The People Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Shropshire Council met on Wednesday 21 October 2026 to review performance reports for adults and children's services, and to discuss the Shropshire Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2025/26. Key discussions included improvements in adult social care, challenges within children's services, and the effectiveness of safeguarding measures across the county.

Quarterly Performance Monitoring Report - Adults

The committee received an update on the performance of adult social care services, highlighting progress in several key areas. Support for carers has seen improvements, with an increase in assessments completed and a broader range of support available. The report indicated that over 1,600 new carer assessments were completed in the last 12 months, with 98% of these finalised within the 28-day timeframe. The council's approach recognises that not all carers require a formal assessment, with many accessing information, advice, and peer support through various channels, including digital resources and community-based assistance. Interactions outside of normal working hours were noted, with 59% occurring outside of standard working hours and 22% over the weekend, demonstrating the need for accessible support at various times.

Safeguarding services continue to be responded to promptly, with a same-day response model in place that has maintained a no-waitlist position despite increasing demand. Over the past 12 months, 674 safeguarding concerns were received, with 79% progressing to a Section 42 inquiry. Domestic abuse remains the most frequent concern, accounting for approximately one-third of inquiries. Feedback from individuals indicated that 97.55% felt their desired outcomes were fully or partially achieved.

Sensory services have seen a significant reduction in waiting times, with the number of people waiting decreasing from over 600 to around 150. This has been achieved through a specialist team delivering tailored support and the introduction of waiting well checks. The team has also focused on supporting rural and hard-to-reach communities through partnerships with organisations like Age UK.

Direct payments have seen an increase in uptake, with 97 new starts and 29 closures during the reporting period. Payments are implemented promptly once authorised, with urgent exceptions available. The council is also developing its Individual Service Fund offer, which provides flexibility for individuals to manage their care arrangements.

Co-production is becoming more established, with people with lived experience, carers, and partners contributing to service improvements. This approach ensures that services are shaped by the needs and priorities of those who use them, rather than solely by organisational views.

Members raised questions regarding the specific figures for domestic abuse, the effectiveness of programmes aimed at reducing these numbers, and the data on repeat safeguarding contacts. Officers committed to providing more specific data in future reports and focusing on domestic abuse as a particular area of interest. The committee also discussed the increase in safeguarding referrals, with officers attributing this to increased awareness and improved training, while acknowledging the growing complexity of referrals. The timeliness and quality of EHCPs were also discussed, with improvements noted in timeliness and a focus on quality assurance audits.

Quarterly Performance Monitoring Report - Children

The committee received an update on children's services performance, noting a rise in the number of children looked after, from 111 per 10,000 to 117 per 10,000. This increase is attributed to several factors, including the arrival of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and a higher number of social work vacancies. The report highlighted ongoing work to address these challenges, including a review of high-cost placements and efforts to expedite the recruitment of social workers.

Significant focus was placed on children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The number of requests for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has increased, with 3,746 children currently holding an EHCP. The timeliness of EHCPs has improved, with performance rising to 50%, exceeding the national average. Efforts are also being made to improve the quality of EHCPs, with an increasing number of quality assurance audits being conducted.

Concerns were raised about the widening disadvantage gap between children eligible for free school meals and those who are not. The committee also discussed the role of health visitors and the importance of early language support, with a commitment to explore this further in future reports.

The report also touched upon the Children's Safeguarding Partnership Annual Report 2025/26, which provides an overview of how safeguarding partners have worked collectively to safeguard children. Key areas of focus included early help, prevention, and multi-agency practice.

Children's Safeguarding Partnership Annual Report 2025/26

The committee received an update on the Shropshire Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2025/26. The report details how the partnership has worked collectively to safeguard children, highlighting progress in areas such as early help, with 1,525 contacts received and 898 families supported. A low level of repeat contacts into social care was noted. The report also indicated that 93% of child protection conferences led to a full child protection plan, suggesting appropriate referrals and shared risk assessments. The number of children looked after reduced from 717 to 665 during the reporting year, although this has since increased.

The partnership has focused on implementing national reforms, including the Families First Partnership programme, and has strengthened its independent scrutiny and quality assurance processes. Learning from child safeguarding practice reviews has been used to drive improvements, with a focus on themes such as neglect and child sexual abuse.

Key risks identified include stretched partnership capacity and the implementation of national reforms. The report outlines plans for 2026/27, including embedding national reforms, revising the local thresholds document, and strengthening the multi-agency response to child sexual abuse.

Members raised questions regarding the capacity of the business unit supporting the partnership and the timeline for a resourcing review. Officers explained that the business unit's capacity is stretched due to increasing demands and the need to support multiple safeguarding functions. A review is underway to ensure sufficient capacity and resilience.

The committee also discussed the effectiveness of the partnership arrangements, with independent scrutiny providing challenge and strengthening governance. Improvements in escalation arrangements and learning dissemination were noted. Audit activity included a Child Protection Medical Audit, which highlighted areas for improvement in chaperone use, police report sharing, and ensuring families receive information leaflets. A Daily Sexual Abuse Consultation audit found that while COMPASS is robustly managing allegations, areas for strengthening include consistent use of the Brook Traffic Light Tool and clarifying timing with police action.

The report also detailed the Early Help Service's effectiveness, showing that earlier help is reaching more families and preventing escalation. EHAST has seen a significant increase in contacts and a low rate of escalation to social care. The transformation of early help is shifting demand towards earlier support, with fewer children starting a looked-after episode.

The committee noted the importance of the Family Help Together approach, which aims to provide a seamless, end-to-end system of support for children and families. This approach emphasizes relationship-based practice, trauma-informed care, and safe uncertainty, ensuring that children's needs are met at the right time and in the right way.

Work Programme

The committee reviewed its work programme, noting that several areas discussed during the meeting, such as support for unpaid carers, workforce recruitment and retention, SEND reforms, and the financial implications of preventative services, would be incorporated into future scrutiny. Recommendations were made to include specific data on care leavers not in suitable accommodation, information on health visitors, and a focus on the Best Start in Life programme in future reports. The committee also agreed to review the impact of the Achieving and Thriving in Shropshire education strategy in approximately a year's time, with a focus on the authority's statutory role in relation to academies. The committee also expressed a desire to explore what actions could be taken to support early language development throughout the county.

The next meeting of the People Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled for Wednesday, 13 January 2027.