Purpose

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member
for Adults and Health seeking approval for the proposal for
amalgamation of Southampton Safeguarding Children Partnership
(SSCP) and Southampton Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB) to be
incorporated under The Southampton Children and Adults Safeguarding
Partnership (SCASP).
 
The purpose of the partnership is to support
the Statutory Safeguarding Partners and Relevant Agencies to fulfil
their responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare
of children and adults at risk and/or have needs for care and
support.
 
SCASP will provide effective and informed
leadership to the local safeguarding system and deliver a shared
responsibility for the safeguarding of children, young people and
adults at risk in Southampton. The Partnership also seeks to engage
with children, young people, adults and their families to inform
its work and provide added value.
 
The current structure is not aligned with a
high number of subgroups and meetings, where similar agenda items
are discussed and duplicated. The proposal aims to secure the ethos
of working as a whole system for all residents of Southampton,
recognising that each are members of the community and working
together will promote the safeguarding of all by the multi-agency
partnership.
 

Decision

(i) 
To support the establishment of the Southampton Children and Adults
Safeguarding Partnership (SCASP) as an outside body supported by
the Council. It is proposed that the SCASP will meet bi-monthly to
oversee the executive decision making. 
This will be chaired by the Chief Executive of the Council, with
attendance by the statutory decision makers (the Lead and/or
Designated Safeguarding Partners) from the Hampshire and Isle of
Wight Constabulary, NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight and the
Directors of Adult and Children Social Care.
(ii) 
It is recommended that the Independent Scrutineer of the SSCP
becomes the overall Independent Scrutineer of the SCASP.
(iii) 
The Adult and Children Systems Board will meet on a quarterly basis
to address the work of the subgroup activity and to gain assurance
or provide challenge on the effectiveness of the safeguarding
functions across the partnership.  This
will be chaired by one of the Delegated Safeguarding Partners with
membership from each of the statutory partners, including
education, the Safe City Partnership and relevant agencies, as well
as the Independent Scrutineer.  Lead
members will be in attendance to provide a two-way line of
communication to Cabinet or Committee.
(iv) 
The subgroup activity of the SCASP will be streamlined to promote
shared learning, timely decision making around reviews and a shared
quality assurance system across the partnership.  This will serve to promote the integration of
learning for all agencies in the system who work with children,
families and adults, recognising that partners will work with and
come into contact with everyone in the Southampton community for
the purpose of prevention and safeguarding.