Issue - meetings

To provide committee with an update on the findings from the Councillor frontline visits to Children’s Social Care safeguarding teams which were carried out over the last 12 months.

The committee received the report which provided an update on the themes, strengths and issues raised through councillor frontline visits to the Cheshire East Consultation Service, Child in Need and Child Protection Teams, and the Children with Disabilities Social Work Team and Short Breaks Team over the last 12 months 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023.

A query was raised as to what means are available for Councillors providing feedback on issues they come across in their role. The Director of Children’s Social Care advised that contact details would be shared for the relevant teams to contact with urgent safeguarding issues and that any more general issues can be raised through the Member Enquiry Service.

A request was made for the frequency of this report to change to bi-annually for committee to review on a more regular basis.

There was significant discussion in relation to staff recruitment and retention, and supporting the wellbeing and morale of staff. Officers gave assurances that work was being done to monitor this and address any issues to ensure that Cheshire East was seen as an employer of choice.

A query was raised regarding the scrutiny of commissioned services as this was not within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee and therefore should be done by Children and Families. The Executive Director of Children’s Services responded that a report had previously been brought to this committee on commissioned services and that this can be re-visited to look at bringing it back on an annual basis. A suggestion was made for the information available on the Cheshire East website regarding commissioned services to be circulated to committee for information.

Members thanked officers for the transparency of the report.

It was proposed and seconded that the recommendation set out in paragraph 3.2 of the report was formally voted on to show the committee’s support. This was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED:

1. That the Children and Families Committee note the contents of the report and approve the continuation of councillor frontline visits and the process associated with them.

And (unanimously)

2. That, as the integrated children’s strategy is developed, consideration be given by committee to extend these frontline visits across the breadth of services within children’s services. This proposal will come to committee in November 2023 in the Integrated Children’s Strategy paper.