Agencies represented:

• Children Young People & Education (Croydon Council)

• Croydon Health Services (CHS)

• South West London Integrated Care Board (ICB)

• South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM)

• Metropolitan Police

• Croydon Housing

• CSCP Independent Scrutineer

• CSCP Business Team.

Chair: Stuart Collins, Corporate Director for Children, Young People and Education.

Overview

The Croydon Safeguarding Children Partnership (CSCP) Executive Group met on 7 October 2026 to review how local agencies are working together to keep children and young people safe and improve outcomes for families.

A key focus of the meeting was learning from a recent multi-agency review, known as the Cyrus Case of Concern, which explored the experiences of a young person with complex disabilities and health needs. The review provided valuable insight into how agencies can work more effectively together when supporting children who require help from multiple services over an extended period of time.

Partners also considered progress against the CSCP Business Plan, discussed emerging safeguarding challenges and reviewed preparations for upcoming reforms to children's services.

Positive work highlighted

Executive members welcomed continued progress across a range of safeguarding priorities, including improvements in learning and development opportunities for professionals, stronger quality assurance activity and ongoing work to improve how partners use safeguarding data to identify risks and emerging themes.

The meeting heard how agencies are continuing to strengthen support for children and families through closer partnership working.

Partners also welcomed progress in strengthening relationships with other local authorities that place children in Croydon, helping to ensure children living in the borough receive appropriate support and safeguarding oversight regardless of where they originate from.

Updates from partner agencies highlighted a range of positive activity taking place across Croydon, including support for families experiencing homelessness, targeted community programmes for children and young people, and work to strengthen safeguarding arrangements within housing services.

Challenges discussed

The Executive Group reflected on the learning from the Cyrus review, which highlighted the complexities that can arise when children receive support from multiple agencies, services and geographical areas. Members discussed the importance of effective information sharing, joined-up planning and clear professional accountability to ensure children and families receive coordinated support.

Partners also considered the impact of workforce and organisational changes across health, policing and children's services, recognising the importance of maintaining strong safeguarding arrangements during periods of national reform and service transformation.

The meeting acknowledged the growing complexity of need experienced by some children and families and discussed how agencies can continue to work together to respond effectively to these challenges.

Key discussion items

• Learning from the Cyrus Case of Concern review.

• Progress against the CSCP Business Plan and partnership priorities.

• Preparation for Families First Partnership reforms.

• Emerging safeguarding risks and partnership performance.

• Health, policing and children's services updates.

• Housing, homelessness and safeguarding updates

• Opportunities and challenges linked to new technologies and artificial intelligence.

Actions agreed

• Develop a partnership action plan to take forward the learning from the Cyrus review and monitor progress against recommendations.

• Ensure partner agencies identify how learning from the review can strengthen local practice within their own services.

• Explore links between the review findings and wider improvement work across SEND and children's services.

• Continue monitoring the impact of health and organisational reforms on safeguarding arrangements.

• Bring further updates on children living in temporary accommodation and the associated safeguarding considerations.

Closing statement

The Executive Group reaffirmed its commitment to working together to keep children and young people safe, particularly those with the most complex needs.

Members agreed that learning from reviews, listening to professional challenge and maintaining strong partnership working are essential to improving outcomes for children and families.

The CSCP Executuve Group will continue to oversee safeguarding arrangements across Croydon and drive forward improvements that make a positive difference to the lives of local children and young people.