Agenda and minutes

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at the meeting.

The meeting was recorded for live or future broadcasting on the Council’s website.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Mallett, who was substituted by Councillor Peacock, and Councillors Aitken and Winskill, who were substituted by Councillors Allison and Alexander.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business. (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with at item 9 below. New items of exempt business will be dealt with at item below).

(Please note that under the Council’s Constitution – Part 4 Section B paragraph 17 – it being a special meeting no other business shall be considered).

There was no urgent business.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgment of the public interest and if this interest affects their financial position or the financial position of a person or body as described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct and/or if it relates to the determining of any approval, consent, licence, permission or registration in relation to them or any person or body described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B, paragraph 29 of the Council’s constitution.

There were no deputations, petitions, presentations or questions.

RESOLVED

That the order of the agenda be varied to consider item 7 first to enable Councillor Jones’ to proceed to another meeting.  The minutes will appear in the same order as items listed on the agenda.

To receive the report of the Director of Children’s Services providing an overview of progress in refreshing the Joint Area Review (JAR) Action Plan.

The Committee noted the update on the Joint Area Review (JAR) Action Plan and listed completed actions introduced by Peter Lewis (Director of Children and Young People’s Service (C&YPS)).

Councillor Reith, the Director of C&YPS and the interim Deputy Director (Children and Families) answered questions from the Committee and the Committee noted that nationally there were not sufficient numbers of health visitors.  The Director of C&YPS also commented that moving to more independent chairing of bodies such as the Local Safeguarding Board and Serious Case Review (SCR) panels meant more demand on a small number of qualified people.  Part of the improvement work within the service had been the employment of three social-work consultants working with Haringey social-work staff.  The Council worked towards filling the professional gaps by the end of the financial year.  The Department had so far recruited at least 12 new permanent staff including new Heads of Service and the Assistant Director of Safeguarding. Staffing charts for the Children’s Services departments were tabled.

The Committee asked whether further funding would be sought by the Council to cover short term capacity needs and were informed that on-going negotiations were continuing with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).

The Committee questioned whether the target of clearing the backlog of cases by December 2009 was realistic.  The Director of C&YPS recognised the challenge and stated that the Department could meet the target.

The Committee noted that the data provided in the assessment framework was a combination of statutory and local performance indicators. Officers recognised that the data needed to be easier to understand and were working with the Secretary of State’s office and the Government Office for London (GOL) to present the information better.

RESOLVED

i.          That the progress made to date against the Joint Area Review (JAR) Action Plan, specifically the JAR 2008 recommendations and main findings, be noted.

ii.         That the overall summary programme update be noted.

iii.        That the key performance indicators, programme level risks and issues be noted.

To receive the report of the Director of Children Services to help Overview and Scrutiny understand the work of the Members Safeguarding Policy and Practice Advisory Committee. The Panel was formed as a consequence of the Joint Area Review report November 2008 and represents the process by which back bench members can have greater involvement in the Council’s work in safeguarding children.

The Committee received the report which provided an overview of the work of the Safeguarding Policy and Practice Advisory Committee which ensured the involvement of Members in safeguarding children and examined Council policy, practice and effectiveness. The Advisory Committee would make recommendations to Cabinet to improve the safeguarding of children.

Councillor Emma Jones, Chair of the Advisory Committee, presented the report and introduced colleagues Graham Badman (Independent Chair of the Local Safeguarding Board), Hillary Corrick (Independent Member of the Policy & Practice Advisory Committee), Eleanor Brazil (Interim Deputy Director - Children and Families) and Mark Gurrey (Interim Assistant Director for Safeguarding).

The Committee noted the advance questions that had been submitted and the written answers provided. 

The Committee noted that whilst there should be a shared responsibility between partner agencies it was the social worker who was ultimately responsible for a child.  Referral threshold guidance was being finalised and all partner agencies would receive training on the document.

The Committee were informed of the processes in place to deal with referrals and suggested that a recommendation be made to ensure that it should be highlighted when parents failed to take their children for health checks, which Councillor Jones stated would be part of discussions at the next Advisory Committee meeting.

The interim Deputy Director –Children & Families explained that part of the improvement plan was about integrated working across agencies including multi-disciplinary services.

Councillor Lorna Reith informed the Committee that she had met with the Cabinet Member for Adults and Social Care and directors within children’s and adults services to discuss issues including transition (from children into adults) and the possibility of individual social workers working with both children and adults to improve links between the two departments.

RESOLVED

That the report be noted.

To receive the report of the Director of Children & Young People’s Service updating on the Safeguarding Plan (formerly the JAR Action Plan), following publication of the Ofsted inspection report in July 2009.

The Committee received the Safeguarding Plan for Haringey introduced by The Director of C&YPS who drew the Committee’s attention to a factual inaccuracy in at paragraph 2.1.3 of the report which suggested that there were two Serious Case Reviews (SCR) to be published at the end of September 2009.  This was not the case; there were no SCRs scheduled for publication.

In response to concerns raised by the Committee Councillor Reith and The Director of C&YPS explained that regular “parenting meetings” occurred for those children with protection plans in place as well as in cases of foster-parenting and adoptions. 

Management team meetings between Children’s Services and Urban Environment officers took place which included discussions on homelessness operations.  Priority was given to removing children at risk out of temporary accommodation following discussions between the Urban Environment, Housing and Children’s services departments.

Officers would circulate a briefing note to Committee Members about children in care moving from one borough into another and how it was decided which borough would have responsibility for those children. 

The Committee was informed that Children’s Services managers actively reviewed files on a monthly basis to ensure work was covered and regularly talked with front-line staff. Child Protection was also part of targets in staff performance appraisals. 

RESOLVED

That the Safeguarding Plan for Haringey be noted.

Under the Council’s Constitution – Part 4 Section B paragraph 17 – no other business shall be considered.

There were no new items of urgent business.