Issue - meetings

To consider a report outlining the action plan that was produced following the Joint Targeted Aread Inspection.

The Committee considered the Joint Targeted Area Inspection report which was set out in agenda pages 37-64.

The Chairman asked what was meant by ‘Audit report to WSCB Q&P subgroup agenda March 2018’ on page 42 of the agenda.  Liz Stead explained that this referred to a report on quality and performance to the Wokingham Safeguarding Children’s Board.

The Chairman asked that information regarding the improvement on the initial risk assessments be included in future update reports.

The Chairman was interested to know how the service proposed to measure progress in the joint decision making in MASH.  Lisa Humphreys stated that she would be measuring things such as timescales, application thresholds and evidence of information sharing.

In response to a question Graham Enright reassured the Committee that the risk assessment forms were now being completed by the Police.

In response to a question Lisa Humphreys stated that the multi-agency training would be completed by the whole of Children’s Services workforce, and the training programme was ongoing.

In response to a question Carol Cammiss, Assistant Director Quality Assurance and Safeguarding Standards stated that the Neglect Task and Finish Group had been set up and had met four times already.

The Chairman thanked Officers for the report which contained a very detailed action plan.  She asked that an update report be submitted in six months with a summary of the benefits seen so far for children.

Councillor Younis asked if there were many interim posts within MASH.  Lisa Humphreys felt confident that the issues in relation to Social Workers recruitment and retention had now been resolved.  Paul Senior stated that Wokingham’s use of interims was lower than the national average.

RESOLVED That:

1)     The report be noted; and

2)     An update summary report including outcomes and benefits to children be submitted in six months’ time.