Issue - meetings

 To consider any exempt items of urgent business as  set out  at item 2.

The chair had agreed to accept this report as an item of urgent business as it was a follow up report by the Head of First Response on cases examined by the Independent member of the committee concerning   a sample of children under the age two years old referred to the First Response team in July 2011 and where the primary concern was domestic violence.

The committee noted that 58% of the cases audited by the Independent Member were now closed. The re- referral rate of these cases was considerably low but the committee were asked to note this with caution as this was unusual for cases involving domestic violence.  A low number of these cases went to case conference reflecting the good follow up work achieved in the cases. Some of the cases had been open between 4 and 5 months and if they had remained open for longer there would have been a need to progress them to Child Protection conference for consideration.

 Generally there was a need to continue making use of the Voluntary Sector to provide ongoing support to the mothers. Social Workers would be seeking to work with outreach workers   at the start of the referral and in tandem on the case to achieve longer term support for the mothers.

The committee were interested in getting feedback from these mothers on their experience with the Safeguarding service.  It was suggested that the Independent Member could contact some of the mothers involved in   this recent case audit to gather this information which could be considered at the meeting in July 2012.

The committee discussed the key role that Early Years Service had in early intervention, particularly children centres where children, subject to children in need plans, should be prioritised for places. This was seen as a key area for supporting families and stopping children becoming subject to protection plans and coming into care. The committee noted that the Safeguarding service was meeting with the Early Years on a regular basis to discuss places being made available for children in contact with the safeguarding service. It was felt that an assertive line should be taken, individually, with children’s centres to ensure that their places were prioritised for children in need.

RESOLVED

That Ros Cooke, Head of Early Years be invited to the committee meeting in July to discuss the support provided for children in need in Children’s Centres.