A report providing the Committee with assurance that Brighter Futures for Children and partners have undertaken or collated three key safeguarding audits over the past six months showing that the company continues to meet safeguarding and wellbeing requirements across its service areas.

The Executive Director of Children’s Services – Education, Early Help and Social Care, Brighter Futures for Children, submitted a report providing assurance that BFfC and partners had carried out or collated three key safeguarding audits over the previous six months and that the findings were that the company had continued to meet safeguarding and wellbeing requirements across its service areas.  Where improvements were required, action plans were being implemented, with support being provided as required to schools, settings and providers across the local area.

The three audits had captured safeguarding measures across the company, local area schools, including nursery schools, and local area early years settings.  The first two audits were statutory requirements and the third was a best practice option that enabled the company and its partners to identify any issues in early years settings and address them.

The report stated that BFfC had completed a section 11 Audit, which had been reported to Berkshire West Safeguarding Children Partnership, schools across the Borough had completed a section 175 Audit, that had been collated and analysed by BFfC, and early years settings across the Borough had completed a safeguarding audit which had also been collated and analysed by BFfC.

Resolved –    That the report be noted.