Agenda item - Brighton & Hove Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2021-22

Report of the Independent Scrutineer and Chair BHSCP (copy attached)

RESOLVED - That the Board notes the information contained in the report and its appendix (BHSCP Annual Report 2021-22).

40.1    The Board considered the Annual report of the Brighton & Hove Safeguarding Children Partnership 2021-22 detailing the work carried out by the Partnership during that period, highlighting the key findings from the Partnership’s work and setting out its proposed future programme of work.

40.2    It was explained that Brighton & Hove Safeguarding Children Partnership (BHSCP) was independently chaired and consisted of three key agencies who collectively held statutory responsibilities for keeping children and young people safe: the Local Authority (through Families, Children and Learning), Health (through NHS Sussex ICB) and Sussex Police.

40.3    The BHSCP’s objectives were to:

·       Co-ordinate local work undertaken by all agencies and individuals to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people

·       Ensure the effectiveness of that work

40.4    Chris Robson, BHSCP’s independent scrutineer, chaired the Partnership and was responsible for considering how effectively the local safeguarding arrangements were working for children and families as well as for practitioners, and how well the safeguarding partners are providing strong leadership. Health & Wellbeing Boards were required to receive for information and discussion annual reports/updates from the relevant local safeguarding children’s partnership. Chris Robson gave a presentation detailing the work carried out during the period covered by the report and going forward and invited questions. Input was also given by the Director of Children’s Services. It was explained that the report related to historical work undertaken and that there was a time therefore consequentially a time lag with these reports.

40.5    RESOLVED - That the Board notes the information contained in the report and its appendix (BHSCP Annual Report 2021-22).