Reviewed/updated by RA17th Oct and Strategic Group 4th Sept 2013

Cornwall Housing- Safeguarding Action Plan

This Action Plan covers both children/young people and vulnerable adults. It follows the format of the Section 11 forms required for Ofsted.

Key Actions / Responsible Officer / Target Completion Date / Risks / Status
1. How will safeguarding be embedded within Cornwall Housing?
Board Members / Jane Barlow
Ray Ashmore / Arrange safeguarding session at Board away day
By Dec 2013 / Lack of leadership and ownership of the agenda could weaken the company’s response to the agenda.
Attend Corporate Safeguarding Group meetings to co-ordinate activity, share information, ideas and action plans.
. / Jane Barlow
Ray Ashmore / Ongoing
Meeting held 15th April 2013 / Non attendance could result in missed opportunities to share good practice and learning.
Cornwall Housing Alternative Service Delivery Safeguarding Group to share good practice with other ASDs. / Jane Barlow / Ongoing / That ASDs do not share in learning and good practice / Meetings scheduled until July 2014
Housing Safeguarding Action Plan is reviewed on a regular basisat Directors Leadership Team. / Ray Ashmore / Ongoing / Actions are not achieved and response to safeguarding is not sufficiently robust. / DLT agenda item
CornwallHousing Strategic Safeguarding Group / Jane Barlow / Ongoing / Lack of consistency in approach across all directorates without clear leads in each area and a corporate steer
Ensure Advocates are supported. (Safeguarding Advocates can be trained by Cornwall Council via the Corporate Safeguarding Steering Group through support and review sessions which will take place regularly.) / Jane Barlow
Ray Ashmore
Mel Palethorpe
Corporate Safeguarding Group / Ongoing
Corporate Safeguarding Advocate’s meeting held 16th May 2013
Advocates Training organised for 6th Sept 2013 / Cornwall Housing managers allow designated advocates the time, capacity and resource to fulfil their role as an advocate.
Staff do not know who their advocates are or how to report a concern. / Regular events organised by Corporate and other Groups
Make staff aware of Advocates in West, Mid and East and the process for reporting concerns. / Ray Ashmore / Leaflet added to front page of CHL Intranet
With Corporate Group draw up Training Matrix to identify staff levels and appropriate training requirement.
Build Training Record for Housing Staff highlighting training needed and completed. / Jane Barlow
Ray Ashmore
Mel Palethorpe
Managers / Draft for new training plan to JB 21st Jan 2013
Reviewed April 2013 and to CC training unit for comment / Changes that could be made by Corporate Group.
Managers not identifying service need.
Identify best practice across the Housing Service to be included in the LSCB Section 11 and Adult (SAB) Audits. (Self Assessment) / Everyone / Summer and Winter reviews. January deadline annually. / Not starting work early enough to meet the January deadline. / Meetings to be arranged.Agenda item Strategic Group.
Regular Safeguarding updates given to DLT meetings. / Jane Barlow
Ray Ashmore / Bi-monthly / Failure to add Safeguarding to DLT agenda.
Presentations not given at DLT in a timely manner. / Regular agenda item
Housing Advocates meet regularly. / Jane Barlow
Ray Ashmore / Ongoing / Staff not attending meetings.
Managers not allowing staff time to attend meetings. / New meeting schedule for 13/14 to be put in place
Regular monitoring of Housing referrals (including Young Persons Protocol referrals). / Ray Ashmore
Advocates
Managers and front-line staff / New Safeguarding email Inbox being piloted / Staff not keeping up-to-date with information input.
Failure to record important incidents/actions.
Review trends in Safeguarding Concerns from monitoring records. / Jane Barlow
Ray Ashmore
Advocates Group. / Email Inbox system and spreadsheet will be reviewed at Strategic meetings and Advocates meetings / Staff failure to input information into the systems.
Inconsistent input of information making data meaningless.
Client and Concerns information secured. CC Information Sharing Protocol understood by Advocates, Managers and Front line staff. / All / Reminder issued to staff 13th June 2013
(Data protection and retention of doc policy WIP) / Sensitive information leaked to persons who do not need to know.
Consider recommendations from Serious Case Reviews and the impact on services and identify where improvements can be made. Action any requirements from SCR Audits in a timely manner. / Jane Barlow
Ray Ashmore
DLT
Senior Managers / Following SCRs. / Recommendations not reviewed.
Actions not implemented in a timely manner. / Standard procedure following all SCRs
Advocates, Managers and Front line staff are informed of Lessons Learned from Serious Case Reviews. / Jane Barlow
Ray Ashmore
Managers / Following completed SCRs
(Note to managers in Team Brief) / Failure to hold training sessions or provide information sheets on Lessons Learned.
Non-attendance by staff at Lessons Learned training sessions. / Rolling schedule of presentations to staff
2. How does the Housing Service safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults?
Promote staff awareness via Housing Updates, Team Meetings, Lessons Learned training, advice emails, leaflets, posters. Regular agenda items audited by Strategic Group. / Jane Barlow
Ray Ashmore
Managers / Ongoing
Regular Safeguarding Briefings. / Updates not given in a timely manner.
Safeguarding not included on Agendas. / Rolling schedule of meetings
Staff training in accordance with the CHL Training Matrix and Housing need via Leaflet, Group and E-Learning. See Section 7.Additional training at the discretion of senior managers. / Ray Ashmore
Mel Palethorpe
Managers / Ongoing
New Training Programmed being developed / Non-availability of training courses.
Managers not giving staff time to do courses.
Staff not attending courses or not completing E-learning packages allocated. / Ongoing
Partake in multi-agency activity/meetings to safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults: including Triggers Protocol; YP Protocol; Prevention Panels; Migwag; MARU,MAPPA, MARAC, TAC, CAF. sharing information as appropriate. / Ray Ashmore
Stuart Blackie
Managers
Front line staff / Monitoring information to be developed by December 2013 / Non attendance at meetings where Housing presence is required. / Ongoing
Ensure Cornwall Housing is clear on likely requirements of future multi agency Ofsted inspections and is adequately prepared / Strategic Safeguarding Group / December 2013
Agenda item on Strategic meeting 4th Sept 2013 / Lack of understanding of role of company in any multi agency inspection could affect reputation and overall outcome
3. How do we promote safeguarding with partners and stakeholders?
Hold Safeguarding Partnership Meetings to lead by example on Safeguarding issues, including lessons learned. / Jane Barlow
Stuart Blackie
Ray Ashmore / Need to clarify role of CC in relation to this activity.
First meeting held 20th June 2013 / Lack of interest or participation by external Housing Providers. / Ongoing
Where possible, invite partners and stakeholders to Team Meetings and other meetings to share information, ideas, plans and to promote understanding of each others roles in relation to safeguarding. / Managers / Ongoing
Invite Tony Studden to talk to Strategic Group – they need a contractor event to raise safeguarding profile / Failure to include in Agendas. / Ongoing
Safeguarding clauses added to all contracts for all procured or sub-contracted work. Where not possible, CC approved document sent to contractors. Contracts risk assessed for safeguarding issues. / Luke Stevens / Where new contracts are required, legal safeguarding statements to be included / Contracts not risk assessed. / In progress
4. How do we ensure our workforce understands the Safeguarding Agenda?
Included in communications strategy, standard item on agendas, 6-monthly safeguarding bulletin, regular updates in Team Briefs. / Jane Barlow
Ray Ashmore
Managers / Ongoing / Failure to provide timely updates / Ongoing
Safeguarding Survey / Ray Ashmore / By March 2014
Staff can obtain advice and support from Housing Advocates. / Housing Advocates / On-going / Staff do not know who the Advocates are. / Ongoing
5. How do we ensure employment is safe within the Housing Service?
Debarring Scheme for all appropriate staff.
(Agreed at meeting this to be reworded by JB following discussion with Emma about how to monitor this) / Mel Palethorpe (HR)
Senior Managers / Advocates updated 6th Sept 2013 meeting / There may already be existing staff within the workforce who have not gone through this process or had the relevant level of CRB check. / Ongoing
Recruitment Training for all Managers. / DLT
Mel Palethorpe (HR)
Senior Managers / Ongoing
Safer Recruitment is in the new Training Matrix. Mandatory. Managers to be reminded. / Manager Training needs not identified. / Ongoing
6. How will this Action Plan be implemented?
Review of Action Plan on a regular basis. / Jane Barlow
Ray Ashmore
DLT
SSG
Advocates / Ongoing
Last review was 17th July 2013 / DLT and Strategic Group meetings agenda item
7. Summary of training and information requirements
(Currently under review – see Separate Document)
Focus / Programme / Aims / Delivery
Housing Safeguarding Advocates (Champions)
Jane Barlow
Ray Ashmore
Jane Couch
Lyn May
Elaine Bennett
Sharon Campbell
Sara Nott
Nicky Mannell
Adam Fitzpatrick
Katrina Islam
Matthew Gallagher
Dominic Palmer
Gordon Innes / Managing Dir.– Safeguarding Lead
Lead Safeguarding Advocate
Homelessness Accommodation
Housing Options Mid
Landlord Services, Trecarne/Trewithen
Landlord Services, Bodmin/Falmouth
Landlord Services, Trenant
Landlord Services, Carrick
Landlord Services, Carrick
Housing Options, West
Landlord Services, Trewithen
Assets, Threemilestone
Assets, Moorswater / 01209 614322
01209 614448
01209 614405
01726 223405
01566 776134
01872 322558
01872 224296
01872 224796
01872 224567
01209 614390
01579 341194
01872 224357
01572 341246
Board, Sub-Group and Multi-agency Representatives
Senior Safeguarding Lead:
Jane Barlow, Managing Director – (01209 614322)
Safeguarding Board Representatives:
Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) – Jane Barlow
Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) – Jane Barlow
Sub Group Representatives:
Serious Case Review Group (LSCB) – Ray Ashmore
Serious Case Review Group (SAB) – Ray Ashmore
Adults Quality & Improvement Group (SAB) – Cathy Hadfield/Ray Ashmore
Other Safeguarding Groups
Corporate Safeguarding Steering Group – Jane Barlow
Housing Safeguarding Advocates Group – Advocates
Safeguarding Partnership Meetings – Jane Barlow/Stuart Blackie/Ray Ashmore
TriggersProtocolMulti-agency Meeting – Stuart Blackie/Ray Ashmore
Prevention Panels – SDA Managers orFront Line Delegates
Mappa and Marac Meetings – SDA Managersor Delegates
PREVENT Agenda Meetings – Jane Barlow
Strategic Safeguarding Group – Jane Barlow/Stuart Blackie/Ray Ashmore/Melanie Palethorpe/Heather Fehrenback
Learning & Development SAB Sub-Group – Melanie Palethorpe
Troubled Families Board – Stuart Blackie

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