Agenda and minutes

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

Contact: Philip Slawther, Principal Committee Co-ordinator 

Items
No. Item

1.

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’.

2.

Apologies for absence (if any)

Minutes:

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

 

3.

Actions from the Meeting with Aspire

Minutes:

NOTED: The suggested areas for future discussion from the meeting with Aspire.

 

  • Safety and how the Committee can support LAC and their foster carers to feel safe.
  • Support in accessing employment.

 

4.

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 11 below.

Minutes:

None.

5.

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.

6.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 129 KB

To consider the minutes of the meeting held on 25th January 2018.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 25th January were AGREED.

 

The Chair requested that a letter be drafted to the Minister of State for Children & Families in relation to a disparity in the relative cut-off points for care-leavers and access to housing services. (Action: Chair/Sarah Alexander).

 

In relation to previous suggestions by the Committee regarding UASC, officers advised that letters had been sent out to some existing foster carers.The Committee queried whether a communications piece could be placed in the Ham & High, as well as Haringey people. It was suggested that this could be part of a communication drive in the run up to the existing ‘fostering fortnight’ campaign. The Director of Children’s Services suggested that the communications campaign should be done in the weeks prior to the launch of fostering fortnight for maximum effect. The Head of Service for CIC and Placements agreed to pick this up with the fostering recruitment lead and communications. (Action: Jo Moses).

 

In response to a query about the bespoke fostering advert on Sky TV, the Committee was advised that this was unsuccessful and resulted in only one application. The Committee agreed that it was important to explore all avenues to encourage foster carer applications.

 

7.

Performance and LAC issues pdf icon PDF 477 KB

To provide an update to the Committee on current performance levels, LAC numbers, a reduction in placements and the statistical profile of care leavers.

 

Additional documents:

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 second dispatch agenda pack (pages 1 to 18). 

 

NOTED in response to the discussion:

 

  • The Committee was advised that the biggest reason behind children ceasing to be looked after was because they had returned home. The DCS estimated that there was around a 50% churn rate within LAC, which was suggestive of an underlying care population.
  • In response to a query around 82% of visits to CIC recorded as being completed within the relevant timescales, officers advised that of the remaining 18%, the visits had taken place in the vast majority of cases but the report had not been written up due to the social worker having court commitments.
  • In response to a query around Social Worker caseloads and whether these were considered manageable, officers advised that overall levels were reasonable but some individual social worker caseloads were too high. The service had a number of newly qualified social workers and some staff on restricted caseloads on health grounds, which resulted in experienced staff having additional workloads. 
  • In response to a further enquiry, officers advised that newly qualified social workers had a protected caseload and it was estimated that if they were performing well this would likely be in place for one year.
  • In response to paragraphs 2.12 and 2.15, officers advised that performance figure to February 2017 was a typographical error and that the report should read February 2018.
  • The Committee commented that performance levels overall were positive and that significant progress had been made overall during the four-year term of the administration.
  • The Chair thanked the officers present for their hard work in supporting the Committee.

 

AGREED to note the report.

 

8.

Signs of Safety pdf icon PDF 610 KB

To update the Committee on the Council’s child protection framework.

Minutes:

RECEIVED a presentation from the AD Safeguarding and Social Care, Sarah Alexander, which set out the child protection framework used by the Council and the key principles, disciplines and practises contained therein. Report included in the agenda pack (pages 5-11).

 

 NOTED in response to the discussion:

  • The Committee queried whether there was any feedback from children and families who had come in contact with the model. Officers advised that there had been a lot of feedback and that their views had been incorporated in to the evaluation of the framework. Feedback from across the country had been overwhelmingly positive. One of the key advantages of the framework was simplicity and the fact that children and families could understand the process involved.
  • In response to a question about the extent that Signs of Safety was rolled out across the authority, officers advised that it had been rolled out across Children’s Services but that it was most widely used in safeguarding and child protection assessments.

 

9.

Aspire pledge pdf icon PDF 309 KB

To consider any updates to the Aspire pledge for 2018/19.

Minutes:

The Committee received a copy of the Aspire pledge as adopted by Full Council in July 2017.  The Committee were asked to consider any areas for amendment before it was re-adopted by Full Council in the new administration. Aspire confirmed that they were happy with the pledge.

The Committee AGREED that the Aspire pledge should be readopted by Full Council in the municipal year 2018/19, without amendment.

 

10.

New items of urgent business

To consider any items admitted at item 2 above.

 

Minutes:

N/A

11.

Any other business

 

 

Date of next meeting

Minutes:

There were no items of any other business.

 

 

Future meetings

 

NOTED that this was the last scheduled meeting of the current administration.

 

The meeting ended at 20:40 hours.

 

Cllr Elin Weston

Chair