Agenda item

Kellie Williams, Community Safety Team Manager gave a presentation on the future of the E-safety sub-group.

The E-Safety Subgroup had been set up as a part of the LSCB originally, but had moved to be a subgroup of the Community Safety Partnership. In previous years, the budget for the group had been around £10,000 but in 2016, it was reported that there would be no budget.

A number of issues with the group were discussed, including dwindling membership, a lack of representation of those working with school-age children, and a lack of specialist knowledge of the ever-changing digital world. Kellie commented that the issues arising around E-safety should be discussed in the other relevant subgroups.

It was therefore recommended to the LSCB that the E-Safety Subgroup should disband, and the issues arising be redirected within the existing subgroups. Kellie commented that as specific issues or areas of concern arose, they would be assigned to a Subgroup or Task and Finish group to work on. The strategic agenda of the work would remain within the Community Safety Team.

Karen Roberts had suggested that the Terms of Reference and Action Plan for the CSE and Missing Subgroup be expanded to include issues around e-safety.

Kellie reported that there was a Government consultation ongoing regarding age verification for access to online pornography. It was agreed that the link to this information and consultation would be circulated. (Action: Kellie Williams)

The work around e-safety had exposed concerns around the training available, which was often not provided by someone with child-facing experience. The LSCB were asked to consider how this could be rectified. There was also not any tracking or co-ordination of the training available in schools. (Action: Jonathan Picken/Emma Anderton/Kellie Williams)

The police had shared information regarding the increase in number of reports of online CSE, and the decrease in ages of victims. In the past 3 months, 4 incidents had involved 10 year olds.

The CSP and Safeguarding Adults Board had approved the recommendation.

Arising from the Board’s discussion of the issue, it was noted that:

• Work was required around the transition between Children’s Social Care and Adult’s Social Care for young people with learning disabilities, particularly regarding E-safety. It was noted that young adults with learning disabilities were often perpetrators and victims of online crimes.
• A report regarding CSE training in schools had been received at the CSE/Missing Strategy Sub-Group, however the data had been collated so the individual schools and resultant gaps could not be identified. The presentation of it would be discussed with Debbie Smith. (Action: Debbie Smith/Alison Burnell). The LSCB noted that the Board may need to write to schools individually in order to ensure it receives accurate information.
• The Children and Young People’s Partnership Board should be informed and consulted on the issue and receive the presentation. (Action: Kellie Williams/Janette Karklins/Gareth Barnard)
• Governance and accountability of e-safety provision needed to be handled carefully if the issue was split over several groups.
• The Safeguarding Adults Partnership Board had agreed to the recommendations, but had not provided a co-ordinated response due to the minimal impact on adults.
• It was recognised that there were no schools representatives present at the meeting (18 March), and so there could not be an immediate response from schools.
• It was noted that Children’s Centres had already engaged with the issue, and were including e-safety provision in their parenting courses.

The LSCB concluded that the disbanding of the E-Safety Sub-Group should not result in a total suspension of all oversight,, until more robust governance was in place. It was suggested that in the interim the Community Safety Partnership, Children and Young People Partnership and the LSCB chairs should meet and discuss the issue. (Action: Alex Walters)