Decision details

8.1

The Executive Director, Children, Young People and Families submitted a report in relation to an assessment of Child Sexual Exploitation Services in Sheffield. A motion was passed at Full Council on 3 September 2014 requesting that an assessment of child sexual exploitation services be undertaken in response to the publication of Professor Alexis Jay’s Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Rotherham. The report and Executive Summary were presented in response to this request, summarising the activity that had been undertaken in a number of areas.

8.2

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:-

(a)

agrees the scope and findings of the Assessment into Child Sexual Exploitation Services in Sheffield and agrees with it being presented to Full Council on 7 January 2015;

(b)

endorses the outcomes and following recommendations from the meeting of the Children, Young People and Family Support Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee at its meeting held on 15 December 2014 which considered the report:-

“That the Scrutiny Committee:-

(i)

write to the Crown Prosecution Service (copying in Sheffield MP’s) in support of the  issues highlighted in the assessment that continuing work is required with the judiciary system to explain the complexities of CSE, to increase the level of knowledge and understanding about the complexities of the issue;

(ii)

write to the Health and Wellbeing Board regarding the Committee’s concerns about a lack of resources and appropriateness of services for young people’s health pathways;

(iii)

requests specific training in terms of interpretation of figures and statistics to enable proper scrutiny to assist members in their scrutiny role. This is in line with one of the identified areas for development within the assessment;

(iv)

requests that officers from the Children and Families Service continue to engage with parents and carers as part of the process;

(v)

requests a copy of the case audit toolkit that was used in the assessment;

(vi)

write to staff in the Children, Young People and Families portfolio who were involved in the production of the assessment to thank them for their dedication and hard work; and

(vii)

write to the young people involved in producing the assessment to thank them for their involvement”; and

(c)

requests that the Children, Young People and Families Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee:-

(i)

in writing to the Crown Prosecution Service highlight particular issues which needed to be addressed such as the need to speed up the Court process;

(ii)

in terms of requesting training on statistics, that this be expanded to include understanding what data is available/ different types of data to assist members in their Scrutiny role; and

(iii)

in the letter to young people outline what had happened as a result of their involvement in addition to thanking them for their involvement.

8.3

Reasons for Decision

8.3.1

The report was being presented to Cabinet as part of the governance and scrutiny arrangements to ensure that there was full political oversight of the assessment. Cabinet will need to assure themselves that the scope of the assessment satisfies them that:-

·         the current delivery of child sexual exploitation services in Sheffield were sufficiently robust

·         the areas for development identified within the report were appropriate and proportionate

8.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

8.4.1

There were no alternative options presented in the report.

8.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

None

8.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

None

8.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

Jayne Ludlam, Executive Director, Children, Young People and Families

8.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

Children, Young People and Family Support