The Chief Executive will submit a report (Document “G” which contains Not For Publication Appendix C )on the CSE Thematic Review was commissioned in 2019 by the Bradford Safeguarding Children Board, subsequently replaced by the Bradford Partnership – Working Together to Safeguard Children. The three statutory partners of the Partnership are the Council, Police and Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and also a number of key agencies, designated as “relevant agencies” are also members. It has an independent chair and scrutineer- Jane Booth.

The review was commissioned in accordance with governmental guidance in force at the time and focuses on the response of the agencies in Bradford to Child Sexual Exploitation. Five specific cases formed the basis of the review, two non-recent cases of CSE which have already been in the public domain and the media and three more recent cases.  The review also includes a review of three more recent cases.  It was led by an independent author Clare Hyde MBE.  The review looks in detail at the experiences of five children.  It spans a 20-year period from 2001 through a range of political administrations and officers.  No individuals are named- the report focuses on children and learning.

The review was published on the 27^{th of} July 2021

Recommended -

(1)       The Committee is invited to note the report

(2)       That Committee receive a full report in November on current work in relation to  exploitation of both children and adults and that this includes updated details of work in relation to the CSE actions in the Thematic review.

(3)       That the Committee commit to working closely with partners to deliver on the actions within the developmental action plan and progressing the extensive wider work presently on going in Bradford

 (Darren Minton - 01274 434361)

Officers from the Safeguarding Partnership informed Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee members that the Child Sexual Exploitation, (CSE), Thematic Review was commissioned in 2019 by the Bradford Safeguarding Children Board, subsequently replaced by the Bradford Partnership Working Together to Safeguard Children.  The partnership includes the three statutory partners to the Council, Police, Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and also a number of key agencies.

Members also learned that the review focused on the response of the agencies in Bradford to CSE in response to two historical cases of CSE, which have already been in the public domain and the media.  Officers also stated that the review included a review of three more recent cases and was led by an independent author and that the review looked into details at service responses to the experiences of the five children. 

Members of the Committee were keen to know if all the partnerships were working together.

In response, officers indicated that they were working together, record keeping was challenging as all the partners had different Information Technology systems and this is where the difficulties arose.

With regards to some of the key areas of work relating to agencies working together, agencies developing a long term plan and services being professional; it was felt by members that these were not new concepts at all in this area and should be already be in place.

In response, acknowledged this, but did state that this would all be considered as part of the assurance exercise.

Moreover, Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee members were keen to seek assurance from Safeguarding officers, that they would not again have to consider a report like this again.

Officers acknowledged this and that practitioners needed to learn from the dame recurring issues.  As well as this members heard that staff turnover was an issue and is central to this, along with first line management and quality of management; whereas managers need to be equally competent and that staff caseloads need to be reduced.

Members were keen to understand if there had been any change of CSE hotspots.

In response, officers from West Yorkshire Police stated that they would be reviewing this in light of the findings from the event recently held event with key partners.  Members heard that officers never really know the extent to which CSE is taking place across the District, but that they did monitor events. 

As well as this, there is also a three weekly meeting with Council officers and the Police looking at identifications of risk to CSE.

Members highlighted that some children are vulnerable to more than one category of risk and were keen to understand how this was being managed by the partnerships.

In response, officers indicated that they were working with agencies to prioritise this area of work, over other areas and that they are reliant on the agencies to deliver.  Officers were adamant that to make a real difference, the areas that needed to be focused on included poverty, deprivation and neglect.

Officers from West Yorkshire Police informed members of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, that at the last HCMI, (Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector), inspection judged Bradford as being good in relation to Safeguarding.

Councillors enquired as to the effectiveness of partnership working, in the key area.

In response, officers highlighted that more work needed to be done and that meeting with colleagues face-to-face was beneficial and that open conversation were need with all key partners.

The meeting then went in camera, (closed session), as Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee Councillors wanted to discuss the details contained in Appendix C, which was a Not For Publication document.

Resolved –

1.    This Committee requests that a report be presented in December 2022 that focuses on the:

-       Work undertaken to date;

-       Progress against the review recommendations.

2.    That a Cross-Party Working Group be set-up from within this Committee to review the evidence against the actions that have been completed.

Action – Strategic Director, Children’s Services.

                                                            (Darren Minton – 01274 434361)