The Safeguarding and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee reviewed the Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2025/26 and the findings of a Joint Targeted Area Inspection (JTAI) into the multi-agency response to child sexual abuse in the family environment. The committee also discussed updates to its work programme for 2026/27.

Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2025/26

The committee received the Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (SSCP) Annual Report for 2025/26, which detailed the partnership's progress in safeguarding children across Staffordshire. The report highlighted achievements in strengthening the Integrated Front Door (IFD) service, improving responses to child sexual abuse in the family environment (CSAFE), and developing approaches to contextual safeguarding and domestic abuse.

Key strengths identified included a child-focused approach, professional curiosity among practitioners, and effective multi-agency working. The IFD, in particular, was noted as a significant improvement, with Ofsted recognising stronger leadership and more effective decision-making. The report also detailed learning from audits, inspections, and child safeguarding practice reviews, with ongoing efforts to embed this learning into frontline practice.

Areas for development included the need for greater consistency in practice across all agencies and pathways, improved data analysis to understand prevalence and outcomes, and enhanced information-sharing arrangements. The report also highlighted challenges in workforce capacity and the sustainability of resourcing the partnership's functions.

Joint Targeted Area Inspection of Child Sexual Abuse in the Family Environment

The committee reviewed the findings of a Joint Targeted Area Inspection (JTAI) into Staffordshire's multi-agency response to child sexual abuse in the family environment. The inspection found that while practitioners are child-focused and professionally curious, and the IFD responds effectively in most situations, there are inconsistencies in the quality and timeliness of responses.

Strengths identified included the commitment of senior leaders, the emphasis on the voice of the child, and effective multi-agency decision-making within the IFD due to co-location. Police investigations were generally timely and of good quality, and commissioned specialist services provided valuable support.

Areas for improvement included the pace of implementing a clear strategy for CSAFE, better data analysis, more consistent information sharing, and improved safety planning. The inspection noted that CSAFE is not always explicitly named in assessments and planning, potentially leading to a lack of focus. Workforce capacity and the need for more multi-agency training were also highlighted. The report detailed the actions that safeguarding partners will take in response to the inspection findings, with a written statement of proposed action to be submitted by 12 November 2026.

Work Programme 2026/27

The committee discussed updates to its work programme for 2026/27. Key additions included interim reports on the Community Safety Strategy Delivery Plan and Domestic Abuse Action Plan, and a pre-decision item on Review In-house Children's Residential Sufficiency Investment. The committee also agreed to formally appoint members to the Unregistered Placements and Sufficiency Working Group. A discussion also took place regarding the inclusion of the JTAI findings on the work programme for future scrutiny, with a proposal to invite relevant partners to attend an upcoming meeting.

The committee also noted the ongoing work to improve data collection and analysis, with the implementation of LiquidLogic, a new case management system, expected to enhance visibility and understanding of caseloads and data throughput. The importance of ensuring that all partners, including health and police, are present for future scrutiny sessions was emphasised.