The Safeguarding and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on 9 January 2025 to review the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Adults Safeguarding Partnership Board's Annual Report and to discuss updates to the committee's work programme. Key discussions included the effectiveness of safeguarding practices, the challenges of SEND inspections, and the ongoing work of various sub-groups.

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Adults Safeguarding Partnership Board – Annual Report

The committee reviewed the Annual Report of the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Adults Safeguarding Partnership Board (SSASPB) for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. Mr Adrian Green, current Chairman of the SSASPB, and Ms Stephanie Kincaid-Banks, SSASPB Business Manager, provided a virtual update.

Key points from the report and discussion included:

• Police Initiatives: The committee heard about the Police's Pit Stop pilot, the restructure of their public protection unit, and the introduction of the Right Care Right Person initiative.
• Safer Custody: Assurance was sought that Care Act principles were being adhered to in relation to safer custody.
• Out of Area Placements and DoLS: Concerns were raised about out-of-area placements, and the backlog of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) applications was noted, although improvements in performance, training, and capacity were acknowledged.
• Audits and Mental Capacity: The committee discussed the number and range of audits undertaken, including the inclusion of mental health capacity questions in future Tier 3 audits. Audits had identified the need for lead professionals, concerns about a lack of follow-up from referrals, issues with disparate IT systems, and a lack of understanding of the self-neglect protocol.
• Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs): Seven SAR referrals were received, with one meeting the threshold for an independent enquiry. Three other referrals led to single-agency learning. The committee was updated on SARs published during the reporting period, including SAR Gillian (self-neglect and bereavement), SAR Frank and Elsie (sexual activity and relationships in care homes), and SAR Treacey (spanning 1991-2023).
• Sub-groups and Training: The work of sub-groups, particularly the engagement sub-group's efforts in raising awareness of self-neglect, was highlighted. The range and uptake of training were also discussed.
• Strategic Priorities: Making Safeguarding Personal was identified as a core theme throughout the Board's work.
• Self-Neglect and Consent: The committee discussed work around self-neglect and the challenges faced when individuals who could benefit from services choose not to consent to support.
• Risks and Transitions: An increase in out-of-area placements, issues around hospital discharge, and transitions between services were noted as areas of concern.
• Data Quality: Improvements in data quality regarding hidden harms were acknowledged, with Staffordshire participating in the Dynamic Support Register for complex and co-occurring issues.
• Referral Data: Staffordshire received 15,810 concerns, a high figure compared to national data, with 17% repeat concerns. Approximately 19% of concerns were converted to Section 42 enquiries, compared to the national average of 29%. The committee was reassured that concerns were not being missed, but acknowledged the potential impact on capacity.
• Ethnicity Data: Concerns were raised about the 4% of referrals where ethnicity was unknown, with the potential for this to mask issues within smaller ethnic minority groups. Changes to ethnicity recording were anticipated to improve this.
• Transition to Adulthood: This was identified as a new strategic priority for the Board.
• DoLS Backlog: The committee received details on the risk assessment and management of the DoLS backlog, noting continuous improvement and strong performance compared to national comparators.
• Training Budget: The SSASPB's approach to training, which relies on agencies delivering their own training with the Board monitoring content and quality, was explained.

The committee resolved to welcome the SSASPB Annual Report, noted that the feedback and challenges raised would inform the SSASPB's future work, and thanked the SSASPB Chairman for his presentation.

Work Programme

The committee considered updates to their work programme for 2024/25. Key points included:

• The cancellation of the 28 November meeting due to delays in Department for Education attainment figures and issues with accessing data from Capita. A new meeting was scheduled for 21 March 2025.
• A written update on ILACs had been requested as a substitute for a report due in November, with further progress to be included on the February agenda.
• An additional meeting was scheduled for 12 February as a joint session with the Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee to consider proposals for a new social care management system.
• The proposed joint working group to consider SEND Preparation for Adulthood would be delayed until after the anticipated SEND inspection, allowing for more targeted work.
• The Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) Annual Report would be published and shared in the New Year.
• The Chairman would provide feedback on developments from the Staffordshire Strategic Children’s Improvement Board after each meeting.

The committee resolved to agree the changes to the work programme.