Inspection of services for vulnerable youngsters in Barnsley finds “lack of transparency” in relation to safeguarding

The joint targeted area inspection, which took place in May, scrutinised how effective services are for children in need of help and protection in Barnsley.

The inspection was undertaken by Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Service (HMICFRS) and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation (HMI Probation).

Inspectors found that improvements need to be made in several areas, including the quality of referrals to the multi-agency safeguarding hub; the provision of an appropriate adult when children are arrested by the police; and the timeliness of the police response to all incidents when there is an identified risk to children.

A report into the inspection, to be presented to Barnsley Council’s cabinet next week, states: “Strong professional working relationships in Barnsley often lead to informal conversations outside the agreed policy.

“This means that there is a lack of transparency and recording of decisionsmade in relation to the safeguarding of children and young people.”

Inspectors also found that health professionals have reported that: “GPs do not refer concerns for children to the MASH at the earliest opportunity.

“Risks identified are too often passed to other health professionals to respond to and refer on.

“The provision of an appropriate adult for children arrested in Barnsley is ineffective.

“Out of hours, the appropriate adult service relies on volunteers who do not attend the police station to advocate for children unless to do so would expedite their release from custody.

“This means that children detained during those hours do not receive the appropriate support.

“The gathering, recording and acting on the voice of the child are too variable. This means that not all children’s views are being heard or their lived experiences fully understood by professionals.”

The service was praised, however, for being “committed to working together and ambitious for children and improving their lived experiences.”

“Partners respond in a timely manner to significant incidents for children,” adds the report.

“Early help is appropriately recognised and provided to support children and families when concerns or difficulties first arise.

“Child protection concerns are appropriately identified, and strategy meetings are held swiftly for most children.

“Police officers take appropriate immediate action to safeguard children living in neglectful homes.”

Joint leaders of the partnership – Carly Speechley, executive director of children’s services at Barnsley Council; Jayne Sivakumar, chief nurse, NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board in Barnsley; and Emma Wheatcroft, operations superintendent for Barnsley District – released a statement regarding the findings.

“We want our children and young people to feel safe and have opportunities to live fulfilling lives. This is our priority,” they said.

“The inspection highlighted the many strengths we have made as a new Barnsley Safeguarding Children Partnership over the last two years.

“The inspection highlighted that most children in Barnsley receive the right support at the right time to identify risks and meet their needs across the services that might have the initial contact with them.

“We respond to concerns quickly, and we make sure that children, young people and their families get the support and protection they need. Our assessments are done quickly and involve the statutory, community and voluntary services focused on meeting people’s needs.

“We’re proactive in responding to local and national issues concerning identifying the risk of harm in children and young people. Our training and support for employees working across various organisations is highly valued. The inspectors found that our school leaders reported increased confidence and competence in leading early help plans for children and families.

“We know that there is more to do. The inspection report noted our ambitious plans and highlighted recommendations for us to focus on.”