Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Abdullahi Nur and Rebecca Timms.

Any member of the Council who has a disclosable pecuniary interest in a matter to be considered at the meeting is reminded to disclose the interest to the meeting and to leave the Chamber while any discussion or vote on the matter takes place.

Members are also reminded that if they have any other significant interest in a matter to be considered at the meeting, which they feel should be declared in the public interest, such interests should be declared to the meeting. In such circumstances Members should consider whether their continued participation, in the matter relating to the interest, would be reasonable in the circumstances, particularly if the interest may give rise to a perception of a conflict of interests, or whether they should leave the Chamber while any discussion or vote on the matter takes place.

No declarations of interest were made.

The minutes of the meeting held on 3 July 2025 are submitted for confirmation.

The minutes of the meeting held on 3 July 2025 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Chair introduced the item and welcomed guests from across the Partnership to the meeting. The Chair also welcomed Chris Munday, Children’s Improvement Advisor (London Region), Local Government Association, who was assisting the Committee with its scrutiny.

Emma Biskupski, Local Safeguarding Children Partnership Business Development Manager, summarised the purpose of the report and noted the Partnership no longer had an Independent Chair, and instead was chaired by each of the three Safeguarding Partners (Local Authority, Police, ICB) on a rotating basis.

The Chair invited comments or questions from the Committee. Members of the Committee:

1.    Asked how the partnership identified and safeguarded missing children. Officers outlined a range of measures and procedures, including quarterly reporting, coordination with the dedicated Missing Coordinator in Children’s Services and the ‘MisPer’ team in the Police, strategy meetings, escalation processes and return home interviews.

2.    Raised concern about potential child abuse and sexual exploitation of children in London and asked how the Partnership coordinated prevention work and support for victims. Officers advised that there was no profile of organised sexual exploitation in the borough, however organised criminal exploitation was evident and the Council worked closely with the police, safeguarding teams, youth engagement officers, the youth justice service, and community safety colleagues to identify vulnerable children and provide support and alternative pathways. DSI Reseigh added that the police were working locally to disrupt criminal activity, with over 150 individual disruptions of exploitation confirmed over the previous 12-month period.

3.    Asked how the Partnership ensured children at risk of domestic abuse were identified as early as possible. Officers outlined a range of single and multi-agency coordinated training initiatives to improve awareness of domestic abuse and equip practitioners with the tools to support victims.

4.    Discussed how the Partnership safeguarded against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). NHS North West London Integrated Care Board (NWL ICB) partners confirmed mandatory reporting duties, specialised training and support services for victims of FGM or those at risk.

5.    Discussed support for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

6.    Challenged whether the Partnership had sufficient resources to successfully discharge its duties. Council officers stated that the Council was confident it was providing an effective safeguarding service with existing resources, given Ofsted’s inspection rating of ‘Outstanding’ after the 2024 inspection. There were concerns that the government’s Fairer Funding Review would constrain the Council’s ability to carry out its safeguarding duties effectively.

7.    Challenged the Police regarding misconduct at Charing Cross Police Station and how the Police could effectively carry out its safeguarding duties. DSI Reseigh provided assurance that a root and branch review of internal practices and behaviours was underway and colleagues would be empowered to identify and call out malpractice, with offenders being removed from their positions. He added that the Police were aware that trust had been damaged in the community and the organisation would work to repair rebuild community relationships.

8.    Received assurance, in response to a Member’s concern, that Gender Questioning Children Practice Guidelines were developed with reference to recent legal judgements  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The Chair introduced the item and invited Cllr Catherine Faulks, Lead Member for Family and Children’s Services, Angela Flahive, Head of Safeguarding Review and Quality Assurance, and Steve Bywater, Programme Manager, to introduce the report. The Lead Member noted that the required service changes brought on by the reforms would be more challenging due to planned funding cuts for inner-London boroughs following the Fairer Funding review 2025, however the Council would work with partners to deliver a more integrated service.

The Committee were invited to ask questions or comment on the report. Members:

1.    Discussed the national target for 75% of children to have a ‘Good Level of Development’ when they started school and how the Council would meet the new target. The Lead Member had written to the Secretary of State for Education to challenge the formulation of the specific target for Kensington and Chelsea as it appeared to have been set arbitrarily.

2.    Discussed whether a bi-borough children’s social care service would lead to better outcomes for families and children. Officers were aware that impending reductions in funding following the Fairer Funding Review could impact upon the Council’s ability to continue to deliver outstanding services, however there was a commitment to maintain staff levels for those working directly with families.

3.    Emphasised the importance of Family Hubs providing access to support that would empower parents and foster independence, both in person and digitally.

4.    Asked how the reforms would enhance services for families and children. Officers advised that one aspect of the Families First reforms would be to potentially provide more opportunities for “family group decision making”.

5.    Highlighted the importance of effectively communicating the early help and Family Hub offer to parents. Officers confirmed work had been undertaken over the previous 18 months to increase local awareness of Family Hubs and the digital offer, with further communications work planned to reach more people.

6.    Recommended the risks and considerations highlighted in the report be regularly reviewed and progress reported back to the Committee.

The Committee discussed the work programme and AGREED:

1.    The work programme as set out in the report.

2.    The visits programme should include visits to local schools, ensuring representation of faith and non-denominational schools.

Action: Governance Officer