Decision details

The Independent Chair of Bracknell Forest Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) presented its annual report 2011/12 on the effectiveness of safeguarding and child protection practice in the locality.

The report set out the various ways that the LSCB assessed the effectiveness of local safeguarding arrangements including:

• Section 11 safeguarding self-assessments
• Individual case analysis (including child deaths and Serious Case Reviews)
• Review of safeguarding incidents
• Review of performance management information.

The report also detailed the LSCB’s achievements in 2011/12, the challenges faced during this year and provided statistical information giving comparative data with previous years.

Arising from Members’ questions and comments, the following points were made:

• The number of first time entrants to the Youth Justice system had increased by 68% between 2010/11 and 2011/12.  This was partly due to a Thames Valley Police restructure and the numbers were now reducing. Information in respect of youth offending preventative work would be circulated to the Panel.
• There had been a 16% reduction in the number of sexual offences against those aged 17 and under in 2011/12 compared with the previous year. This continued to be a high priority for the Board.
• There was no direct correlation between the rise in the number of statutory homeless children and the number of first time entrants to the Youth Justice system. However the level of homelessness and the impact on families of changes in the benefit system continued to be monitored closely.
• The composition of the Clinical Commissioning Group was reported.
• It was agreed to circulate information to clarify the graph illustrating the rate of statutory homeless children 2010-2012. It was thought that there were currently no children in bed and breakfast accommodation outside the Borough.

The Panel noted the Local Safeguarding Children Board 2011/12 Annual Report and thanked Alex Walters, Independent Chair, for her presentation.