Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to the report of the Interim Corporate Director Education and the Safeguarding in Education Manager which was presented to provide Members with the opportunity to scrutinise the Local Government Education Services Safeguarding Policy following its annual review.

The Safeguarding in Education Manager spoke to the report and highlighted the following updates to the policy:-

·        Reference to Wales Safeguarding Procedures 2019, replacing previous reference to All Wales Child Protection Procedures 2008;

·        Inclusion of the Blaenau Gwent Youth Service safeguarding policy in appendix 3 of the policy;

·        Inclusion of the safeguarding data collection protocol; and,

·        Inclusion of a COVID-19 annex to reflect the current situation and reinforce the procedures for reporting concerns. This appendix can be updated regularly as the emergency situation develops and changes.

A Member raised concerns regarding the pressure on home life such as financial issues, job losses etc. and the changing dynamics at home with many parents homeworking.  He enquired how feedback from these situations could be captured as this could lead to future increases in children looked after.  The Service Manager, Children’s Services reassured Members that those referrals with safeguarding concerns, i.e. child protection, abuse or neglect, regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic were responded to appropriately, and for those children who were at home because of the lack of school provision nothing had alerted the local authority to any safeguarding concerns.

The Member referred to the wider implications of safeguarding and how the stresses of the workplace going into the family home were affecting children’s lives in general.  The Service Manager, Children’s Services said that additional funding via the Child Development Fund had been made available and was specifically targeted at those children that had suffered as a result of COVID-19, either educationally, emotionally or through holistic well-being.  The Directorate would be looking at these cohorts of children in conjunction with Families First and Flying Start.  There would be an opportunity to look at statutory settings as well.  The additional funding would help explore what alternative support could be put in place for those children who may have suffered at a lower level, through non attendance at school and through the social isolation they may have experienced while schools were closed.

A Member raised concerns regarding increased COVID-19 rates and protecting school staff, some were waiting up to one week for results, whilst remaining in school looking after pupils.  He enquired if there was a way to ensure school staff had regular testing similar to staff in care homes.  The Director of Social Services said that over the last week the rate was down to 83 per 100,000 so there was progress in reducing the rate in communities.  In relation to the UK portal people may not be able to access tests locally and discussions were being held with the Welsh Government to find a solution. A further lab in the Newport area to enable an additional 20,000 tests per day to be carried out was being developed to come on line in November.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8