Issue - meetings

The Panel received and noted the report of the Independent Chair of the Southampton Safeguarding Children Partnership that provided the Panel with an update on the work of the Partnership during 2019/20.

Derek Benson, Independent Chair of Southampton Safeguarding Children Partnership; Councillor Barnes-Andrews, Cabinet Member in attendance; Robert Henderson, Executive Director Wellbeing (Children and Learning), Southampton City Council; Phil Bullingham, Head of Service: Children’s Social Care, Southampton City Council; and, Julian Watkins, Head of Service: Safeguarding, Southampton City Council were present and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the Panel. 

In discussions with the officers, the Panel noted the safeguarding partnership in Southampton is strong and robust and working well.  Attendance at partnership meetings has been good and all agencies have remained focused on children’s safeguarding throughout the pandemic.  Over the last year the partnership has seen that some children have become more resilient, but there has also been in increase in cases of neglect, domestic violence and incidents of young people requiring support for their mental health.