Agenda and minutes

The Chair will consider the admission of any late item (s) of urgent business. Late item (s) will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with at item 12 below

None received.

None received.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the Advisory Committee held on 28 November 2005 (copy attached)

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 28 November 2005 were confirmed and signed by the Chair.

To consider any requests received in accordance with Standing Orders.

None received.

A)                To inform Members of the findings and recommendations of the Tavistock Clinic’s CAMHS Looked After Children and Adolescents Needs Assessment report; and

B)                To inform Members of the process of making the “Care Stories” video of looked after adolescents and progress in developing this into a formal training package.

We received this report to inform Members of the findings and recommendations of the Tavistock Clinic’s CAMHS Looked After Children & Adolescents Needs Assessment Report.  The report also informed Members of the process of making the ‘Care Stories’ video of looked after adolescents and the progress for developing this into a formal training package.

Members were complimentary of both the report and ‘Care Stories’ video.  Officers assured Members that implementation of the report’s recommendations was managed through partnership working at a strategic level.  The size of service was dependant on the allocated government grant, although Officers were optimistic that this would be increased.

In response to issues raised in the report over communication and fragmentation, Officers informed Members that a group was being pulled together to work on integrating support services for Looked After Children.  Officers were confident that intra-worker communication on the ground was largely good, although potential inter-agency problems further up in the organisations did exist, and were being worked to be resolved.  Officers assured Members that the resolution of communication and fragmentation issues was progressing the right direction.

RESOLVED:

1.      That we receive the report.

2.      That Officers update the Committee in six months time with regards to progress on implementing the recommendations of the report.

(Report of the Director of Children’s Services): To inform Members of the performance of the Children’s Service against national and local indicators.

We received the performance report for November 2005, which contained key performance data relating to children looked after, child protection, referrals and assessments, family support and staffing for members of the committee to consider.  The data was compared to key performance indicators, which the Council was obliged to meet and contained the statutory requirements and local time scales for meeting these targets.

Members were complimentary of the figures, recognising the continued improvement taking place across the service.  However, staff turnover continued to give cause for concern, with the figures from the Tottenham office being particularly worrying.  Officers assured Members that this problem was a national one, and that every effort was being taken to recruit and retain talented staff at Haringey.  Details of general feedback and the process followed in staff ‘Exit Interviews’ was to be provided to a future meeting of the committee.  The Leader of the Council noted that he was soon to visit the Child Protection team.

RESOLVED:

1.      That we receive the report.

2.      That Officers provide to the committee details of both the procedure for and results from ‘Exit Interviews’ carried out with departing employees.

(Report of the Director of Children’s Services) To provide Members with an understanding of the key changes brought about by the implementation of the Adoption and children Act 2002.

This report provided Members with an understanding of the key changes brought about by the implementation of the Adoption and Children Act 2002.

Key points of the new Act included:

-          Bringing adoption procedures into line with the Children’s Act 1989, and ‘Every Child Matters.

-          Providing a recognition of the importance of family origin, and existing family relationships

-          Extending ‘residence orders’ from 16 to 18

-          Giving more support to Adopters

-          Providing an intermediary service when adults are chasing birth children

-          A new legal process

Officers assured Members that they had been preparing for a possible expansion of the service in light of the above new provisions.

RESOLVED:

            That we receive the report.

(Report of the Director of Children’s Services): The report on the APA final judgements 2005 is attached.

Members were informed of the good progress made in the Children’s Service with regards the Annual Performance Assessment (APA).  We noted the areas for improvement which had already been given appropriate attention, and were to be included in the Children and Young People’s Plan for 2006-9.

We further noted the grading of 3 out of 4 compared very well with other services across London and the country as a whole.  We noted that measures were being taken to improve youth participation, and the importance of measuring and recording these activities when undertaken by young people.

RESOLVED:

1.      That we receive the report.

2.      That the committee pass on their congratulations and thanks to all Members of staff in the Children’s Service, in recognition of their hard work.

3.      That Officers report back to the committee on the ‘actions imposed’, outlined in the report.

4.      That Officers update the committee on the current status of the ‘Youth Forum’, and its level of activity.

5.      That Officers update to the committee improvements made in light of the report’s recommendations in due course.

(Report of the Director of Children’s Services): To provide members with a briefing on the training and support provided to Children’s Services staff prior to and since the implementation of  Framework i.

This report provided Members with a briefing on the Training and Support provided to Children’s Service staff prior to and since the implementation of Framework-i, together with figures for staff attendance at training.

Together with the training schedule set out in the report, we learned that further training was taking place following the system’s successful go-live.  We further learned that the delivery of additional system functionality would further improve working, allowing for the automatic populating of appropriate data fields.

The Assistant Director assured Members that appropriate management action would be undertaken to ensure that all staff attended training.

RESOLVED:

            1.  That we receive the report.

(Report of the Director of Children’s Services) - To update Members on progress towards implementing the DfES guidance “Safeguarding Children in Education” specifically in relation to the responsibilities of schools.

This report updated Members on progress towards implementing the DfES guidance ‘Safeguarding Children in Education’, specifically in relation to the responsibilities of schools.  We noted that revised guidance was due to be published in early 2006.

Members expressed the expectation that all Schools should have a Child Protection policy, a programme of training for Governors, and a designated Governor on Child Protection issues.  The Executive Member agreed to take action to strongly encourage all Schools to put these safeguards into operation within three months.

RESOLVED:

1.       That we receive the report.

2.       That the Executive Member for the Children’s Service write to the Heads and Chairs of Governors of all Schools without a Child Protection Policy, requiring them to draw one up, and implement the above measures, within a three month time-frame.

(Report of the Director of  Children’s Services)

This report informed the CSAC of the number of discriminatory incidents reported in Haringey schools in 2004-5.  It also provided an analysis into the number and nature of incidents by different categories, and outlined a programme of action in response to the analysis.

We noted that the number of schools submitting discriminatory incident data to the Children’s Service had increased from 67% in 2003/4 to 29% in 2004/5, with racially motivated incidents the most frequently reported for the last three years, followed by incidents based on the victim’s gender.

Members and Officers agreed on the importance of ensuring that all Schools submitted their data in this respect to facilitate guidance, information and policies to deal with situations when they occurred.  We agreed the importance of Schools and Officers having a candid relationship based on support not stigmatisation.  We noted the efficacy of peer mentoring, used in some Schools such as St. Ann’s and Gladesmore, and expressed the desire for this experience to be captured and incorporated into Best Practice guidance.

We further noted that in future regular reports of both Discriminatory Incidents and bullying were to be brought before the Local Safeguarding Children Board.

RESOLVED:

1.      That we receive the report, amending Recommendation 1.6 to read as follows:

“That data on incidents of discrimination and bullying are reported to the Local Safeguarding Children Board and Member Bodies on a regular basis with the action being taken to reduce such incidents.”

2. That the Executive Member for the Children’s Service, together with the Service’s Director, write to the Heads and Chairs of Governors of Schools who had not submitted their data, reminding them of the importance of doing so.

To deal with any new item (s) of urgent business admitted at item 2 above.

There was no further urgent business.