Agenda item

To accept the report which is the second quarterly report from the Chair of the Response Plan Programme Board.

The report was submitted by Cllr Nia Jeffreys.

DECISION

To accept the report which is the second quarterly report from the Chair of the Response Plan Programme Board. 

DISCUSSION

It was highlighted that this was the second quarterly report by the Chair of the Response Plan Programme Board.

It was explained that the Child Practice Review had been published on 4 November. The courage of the victims and survivors was highlighted, noting that they were at the forefront of everyone's minds when discussing this difficult topic.

It was noted that the report was horrific to read and that it highlighted the Council's failures. A sincere apology was offered to the victims and all those affected by the heinous offences, assuring that the Council would act on the recommendations of the Child Practice Review.

It was stated that the report submitted to the Cabinet provided an update on the work of the Response Plan Programme Board. The report had been prepared by the Independent Chair of the Board, Professor Sally Holland. It was explained that this Report had been written prior to the publication of the Child Practice Review, and that the Board had not yet had an opportunity to meet following this publication.

The Chair of the Response Plan Programme Board was welcomed to the meeting. It was acknowledged that the Child Practice Review had been published and the findings were appalling. It was noted that the wider culture of bullying and unacceptable behaviour by this Headteacher, and the missed opportunities to challenge and prevent further harm, made for sober reading. 

It was stressed that change was needed, particularly in wider cultural matters of challenging bad or unacceptable practices and a system for handling concerns and complaints.

At the Board's next meeting in December, a plan would have been drawn up and a set of effectiveness measures updated. The Plan would reflect the recommendations from the Child Practice Review and would continue to review the terms of reference to strengthen ways of working.

Reference was made to the Board's report when mentioning the progress that had been made since the previous report, as well as the areas that had been more challenging. It was reiterated that there was a need for a culture of challenge across the Local Authority and the need for that to be present in the Board. It was noted that this included written updates from Officers, impact measures, inspection reports, and it was added that the Chair was meeting with the agents to discuss their experiences of the Plan.

It was confirmed by the Chair that she and other Board members wanted Gwynedd to succeed in their response. It was stated that she wanted the people of Gwynedd to be confident that the safeguarding system will do the work needed to ensure that every child is supported and thrives.

The importance of offering transparency in the work in progress was highlighted, stressing that this work would be difficult and resource-consuming.

Observations arising from the discussion:

·       It was agreed on the importance of listening to the child's voice, and it was noted that there were several aspects of including the child's voice on which the Council could develop and undertake positive work. It was highlighted that suggestions from the Board would be included in the new Gwynedd Plan to ensure that the voice of the child was emphasised, and that their voices are included in strategic decisions.

·       Concern for resources was noted noting the long-term role of the Welsh Government in ensuring that the systems of Cyngor Gwynedd are robust, and prioritising resources for this vital work. Reference was made to the additional temporary resources that had previously been provided to Gwynedd by the Government to undertake this work, and it was noted that it was hoped that any new measures would be adequately funded.

·       Assurances were provided that all necessary steps would be taken to address any case of misconduct or failure to meet the statutory or professional requirements.