The Director of Children and Families submitted a report presenting the annual report of the Leeds Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) for 2018/19 which highlighted the areas of strength and progress as well as areas for development across the safeguarding structures.
The Board welcomed Dr. Mark Peel, the outgoing Independent Chair of the LSCP and Jasvinder Sanghera CBE, current Independent Chair as of October 2019 to the meeting, who were in attendance in order to introduce the key points of the annual report and to highlight key priorities.
Members discussed the emerging national issue of unregulated and unregistered provision for looked after children and care leavers. Members were informed that in Leeds all placements were quality assured and that there were robust arrangements in place to monitor and support looked after children. Also, it was reported that it was intended to request that a report be submitted to the LSCP on this matter.
Further to this, and in response to a specific enquiry, it was confirmed that the LSCP had not recently considered the issue of unregistered educational provision in Leeds, however, Members received further information on the actions being taken in this area, with reference being made to the work of the Area Inclusion Partnerships, and it was requested that further to this discussion, this wide ranging matter be taken away by the directorate with further information being reported to the Executive, as appropriate and in due course.
Also, in response to a specific enquiry regarding the practice of marriage between first cousins and the associated increased health risks, the Board was provided with information on the actions which were being taken to raise the awareness of such health risks across the relevant communities.
RESOLVED –
(a) That the contents of the Leeds Safeguarding Children Partnership’s Annual Report for 2018/19, as appended to the submitted report, be noted and endorsed;
(b) That the safeguarding priorities for the city, as identified in the Leeds Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report for 2018/19, be noted and endorsed.