Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from the following:

Councillor Stuart McNamara         - Councillor Alan Strickland substituted.

The Chair will consider the admission of late items of urgent business. Late items will be considered under the agenda item they appear. New items will be dealt with at Item 11 below.

There were no items of Urgent Business.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is being considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of the 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’ judgement of the public interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider the minutes of the meeting held on 24 January  and the minutes of the Joint meeting with Corporate Parenting on the 17 March 2011(To follow)

 To consider for information purposes the minutes of the Corporate Parenting committee on the 24^th January  and 17^th March(To follow).

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meetings held on the following dates be confirmed as a correct record:

24 January 2011

17 March 2011 (Joint meeting with the Corporate Parenting Committee)

Members to consider the recent OFSTED report on the Council following the Inspection in January 2011.

The Committee received, for information, the Ofsted report conducted into safeguarding and Looked After Children (LAC) during 10 to 21 January 2011. 

The report reflected the progress that had been made since November 2008 with an overall assessment of ‘adequate’ with the capacity for improvement being assessed as ‘good’ being awarded. This was considered to be a significant milestone for the service which would continue to be built upon.

The Committee discussed the areas for improvement identified in the report and an update was provided as to how these were being addressed. It was noted that the Corporate Parenting Committee would monitor progress with respect to the recommendation that LAC who went missing should have the opportunity to meet with a suitably designated independent person upon their return.

There was discussion around how children and young people who went missing, who were not in the care of the Local Authority, were monitored and it was requested that officers should determine where and how this function was carried out. In response to a suggestion that all children should have the opportunity to discuss the reasons for their disappearance with an independent person the Committee was advised that although this would be desirable the Local Authority was dependent on the information that it received from other organisations with regard to this. Consequently it may not be possible to maintain a consistent approach. 

The Committee was advised that one of the causes of children going missing from home was to due to grooming and it was noted that this could affect any child regardless of their background. 

The Committee discussed the recommendation around the monitoring and extended use of personal education plans for LAC and it was noted that this would be monitored by the Corporate Parenting Committee. There was agreement that the educational attainment of LAC should be a key area of focus.

In response to a query as to how the recommendation made with respect to quality control and assurance would be affected by budget cuts and what preparation was being made for this, the Committee was advised that a multi agency scorecard was being developed at present , which would be in place by May.  In addition officers were working with the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSBC) to form an outcomes based quality assurance framework and a sub group had been formed to monitor progress with respect to this.

There was agreement that that the Committee should receive a report on this at a future meeting.

In response to a query as to the level of work that would need to be undertaken in order for the service to achieve an assessment of ‘good’ the Committee was advised that at least another year would be required for services to be developed to a point that might attract this kind of assessment. It was noted that an assessment of ‘adequate’ was a milestone for the Borough at this point and that it had not been anticipated that an assessment of ‘good’  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Discussion on the topics and requirements of  the next audit exercise to be undertaken by the Independent Member of the Committee.

The Committee discussed potential areas for audit to be undertaken over the next year.

It was noted that the next meeting was being held after the beginning of the new Municipal Year. Given the likelihood that new members were would be appointed to the Committee, it was suggested that this should be used as an opportunity to ‘familiarise’ new members with its role.

There was agreement that the proposed date of 31 May for the next meeting was too soon and there was agreement that this should be moved to June/July.

The Committee discussed potential areas for audit and the following were suggested:

Ø      Children who went missing from home (not LAC) and the notifications from the Police regarding domestic violence

Ø      Children that were part of homeless families and how long they lived in temporary accommodation and what measures could be taken to address this

Ø      Children placed in the Borough by other Local Authorities

There was agreement that at the next meeting the Committee should finalise the areas for audit over the forthcoming year.

RESOLVED:

1. That the Committee should finalise the areas for audit over the forthcoming year at its first meeting of the new municipal year.

2. That the meeting date scheduled for 31 May should be moved to June/July.

To keep the Committee informed of the progress of the Shadow  Health and Wellbeing Board which is envisaged to have future safeguarding responsibilities.

The Committee was provided with an verbal update with respect to the establishment of the new shadow Health and Wellbeing Board (sHWB) and the position with respect to the Children’s Trust.

It was noted that the Board was being operated in shadow form for a year until it became a statutory requirement in April 2012. During this period the Children’s Trust would also continue to operate in its present form.

The position with respect to relationship between the bodies would be reviewed in a years time.

RESOLVED:

That the verbal update be noted. 

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting for consideration of the following items 12 as they contain exempt information as defined in Section 100a of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended by Section 12A of the Local Government Act 1985): paras 1 & 2: namely information relating to any individual, and information likely to reveal the identity of an individual.

RESOLVED

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting for consideration of the following item as it contained exempt information as defined in Section 100a of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended by Section 12A of the Local Government Act 1985): paragraphs 1 and 2: namely information relating to any individual, and information likely to reveal the identity of an individual.

To consider the findings of the independent member of the committee findings on her section 47 investigations.

The Committee considered a report that provided an overview of Child Protection cases that had been audited between November 2010 and March 2011.

The following key issues had arisen:

Ø      Joint working – police timetables, delays in referral by schools

Ø      Drift and lack of urgency when children appeared to be in no immediate danger

Ø      Pressure on conferencing service

Ø      Timescales

An update was provided with respect to the cases outlined in the report. It was accepted that ‘drift’ had occurred in some cases and the Committee was advised that this was being addressed with individual managers where appropriate.

It was noted that delays had been caused when social workers had waited pending a decision from the Crown Prosecution Service. There was agreement that officers should liaise with the Police in order to agree a protocol that would ensure that communication with regard to cases where legal action was pending was maintained.

There was agreement that the Committee should receive a report providing an overview of how the cases undertaken during the period between November 2010 and March 2011, where there had been referrals between the Police, health and the Local Authority had progressed and a timeline of key events.

RESOLVED:

1. That the report be noted.

2. That the Committee should receive a report providing an overview of cases between November 2010 and March 2011, where there had been referrals between the Police, health and the Local Authority and how these had progressed.

Date of next meeting

 There were no items of AOB.