Safeguarding issues raised over protection of Calderdale children during the pandemic

Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Board Chair Coun Colin Raistrick (Ind, Hipperholme and Lightcliffe) welcomed work done particularly the success of the new Calderdale

Safeguarding Children Partnership, which had produced the report, and members had questions over a number of areas.

Coun Ann Kingstone (Lab, Skircoat) wanted to know what was the evidence that police had seen concerns addressed, of children committing less crime and needing protection.

Superintendent Mick Brown of Calderdale Police said record systems showed respect of children committing crime, and of crimes committed against children, and they were as confident as they can be that children were getting important early interventions – a collaborative process with partners – to deal with problems before they escalated.

The council’s Director of Children and Young People’s Services, Julie Jenkins, explained the process which included a multi-agency screening team and, where a situation did not meet the need for a social care intervention an early help hub to ensure help at a much earlier stage.

Meetings had been weekly between social care colleagues and secondary and primary schools.

Coun Danielle Durrans (Lab, Ovenden) asked about the impact COVID had on young people and Ms Jenkins said they were just starting to see what this might be in the long term, including levels of anxiety.

Ms Jenkins said schools were doing more pastoral work and the teams also needed to monitor a larger number of children being home educated.

Coun Helen Rivron (Lab, Ovenden) asked if the capacity was there to deal with mental health issues which would be the biggest challenge coming out of COVID, in a service that was already stretched before.

Penny Woodhead of Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group said a wide range of early intervention work was undertaken.

Coun Raistrick was concerned about consanguinity infant death issues and was told health professionals were developing a West Yorkshire-wide approach towards the issue and a report was being prepared which would be brought to the board.

Other issues raised by board members included child mortality, including availability of safe sleeping materials.

Ms Jenkins said delivering services during the COVID-19 pandemic had been challenging for health professionals who had to ensure they had their eyes on all children, particularly on vulnerable children, and on children who were not attending school.

She said Board Chair Coun Raistrick said to her when the pandemic began that it was the time to make sure staff were there and children safe.

“I am confident we did.

“It’s been an incredible effort and taken its toll on our staff, going out doing very challenging work,” she said.

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