Decision details

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Adults and Health seeking approval for the proposal for amalgamation of Southampton Safeguarding Children Partnership (SSCP) and Southampton Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB) to be incorporated under The Southampton Children and Adults Safeguarding Partnership (SCASP).

The purpose of the partnership is to support the Statutory Safeguarding Partners and Relevant Agencies to fulfil their responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk and/or have needs for care and support.

SCASP will provide effective and informed leadership to the local safeguarding system and deliver a shared responsibility for the safeguarding of children, young people and adults at risk in Southampton. The Partnership also seeks to engage with children, young people, adults and their families to inform its work and provide added value.

The current structure is not aligned with a high number of subgroups and meetings, where similar agenda items are discussed and duplicated. The proposal aims to secure the ethos of working as a whole system for all residents of Southampton, recognising that each are members of the community and working together will promote the safeguarding of all by the multi-agency partnership.

(i)  To support the establishment of the Southampton Children and Adults Safeguarding Partnership (SCASP) as an outside body supported by the Council. It is proposed that the SCASP will meet bi-monthly to oversee the executive decision making.  This will be chaired by the Chief Executive of the Council, with attendance by the statutory decision makers (the Lead and/or Designated Safeguarding Partners) from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight and the Directors of Adult and Children Social Care.

(ii)  It is recommended that the Independent Scrutineer of the SSCP becomes the overall Independent Scrutineer of the SCASP.

(iii)  The Adult and Children Systems Board will meet on a quarterly basis to address the work of the subgroup activity and to gain assurance or provide challenge on the effectiveness of the safeguarding functions across the partnership.  This will be chaired by one of the Delegated Safeguarding Partners with membership from each of the statutory partners, including education, the Safe City Partnership and relevant agencies, as well as the Independent Scrutineer.  Lead members will be in attendance to provide a two-way line of communication to Cabinet or Committee.

(iv)  The subgroup activity of the SCASP will be streamlined to promote shared learning, timely decision making around reviews and a shared quality assurance system across the partnership.  This will serve to promote the integration of learning for all agencies in the system who work with children, families and adults, recognising that partners will work with and come into contact with everyone in the Southampton community for the purpose of prevention and safeguarding.

1.  The current structure is not aligned with a high number of subgroups and meetings, where similar agenda items are discussed and duplicated.  The proposal will result in a clearer structure, with scrutiny and governance in line with statutory requirements.

2.  The proposal will support the safeguarding of all residents, promoting community and in keeping with the Family Safeguarding Model and the Whole Life Pathway approach.

Maintain the current structures for the SSCP and SSAB:

•  There is duplication in meeting agendas which result in inefficiencies in the system, with the same Board members attending numerous meetings where the same information is shared.

•  There is a lack of co-ordination and consistency in shared learning and challenge across the partnership with areas working in silo, with potential gaps and duplication of assurance activity.

•  The potential to promote sustainable change across wider family networks and communities is lost when the partnership is focusing on different groups of the community.