Agenda and minutes

Venue: Civic Centre, High Road, Wood Green, N22 8LE

Contact: Philip Slawther, Principal Committee Co-ordinator 

Items
No. Item

48.

FILMING AT MEETINGS

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.

Minutes:

The Chair referred Members present to agenda Item 1 as shown on the agenda in respect of filming at this meeting, and Members noted the information contained therein’.

49.

Apologies for absence (if any)

Minutes:

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

 

50.

Urgent Business

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 10 below.

Minutes:

None.

51.

Declarations of interest

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 consideration becomes apparent.

 

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter 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.  

Minutes:

None.

 

52.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 87 KB

To consider the minutes of the meeting held on 19th October.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 19th Octoberwere AGREED.

 

The Chair agreed that she would speak to the AD Safeguarding and Social Care outside of the meeting around the disparity in the cut-off age for the local housing cap. (Action: Chair/Sarah Alexander).

 

An update on the new Ofsted inspection regime to be brought to the next committee meeting. (Action: Margaret Dennison/Clerk).

 

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 Chair requested fostering information be circulated to the Committee in relation to UASC. (Action: Sarah Alexander).

 

The Chair requested that a report be circulated updating the Committee on Safeguarding and semi-independent living providers. (Action: Sarah Alexander).

 

53.

Actions arising from the meeting with Aspire

Minutes:

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

 

  • Committee requested to support the release of the Aspire pledges and launch event.
  • Future location of Aspire meetings to be considered.

 

54.

Performance and Adoption Score Card. pdf icon PDF 567 KB

Minutes:

RECEIVED a report from the Director of Children’s Services setting out the performance data and trends relating to looked after children.  Report included in the agenda pack (pages 11 to 20). 

 

NOTED in response to the discussion:

 

  • Performance against the number of LAC with up-to-date dental visits was improving and had achieved 80%.
  • In response to a query around the age of the adoption group, officers advised that the children tended to be under the age of five and that most were babies.
  • In response to a query around an increase in the number of UASC, officers advised that LBH had received a larger proportion that a number of other boroughs and had taken more than their allotted allocation. Officers confirmed that the Council assisted with the immigration status of UASC.
  • In response to a question, the Committee was advised that there was no target for SGO’s and that numbers varied, partly as their nature tended to be circumstantial. The Chair advised that she would be very reluctant to set targets on this.
  • The Committee commented that performance levels overall were very positive.

 

AGREED to note the report.

 

55.

Level 3 and Access Courses for Care Leavers and Benefit Implications pdf icon PDF 131 KB

Minutes:

RECEIVED a report presented by the AD Safeguarding and Social Care, Sarah Alexander, which set out the mechanisms in place to support care leavers who wished to remain in education or training.

 

 NOTED in response to the discussion:

  • There were a number of care leavers who returned to the service for support after the age of 21, which placed further financial pressures on the YAS to fund subsistence living costs and cover rent costs in order to support them in completing their courses.
  • The Committee agreed that the information contained in the report would be used to help draft a letter to the Minister, emphasising that the gap in benefits for care leavers is making provision of adequate support difficult. (Action: Sarah Alexander).

 

56.

Inspection of Local Authority Children's Services pdf icon PDF 416 KB

Minutes:

RECEIVED a presentation from the Director of Children’s Services, which had been previously given at an external event by Ofsted, setting out the inspection regime for local authority children’s services. 

NOTED in response to the discussion:

  • The new ILACS system has replaced the previous single inspection regime. In 2014 CS received an Ofsted rating of requiring improvement. It was anticipated that the next inspection would likely take place in the autumn.
  • The Committee noted that the new regime involved self-evaluation and that it adopted more of a ‘maintenance’ model designed to prevent local authorities from falling over.
  • The Committee requested more information on social workers, including caseloads, turnover levels and recruitment issues. The Chair requested that an overview paper be prepared for the next CPAC meeting but cautioned that the Committee’s role was focused on Children in Care. (Action: Margaret Dennison).
  • The Committee agreed that a report be brought to the next meeting which presents the statistical profile for care leavers, includes the signs of safety briefing and incorporates the JTAI. (Action: Sarah Alexander).

 

57.

New items of urgent business

To consider any items admitted at item 2 above.

 

Minutes:

None.

58.

Any other business

 

 

Date of next meeting

Minutes:

The Chair advised that the NRS audit might not be ready for the next meeting.

 

59.

Dates of Future Meetings

20th March

Minutes:

NOTED the following provisional dates:

 

20th March 2018

 

Meetings are scheduled to start at 6.30pm.

 

The meeting ended at 19:45 hours.

 

 

Cllr Elin Weston

Chair