Agenda item

Presentation by Chief Social Work & Public Protection Officeron the strategic risks facing the Services and the internal controls and governance in place to manage / mitigate those risks to demonstrate how risk management is embedded within Services. (Verbal presentation).

3.1       The Chief Social Work and Public Protection Officer, Mr Easingwood, was in attendance to brief the Committee on the strategic risks facing the various services within social work and public protection and explained the internal controls and governance in place to manage and mitigate those risks.  Mr Easingwood explained that the presentation focussed on elements relating or pertaining to children and young people and public protection within the areas of service he managed, namely: adult social work services, adoption and fostering, children and families, out of hour’s service (inc emergency duty team), criminal justice services, mental health, public protection, quality standards and inspections, safer communities and youth justice.  Risk registers for each of the services were developed through social work and public protection processes and were owned by Service Managers within that service.  Risks were regularly reviewed by the Services Management Team and when necessary, were escalated to Corporate Management Team (CMT).

3.2       Mr Easingwood explained that a new Public Protection Governance model had been in place since January which had merged the Child and Adult Protection Committee into one.  The nature of the service was such that it would never be possible to eliminate risk but the aim was to try and mitigate risk as much as possible and embedded processes were in place.  The changes implemented would include a new suite of performance indicators.  Mr Easingwood then went on to give a brief overview of the risks within each service.  With regard to self-evaluation and input from service users, Mr Easingwood advised that while such evaluation was well embedded within Adult Protection there was still work to be done to ensure the inclusion of the views of the child.  He further advised that the Care Inspectorate were taking a close interest in the inclusion of these services under one umbrella.  In response to a question, Mr Easingwood explained that work was being carried out with schools with regard to pupils’ use of smart phones and the need for a uniform policy.  Mr Easingwood further advised on the challenge of recruiting qualified social workers, which was a national problem.  Work on innovative traineeships and how to make the roles more attractive in the Scottish Borders was being undertaken.  There was a concern raised regarding high tariff child placements,  In addition to the potential financial impacts of children and young people being placed outwith the Borders it was noted that there tended to be poorer outcomes for these children and the aim was to keep as many as possible in the Borders.  Work continued to try and bring more children back to the Borders and there were proposals to develop services with the Aberlour Trust.  A model was needed to allow engagement with families at an earlier stage to try and mitigate problems before the escalated.  There was an increasing requirement for supervision of children and their parents being required by both the Children’s Panel and the courts.  In order that there was a better understanding of the implications of such orders there had been active engagement with the Children’s Panel and a joint training session with Child Protection.  The Chairman thanked Mr Easingwood for his presentation.

DECISION

NOTED the presentation.