The Strategic Director, Children’s Services will submit Document “AE” which provides an update to the report presented to Shipley Area Committee in 2017 regarding the issue of child sexual exploitation (CSE). It sets out the arrangements that have been put in place, and which continue to develop, to safeguard children from CSE.

Recommended –

(1)       That the contents of the report be noted.

(2)       That ways in which CSE can be tackled at a local level be considered.

(Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

(Mark Griffin – 01274 434361)

The Strategic Director, Children’s Services submitted Document “AE” which provided an update to the report presented to the Committee in 2017 regarding the issue of child sexual exploitation (CSE). It set out the arrangements that had been put in place, and which continue to develop, to safeguard children from CSE.

The Manager of the Bradford Safeguarding Children Board (BSCB) spoke of the important work undertaken by the Board and the preventative work undertaken locally with children and young people regarding grooming and CSE.  He highlighted that the Shipley Constituency had 29 young people flagged at risk of CSE; the lowest of all the constituencies across the district.  Representatives from the Police and Youth Service were present at the meeting and spoke of how CSE issues were being jointly tackled via the multi-agency CSE Hub and how this was aided through partnership working and information sharing. 

During the presentation, the Advanced Practitioner (Shipley Youth Service) referred to good working relationships with Titus Salt School and Bingley Grammar School.  The Chair queried the level of engagement with other schools and youth facilities in the area.   In response, it was stated that all schools were not equally engaged but it was anticipated they would be when it became mandatory for school to report safeguarding concerns.

In response to Members’ questions, it was reported that:

·         There were 21 safe school officers working in schools and every primary school in Bradford had a key contact.

·         There were 6 PCSOs who assisted in the delivery of the cyber safety training sessions in schools across the district.

·         Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 placed a statutory duty on all schools to ensure they had regard to the need to safeguard children.  This information was collated by the local authority.

·         Section 11 of the Children Act 2004 placed duties on a range of organisations and individuals to ensure their functions were discharged having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

·         If the BSCB was not satisfied with the outcome following a safeguarding audit, they could refer the matter to Ofsted.  If there were any trends identified in schools/localities, the BSCB could look to offer additional support.

·         Awareness raising of CSE issues had been undertaken by Barnardo’s with the night time economy e.g. takeaways and taxi firms.

·         Training and awareness raising delivered in schools was helping to make children and young people take responsibility for their actions and understand the consequences of what they do, particularly with regard to social media.

·         Looked after children were the most at risk in terms of CSE victims.

·         Operation Dalesway, which had been established to investigate historic CSE concerns, worked in conjunction with the multi-agency CSE Hub.

Members praised the theatre productions delivered in schools to raise awareness of CSE and stated that there was much more awareness of the issues than before. 

The Chair stressed that safeguarding children was everyone’s responsibility and gave an example of observations that had been reported within his ward which had alerted the Police to a potential CSE issue.

A Member in attendance at the meeting stated that he had attended a recent Governor Forum at which it was raised that a significant number of S175 audits had not been completed by schools on time.  He queried what the current situation was with this matter.  In response, it was reported that this was a concern for the BSCB, 51% had been returned and that a letter would be sent to the Chair of Governors of all outstanding schools requesting that the audits be returned before the end of the term.

Resolved –

(1)       That the contents of the report (Document “AE”) be noted.

(2)       That ways in which CSE can be tackled at a local level be considered in the Area Committee’s decisions, actions taken with young people and Members’ own observations and contacts with their constituents.

(3)       That Councillors in the Shipley Constituency be provided with a named contact to report CSE concerns to.

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE: Children’s Services

ACTION: Strategic Director, Children’s Services