Councillor Maxi Martin introduced the report.

Councillor Marsie Skeet asked about the statement regarding 400 children going missing from their homes and care each year, what duration these children were missing for and what measures were in place to tackle this.

Paul Angeli explained that the 400 figure related to episodes of children going missing, not 400 separate cases. Government have recently changed guidelines and Merton has rewritten their protocol in response working with the police and the missing person’s team. Paul Angeli added that a high proportion of children going missing in Merton are being cared for by other local authorities but are placed in the borough. The council look into the case of a missing child from another borough as part of this revised protocol. Jigsaw4u has also been commissioned to engage with parents and young people to reduce episodes of children going missing.

Paul Angeli informed the Panel that in addition to the statutory duties placed on councils, the department are working with the police and engage with the child and parents to attempt to reduce the number of episodes of a child going missing.  Strategy meetings are also held to ensue that young people stay in placements and that the departments work is co-ordinated with the police in this area. Within this cohort, many of the girls and young women that go missing are at risk of sexual exploitation and the council are working on this.

Councillor Jeff Hanna asked if any child that had gone missing had not been found. Paul Angeli confirmed that although rare this was occasionally the case and that those children who had not been found may have potentially been trafficked. The council are in on-going dialogue with the police on these cases. Merton has one such case at present.

Councillor Katy Neep asked if 500 child protection investigations of children at risk was a high figure we should have concerns about. Paul Angeli explained that this figure was slightly higher that other authorities and meant that Merton was actively assessing risk of harm. However, the conversion rates from investigation to child protection plans being set up are not particularly high.

Councillor Jeff Hanna asked about the information that had been received in relation to data shared with the UK by the Canadian Police Force on potential offenders. Yvette Stanley confirmed that she had written to the Borough Commander to determine if any notifications had been received about activity in Merton. Yvette Stanley highlighted that Members of the Panel would be aware of national initiatives to tackle paedophilia and identify those accessing child pornography. There are large volumes of these cases found by Police which are now being addressed at national level.

Yvette Stanley explained that the police command is split into the work undertaken by the Borough Commander, child protection teams and other Police teams outside of the borough.. This can make it difficult to get an overview of perpetrators when cases are being overseen by a number of police forces or commands. In addition, Child Abuse Teams have recently been restructured and whilst there is greater capacity within teams to support cases, this area remains a real challenge for the Metropolitan Police. The London Safeguarding Board has been raising this need proactively with the Commissioner.

Councillor Jeff Hanna asked Yvette Stanley to contact the Borough Commander to seek clarification from the Met as to whether they had received any information from the Canadian Police regarding potential offenders which had yet to be passed on to Merton Police.

Councillor Linda Taylor proposed that the Borough Commander be invited to a future meeting of the Panel to discuss these issues. Councillor Jeff Hanna added that the Overview and Scrutiny Commission meet with the Borough Commander twice a year and any questions the Panel has could be raised through this process.

Councillor Maxi Martin added that she meets with the Borough Commander regularly to ensure joined up thinking and that the Leader is fully briefed on these cases.

RESOLVED: Panel noted the report and recorded their appreciation for officer’s work in this area.