The Safeguarding and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the Staffordshire Domestic Abuse Strategy, the Children and Families Strategic Improvement Plan, and the Care Leavers Strategy and Local Offer. The committee agreed to support the new Staffordshire Domestic Abuse Strategy, which will be presented to the cabinet for approval in January 2026. The committee also discussed improvements to children's services and the support offered to care leavers in Staffordshire.

Children and Families Strategic Improvement Plan

The Children and Family Directorate has been undergoing an improvement process since the last local authority children's services inspection in November 2023, which resulted in a requires improvement rating. Councillor Nick Lakin, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, stated that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee were being asked to consider the revised Strategic Improvement Plan and note the accelerated improvement work being undertaken.

Bernie Brown, Director of Children and Families, explained that the plan presents a clear vision to ensure children are happy, healthy, safe and able to reach their full potential. Actions taken include:

• Restructuring the leadership team.
• Revising the quality assurance framework.
• Introducing practice standards and TRIEX¹.
• Investing in supervision training for leaders and managers, delivered by Research in Practice.
• Revising the strategic plan for children and families.
• Procuring a new case management system, Liquid Logic, to be implemented by October 2026, two years earlier than planned.

Brown noted that the previous restructure in 2022 was inappropriate and ill-conceived and led to the service downgrade in 2023 due to a lack of management oversight, leadership and resources.

Councillor Victoria Wilson, Shadow Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People, said she felt as if a new broom has come into the Council and that the changes were tangible.

Steve Bell asked how governance had allowed the situation to deteriorate to the point it had in 2023, and what lessons had been learned. Brown responded that scrutiny needed to be more curious, and that there had been complacency, with people trying to make the service appear better than it was, partly due to a lack of understanding of child protection.

It was agreed that a paper on emerging risks and mitigations would be presented to the committee in March 2026, following the Ofsted inspection.

Staffordshire Domestic Abuse Strategy

Councillor Anthony Screen, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Resilience, introduced the Staffordshire Domestic Abuse Strategy, explaining that community safety and resilience are priorities for the new cabinet. The strategy aims to put victims and their families at the centre of everything, prevent domestic abuse, hold perpetrators accountable, facilitate cooperation across the Staffordshire system, and improve the lives of people in Staffordshire.

Catherine Mann, Community Safety Manager, explained that the previous joint Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent domestic abuse board had been replaced with two new boards, one for Staffordshire and one for Stoke. She said that the strategy had been developed using a wide range of local data and information, including a thorough needs assessment, national research, data from the Crime Survey of England and Wales, information from local domestic abuse support service providers, safeguarding data, police data, and feedback from stakeholders, victims and survivors.

The strategy has four overarching priorities:

• Prevent domestic abuse.
• Support victims and survivors.
• Hold perpetrators to account and support them to change their behaviour.
• Work together in partnership to deliver a coordinated community response.

Councillor Angela asked how closely the council works with Staffordshire Women's Aid, and whether they work with people who can support self-defence. Mann responded that they work closely with Staffordshire Women's Aid, who are one of the providers commissioned to deliver services.

Reverend Michael Metcalf asked how prevention is measured, and how the culture is engaged with and changed in a tangible and measurable way. Mann responded that prevention is tricky, particularly around performance management, as it involves measuring something that hasn't happened. She said that it requires a group of actions, including raising awareness from a young age, challenging cultural stereotypes and myths, and educating the workforce and wider community.

Councillor Wilson asked about the 925 referrals that were unable to be accepted, and what happened to those people. Mann responded that they would have been put back out to the national database to see if there was any other support available, but she would need to check with the refuge provider how they track and monitor those incidents and people after they leave the county.

Steve Bell asked what would be new in the detailed action plan, as the patterns and strategies have been ongoing for a long time. Mann responded that they would be building on needs identified, particularly around challenges within the judicial system, and inviting the Crown Prosecution Service and Her Majesty's Court Service to be part of the Domestic Abuse Board.

Councillor Kelly raised concerns about reduced reporting in rural areas, and whether counselling for children following a domestic abuse incident is still at the parental discretion. Mann responded that there may be additional barriers and challenges for people in rural areas, and that they would endeavour to make their work as inclusive as possible. The Director of Children's Services confirmed that parents do have discretion to stop counselling.

Care Leavers Strategy and Care Leavers Local Offer

Councillor Lakin introduced the Care Leavers Strategy and Care Leavers Local Offer, explaining that they had been co-produced with care leavers to ensure they are meaningful, accessible, and meet their needs. He said that they had been reviewed and updated as part of the ILAC²'s improvement plan, following the Ofsted inspection in 2023.

Kelda, Assistant Director, explained that the critical element of both documents is the recognition that care leavers are vulnerable, and often need a level of support to ensure they are supported to be the best they can. She said that the documents should be something to be proud of, and that the children led on this, rather than it being a tick box exercise.

Sarah Fox explained that the strategy was very much led by young people in Staffordshire, and that they had been involved in every step of the process, from choosing the font and colours to deciding whether to use an avatar or a real picture.

Bell asked what the top three risks were in terms of the current strategies. Kelda responded that they were mental health, housing, and networks.

Councillor Edgar asked what councillors could do to help with the housing situation. Kelda responded that it was important to work to the joint housing protocol, enable children to apply for housing early, and support the National House Project.

Councillor Wallens asked how they can assure that accommodation is fit for purpose and not riddled with issues like damp and mould. Kelda responded that they have a duty of support, and should be visiting children regularly, going with them to look at properties beforehand, and advocating on their behalf if accommodation is unsuitable.

Councillor Kelly asked whether they had future-proofed the strategy for the increase in numbers coming through the system. Kelda responded that they know the numbers of children coming into care, and are always trying to ensure they get the best value for the small amount they are given to set up home.