Agenda item

Report from the Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services.

Recommendations:

1.    That Cabinet approve the response to the recommendations, as detailed in Appendix 1, and note the report.

Consideration was given to the report which outlined the response of Cabinet to the findings and recommendations from the Improving Lives Sub-Group on post-CSE support. The findings of the sub-group had been presented to Cabinet on 14th February, 2022, were as follows:

a)    That post-CSE services are transferred to the Adult Social Care, Housing and Public Health directorate to enable the greater integration and coordination of support pathways that are available to adult victims of trauma as children.

b)    That further work is undertaken with relevant partners and survivors to improve the ways in which survivors’ voices are captured to inform future reviews of post-abuse services (for example drawing on the research from Sheffield Hallam University, the development of voice and influence groups or other survivor’s forums).

c)    That consideration is given to appropriate governance arrangements to enable elected members to provide a steer on the activity that is taking place within the Borough to stop CSE/CCE and support survivors.

d)    That the Improving Lives Select Commission continue to monitor the provision of post-abuse support to survivors of CSE.

e)    In relation to recommendations c) and d), that consideration is given how survivors’ voices to inform these processes.

f)      To emphasise the shared responsibility of all elected members, that an annual training event/workshop is delivered. This is to ensure that all elected members are kept up to date with the activity within the Borough to protect young people from being at risk of harm from CSE/CCE and support adult survivors to move forwards in their lives.

g)    That the relevant Strategic Directors explore options for sharing best practice with other local authorities in the Yorkshire and Humber Region.

h)    Drawing on the good practice from Durham County Council, that consideration is given to the language used in the provision of post-CSE support to ensure that it is positive and inclusive of the needs of those accessing services.

Cabinet accepted all of the recommendations and Appendix 1 to the report outlined further detail on how the recommendations had been or would be actioned.

Councillor Cusworth explained that changes were already being implemented, such as the Youth Offending Team changing its name to the Youth Justice Team.

Resolved:-

That Cabinet approve the response to the recommendations, as detailed in Appendix 1, and note the report.