Safeguarding Children Partnership - CSE Review Final Report as listed below:

1)    That the report be noted.

2)    That the Member and Democratic Support Panel, in conjunction with each of the Council’s political groups draws up proposals in order to co-ordinate the training plan with regard to CSE and to maximise member attendance at training events.

3)    That work be carried out with the Borough’s Town and Parish Council’s to raise Town and Parish Councillors awareness around issues related to CSE.

4)    That as part of the overall scrutiny work programming processes that clear expectations are set to determine which reports will come to the Improving Lives Select Commission and that there is full partnership engagement with regard to these reports (including on health check issues).

5)    That scrutiny carries out further work to examine the link between poverty and deprivation and all issues related to children’s safeguarding, and in particular to issues around CSE.

6)    That clear plans, with defined timescales be developed in order to increase awareness and confidence with regard to issues surrounding CSE be developed in consultation with all partners.

7)    That clear plans, with defined timescales be developed in order to ensure that a consistent approach is taken to how the “voice of the survivor” is taken into account of and listened to across the partnership.

8)    That work is carried out across the partnership to provide clarity with regard to processes surrounding the reporting of and escalation of concerns regarding CSE.

9)    That work is carried out across the partnership to provide clarity with regard to processes regarding performance monitoring around CSE.

To consider the Rotherham Safeguarding Children Partnership CSE Review Final Report.

At the meeting held on 10 November 2021, Council considered a motion regarding Ongoing Child Sexual Exploitation in Rotherham. It resolved to ask that the Rotherham Safeguarding Children Partnership (RSCP) consider the issues detailed in the motion and report back to Councillors on any changes or amendments to its strategy to tackle and prevent Child Exploitation or additional activities that may be appropriate.

Chief Officers from RMBC, South Yorkshire Police and Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) commissioned the RSCP to undertake an independent review to examine the concerns raised in an objective and transparent way. The RSCP’s Review Team appointed to conduct the review were selected based on their extensive experience in child safeguarding across the voluntary and statutory sectors, public protection and social work practice.

The Review Team were:

Jenny Myers – Independent Chair of RSCP. Ms Myers is a lead reviewer for the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel and has held the role of independent chair for RSCP since October 2019. She is a former independent chair of other safeguarding partnerships and led high-profile case reviews including around CSE.

Matt Thompson – Police and Justice Lead. Mr Thompson is a former Head of Public Protection for Derbyshire Police. He is currently Head of Direct Delivery of a UK charitable network who disseminate information, best practice and learning across voluntary and statutory services to inform, educate and prevent child exploitation and abuse.

Jenny Coles – Independent Consultant. Ms Coles is a registered social worker and is a former Strategic Director of Children. She was president of the Association of Directors of Children Services. She is currently chair of the board of Trustees for What Works for Children’s Social Care and a member of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel.

The Chair welcomed the three Review Team members who were present at the meeting to speak to their report. The Chair also thanked the Review Team for taking the time to come to the meeting in person.

The report, titled CSE Review Final Report, had been published and circulated prior to the meeting and was attached to the covering report as Appendix 1.

Jenny Myers introduced the report and confirmed that she had been the independent chair of RSCP since 2019 and that the Review Team took their responsibilities regarding Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) in Rotherham very seriously. Ms Myers thanked Mr Thompson and Ms Coles for their work on the review and reiterated that they are all independent and approached the review with open minds.

The openness and transparency of all members of the Council was acknowledged ranging from chief officers and staff to all those that had supported the Review Team in undertaking the review. At no stage had the team felt blocked or felt that information was being hidden which was important to acknowledge given the history of Rotherham. Ms Myers wanted to thank all those involved for making the review as easy as possible bearing in mind the complexities of the subject.

Having worked in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42