Agenda and minutes

Apologies had been received from Councillor Phoday Jarjussey.  Councillor Jazz Dhillon was present as his substitute.

RESOLVED:  That all items of business be considered in public.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 12 January 2017 be agreed as a correct record. 

The Chairman welcomed those present to the meeting and thanked them for giving up their time to attend.  The purpose of the meeting was to enable Members of the External Services Scrutiny Committee and representatives from the Social Services, Housing & Public Health and Children, Young People & Learning Policy Overview Committees to receive an update and understand / make comment on / challenge the current situation in the Borough with regard to child sexual exploitation (CSE).  A similar meeting had been held in January 2015. 

It was noted that the police had been criticised during the Rotherham enquiry in relation to attitudinal issues where young people reporting CSE had not received a positive response.  Similarly, the attitude of officers at the local authority in Rotherham had not been helpful.  Members were keen to establish what training, awareness raising and processes were in place to deal with reports of CSE in Hillingdon. 

Dr Steve Hajioff, the Council's Director of Public Health, advised that there had been an enormous culture shift in relation to awareness and attitude since the cases in Rotherham, Oxford and Stafford.  This had manifested itself in a growing reception and desire amongst agencies to act on CSE reports.  Although some individuals treated reports of CSE as a tick box exercise, it was not necessarily a bad thing to be emotionally disengaged and more objective. 

Dr Hajioff noted that levels of post traumatic stress in Hillingdon was greater in Hillingdon, primarily because of the volume of unaccompanied asylum seeking children in the Borough, and was linked to repeat trauma which would include issues such as CSE.

A/DCI Steve O'Connor from the Hillingdon Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) advised that a Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) had been set up to bring together safeguarding professionals from a variety of agencies in one secure location.  The MASH shared information about vulnerable people and aimed to improve the quality of safeguarding.  From 28 February 2017, a second Detective Investigator would be in post.

It was thought to be less likely that a CSE victim would walk into a police station to report their abuse and more likely that CSE was linked to missing persons.  When front line police officers received a report, they would grade and assess each one and MASH officers flagged those with CSE issues that might have been missed.  Although the MASH was currently reviewing 40 reports, some of these were in relation to missing persons who had problems at home so would not be deemed to be CSE.  These reports would be monitored and assessed to ensure that there were no long term implications. 

With regard to reports of CSE to the police, a crime report was created which identified that the young person might be at risk.  A strategy meeting was then held to grade the risk and look at how to move forward.  Agencies would then work with the family and put together a safety plan with triggers (schools might be involved if they were deemed to be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

Consideration was given to the Committee's Work Programme.  It was noted that the next meeting would be focussing on the work of the Safer Hillingdon Partnership.  Members noted that the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) operating systems were changing and that there would be implications for the Borough.  To enable the Committee to scrutinise these changes in a useful way, a centrally based MPS representative would need to be invited as a witness. 

Members noted that the Probation Service had not attended an External Services Scrutiny Committee meeting for some time and, as such, it was agreed that representatives be invited to attend the meeting on 15 March 2017.  It was agreed that the MPS would also be invited to attend this meeting. 

Dr Steve Hajioff, the Council's Director of Public Health, advised that drug and alcohol services were contracted externally by the Council.  As the contractor was not making the lower level referrals, it was suggested that they be asked to also attend the Committee's next meeting along with the Youth Offending Team (YOT).

Rather than inviting the Stronger Communities Manager to provide a Prevent update to the Committee at a future meeting, it was agreed that she be asked to provide a briefing session for all Members.  The Interim Senior Democratic Services Manager would email the Committee to ask them for any specific issues that they would like this briefing session to cover.

RESOLVED:  That:

1.    The Probation Service, MPS, drug and alcohol service contractors and the YOT be invited to attend the meeting on 15 March 2017;

2.    the Interim Senior Democratic Services Manager email the Committee to ask for specific issues that they would like a Prevent briefing session to cover; and

3.    the Work Programme be noted.