Agenda and minutes

Please note this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method.  Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting.  Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on.  By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

The Chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual, or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

The Chair referred those present to agenda Item 1 as shown on the agenda in respect of filming at this meeting and asked that those present reviewed and noted the information contained therein.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Morris, Cllr Hare and Cllr Opoku.

Apologies were also received from Kim Holt, Margaret Gallagher and Denise Gandy.

Discussion on follow up actions following the earlier meeting with Aspire.

NOTED: The actions listed in the notes of the meeting with Aspire.

• A schedule of available benefits be developed and included in the leaving care handbook.
• Aspire case study to be included on the next agenda.
• Consideration to be given on how to publicise the Aspire pledges.
• Initial review of Aspire pledges as a potential agenda item in March.

NONE

NONE

To consider the minutes of the meeting held on 4^th July 2017

The minutes of the meeting held on 4^th July 2017 were AGREED.

In relation to the previous action around developing a response to the cut-off for the local housing cap, officers advised that the guidance had just been released and that consideration would be given to next steps and whether a letter should be drafted to the Minister. (Action: Sarah Alexander).

An update in the Adoption scorecard to be included on the January agenda. (Action: Margaret Gallagher).

The Committee NOTED the Corporate Parenting Agenda Plan 2017/18.

The Chair requested that an update on the new Ofsted inspection regime be brought to the Committee meeting. (Action: Margaret Dennison).

RECEIVED a presentation setting out a summary of findings and proposals from the leaving care re-design, which was presented by the Transformation Strategy Manager, Marc Kidson. Report included in the agenda pack (pages 11 to 26). 

NOTED in response to the discussion:

• The wider context of the work was around identifying elements of future service design that provided improvements to the care leaver offer, but without requiring any additional resources.
• In response to a concerns around the statistic that 49 out of a cohort of 419 care leavers were estimated to be gang affiliated, the Committee was advised that there were no comparable data available as other boroughs did not publish the information.
• In response to a question, officers advised that there were saying put arrangements for care leavers but that there were not as many available as they might wish, given the different requirements involved with the transition in to adulthood.
• The Committee noted the high proportion of the cohort with emotional, metal health and behaviour issues, and raised concerns about the termination of CAMHS services at 18. The Chair advised the Committee that the CCG had agreed to ease the adjustment period down beyond 18 and that this should be reflected in the next iteration of the CAHMS Transformation Plan.
• In response to a question around the ratio of social workers to care leavers, the Committee were advised that the cohort of 419 were supported by 7 social workers and 14 personal advisors.
• Aspire fed back that several Aspire sessions had been focused around mental health, reflecting the level of importance in which the topic was held within the group. The Designated Nurse for CIC suggested that Aspire invite the phycologist from First Step to attend a future discussion on mental health.
• The Chair advised that a next steps report would be taken to Cabinet in February.
• The Committee thanked the officers concerned for the time and effort invested into a detailed and important piece of work.

AGREED to note the presentation.

RECEIVED the IRO Annual Report presented by the AD Safeguarding and Social Care, Sarah Alexander. Report included in the second dispatch agenda pack (pages 1 to 19).

 NOTED in response to the discussion:

• The Committee sought assurances around the performance of the IRO function, given that it was highlighted in the 2014 Ofsted report.  In response officers advised that the service had improved but that was not yet at the position that officers hoped for, particularly around escalation actions.
• In response to a query on how the IROs were perceived by the young people, officers advised that they were perceived favourably and that for some young people it was likely to be the longest running relationship that they had with Children’s Services.
• In response to a question, officers advised that the current caseload for an IRO was around 70 children.

In the absence of the Director of Housing Demand, HfH the Committee agreed to defer the Looked After Children Sufficiency Analysis until the next meeting.

The Committee had a brief discussion around unaccompanied asylum seeking children, including current caseloads and the reasons that Haringey was over its quota.

The Chair requested that a brief update be provided to the next meeting which focused on the reasons behind a reduction in the number of children ceasing to be looked after and the trend of an increasing number of placement moves. (Action:  Margaret Gallagher/Clerk).

The Committee received an update from the AD Safeguarding and Social Care on the commissioning plan for the recruitment assessment of an in-house model of foster carers.

NOTED in response to the discussion:

• A dedicated communications officer had been appointed to manage the communications process for foster carer recruitment.
• The Committee were advised that the process was envisaged to take around 12 months, however this was contingent on meeting a number of tight deadlines.
• The Committee suggested that there could be some interest in the west of the borough around fostering UASC. The AD Safeguarding and Social Care agreed to send details of how residents could assist with fostering for the Chair to circulate to all ward Councillors. (Action: Sarah Alexander).
• As part of the review into the previous foster care arrangements an audit was being undertaken of the NRS contract.

The Committee noted the report.

Verbal Update

NOTED the verbal report of the Assistant Director of Safeguarding & Social Care on care leavers with no contact with Council services. Children’s services undertook a data return on the birthday of 17-21 year olds in care.  This took place 1 month prior to their birthday and three months after their birthday to ascertain whether they were in suitable accommodation and whether they were in education, training or employment. The definition of whether they were in touch was whether they had been in contact during that 4 month period.

The Chair requested that any further detail around care leavers with no contact with Council services be sent to the clerk to circulate with the minutes. (Action: Emma Cummergen).

Verbal update.

NOTED the verbal report of the Assistant Director of Safeguarding & Social Care around the monitoring of safeguarding arrangements for semi-independent living providers.

The Assistant Director of Safeguarding & Social Care agreed to circulate a report on this item to the Committee. (Action: Sarah Alexander).

The Chair advised that there was a position available for a Councillor to sit on the Virtual Schools Management Board, alongside the Cabinet Member for Children and Families. The Board met 3 times a year, with the first meeting being 6^th November at 15:30-17:00. Committee members were invited to contact the Chair if they were interested, otherwise it would be opened up to all Councillors.

·         16^th January 2018

NOTED the following dates:

16^th January 2018

20^th March 2018

Meetings are scheduled to start at 6.30pm.

The meeting ended at 20:40 hours.