The city of Leeds
Leeds is the second largest city council in England. The latest population estimate is 793,139 representing a 12% increase over the last 10 years, which is higher than the average regionally and nationally. The population of children and young people aged 0-19 is 193,553. Within this, the number of very young children (0-4 year olds) has increased faster with over 10,000 children being born in Leeds every year. Leeds has a significantly higher proportion of 15-25 year olds, compared to both the regional and national averages, with a total population of 289,000 0-25 year olds living in the city.
Leeds is a very diverse city, with over 130 nationalities included in a minority ethnic population of 19.9%. The proportion of pupils in Leeds schools that are of minority ethnic heritage has increased since 2005 to 33%, with a higher proportion of primary than secondary pupils being of minority ethnic heritage. Some 16% of pupils have English as an additional language and over 170 languages are recorded as spoken in Leeds. The largest minority ethnic groups in the city are the Indian and Pakistani communities, but more recently there has also been a significant increase in economic migration, mainly from Eastern Europe.
The Local Authority area includes some rural communities as well as densely populated inner city areas where people can face multiple challenges. The Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) indicate that 19%, or over 150,000 people in Leeds, live in areas that are ranked amongst the most deprived 10% nationally. Around 25,710 children and young people, 23% of all those aged 0-16, live in poverty compared to 20% nationally.
The changing child population seen across Leeds has implications for the demand for services, whether that is for school places, early year’s provision, complex needs services, or an increase in the number of vulnerable families requiring support.
Leeds is a city that is reflective, learns from working with children and families and of course the many practitioners from across the partnership dedicated to protecting children and families. External reviews from Ofsted over the past five years have highlighted innovative and outstanding practice and leadership. This year’s annual report acknowledges that this continues to be a strong element in the protection, safety and wellbeing of children and young people.
Leeds Early Help approach has ensured that the number of children requiring statutory intervention has remained relatively stable over the years despite increases seen across the country. June 2020 saw the launch of ‘Right Conversations, Right People, Right Time’ . In addition, Leeds have developed a new animated film (produced during lockdown), a new poster for partner agencies, new early help assessment and planning documents and practice guidance on early help working on the webpage. The Leeds Early Help Board is developing stronger governance and multi-agency strategic support and challenge to support its ambitious early help strategy.
Child protection systems remain strong with continued support and commitment from agencies across Leeds. Effective Front Door arrangements ensure that children’s and family’s needs are responded to appropriately. Data evidences that timeliness of statutory safeguarding functions are good. Qualitative assurance is also explored through a range of multi-agency audits which brings together joint learning experiences. Families are encouraged to lead, own and contribute to plans. The ‘doing with, not to’ culture in Leeds allows families to remain central to their solutions.
The LSCP Learning and Improvement Framework aims to ensure that learning from practice, audits, local and national research is embedded through improvements to safeguarding systems and training and development opportunities for practitioners across Leeds.
There is a consistency of approach in responding to safeguarding or child protection concerns by partners across Leeds. Multi-agency policy and procedures provide professionals with clear guidance on how to protect children and when to report any concerns about their welfare to the appropriate authorities. These policies and procedures are often developed and agreed by a range of professionals which are then integrated into practice.
The safeguarding partnership in Leeds remains strong and ensures practice and leadership across the city is based on a culture of ‘high support, high challenge’ with independent scrutiny though the employment of an Independent LSCP Chair.
This LSCP Annual Report highlights key areas that will require focus during the year. We acknowledge how improvements to the safeguarding system are continually evolving. The following are key areas being addressed with the intention of taking them forward this year:
1. The LSCP recognise the work and investment across the city in young people’s mental and emotional health services. It has been identified in previous LSCP annual reports the importance of having services that can respond to young people’s emotional and mental health early, through providing information and advice, right through to those children requiring more intensive interventions.
However whilst the child remains central many risks that children face are often from parents who are struggling to keep their children safe.
The LSCP have identified the need to explore further how adult services across Leeds respond to those parents who may be struggling to care for their children due to their own emotional or mental health, drugs / alcohol misuse or domestic violence.
2. The link between school exclusion, reduced timetables and alternative educational settings and an increased risk of exploitation is an area for further exploration. There is national evidence identifying a link between children not in education, employment or training and other vulnerabilities and further assurance is required so that these children have a particular focus in Leeds.
The LSCP will require further assurance that the needs of these young people at risk of exploitation are being met.
Schools continue to play a significant role in supporting children in clusters. Clusters are recognised nationally as a model of good practice and Leeds is committed to this model of providing timely, effective support to children and families early in the life of a problem. There are however, a small number of schools, usually academies, who don't buy into the city’s cluster arrangements.
The LSCP should seek assurance that those schools not in clusters are providing good quality early help support to children and families who need it.
As a result of a citywide independent review whereby Electively Home Educated was a feature, moving forward there is an opportunity for honest reflection around the balance of rights and responsibilities around home education and safeguarding, which we intend to advocate nationally for children who do not have the eyes and ears of a school environment.
3. There is clear evidence that childhood abuse can have significant impact on a child’s life chances and also their ability to parent.
Further assurance should be sought that children and young people who have experienced child sexual exploitation and abuse have access to appropriate therapeutic services, not just at the time of the abuse but also if they require it later in their life.
4. It is welcome that housing have reviewed and commissioned a young person’s accommodation and support provision.
Further assurance will be required to ensure that this provision continues to meet the needs of young people in Leeds especially for young women, LGBTQ and those with additional vulnerabilities such as those experiencing sexual or criminal exploitation.
5. The devastating impact of domestic violence and abuse on families can span generations and it remains important to ensure prevention work is a priority to prevent future lives being impacted by such abuse.
The LSCP has identified the need to seek further assurance that families who experience DVA who do not require social care intervention are supported through the early help approach and the work manages and reduces risk.
6. Nationally, there is growing concern that young people entering adulthood experience a ‘cliff edge’ in terms of support. We know harm and its significant effects do not stop at 18 and consequently there is a need to ensure ongoing provision of support, either because harm continues into adulthood or because they need help to recover from the impact of harm suffered.
In light of this, we have developed and are currently building on discussions with Adult Social Care and Leeds Community Safety Partnership to seek endorsement for CSE Transition as a priority issue for safeguarding partners to address. Our approach is to apply this holistically across the wider safeguarding agenda in accordance.
We have recommended a joint task and finish group of safeguarding partners with a clear remit and timescale, to develop local arrangements and implement recommendations. The aim is to ensure stronger transition arrangements in the older age group (17-18) that continue to remain at risk of exploitation or abuse as they transition into adulthood.
7. As a city there needs to be a continued focus of promoting safe sleeping messages, promoting breast feeding, reducing the number of parents that smoke and use alcohol and drugs especially whilst pregnant. For older children road traffic collisions remain the highest cause of preventable deaths. There needs to be continued approach to target interventions about road safety towards all children but especially more vulnerable groups of young people who may be at greater risk.
The greatest potential for prevention among Leeds deaths, lies with sudden unexpected deaths of babies and for older children, road traffic deaths.