Agenda and minutes

Please note that 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 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’.

To receive any apologies for absence.

The Panel received apologies for lateness from Cllr Lawton and Cllr Dunstall.

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 as noted below).

None

A member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a prejudicial interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered:

(i) must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest becomes apparent, and

(ii) may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must withdraw from the meeting room.

A member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not registered in the Register of Members’ Interests or the subject of a pending notification must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the disclosure.

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal interests and prejudicial interests are defined at Paragraphs 5-7 and Appendix A of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

None

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

None

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

To follow.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting on 13^th January were agreed as a correct record.

The Panel received a report which provided an overview of safeguarding and social care activity and performance for 2023/24. The report was introduced by Richard Hutton, Senior Performance Officer and Dionne Thomas, AD Safeguarding and Children’s Social Care as set out in the agenda pack at pages 1-24. The Director of Children’s services was also present for this item. The following arose during the discussion:

a.    The Panel queried the seeming assertion in the report that higher levels of adoption should be seen as a positive trend, and queried why. In response, officers advised that there were more cases of children who were currently in placements coming through the system that would result in higher adoption figures. The numbers could fluctuate significantly, but ultimately the best outcome was for children to remain with their families where possible. Where adoption was considered the best outcome, this had to be done in a timely way. Officers advised that the service undertook benchmarking around adoptions and this was monitored closely.

b.    The Panel welcomed the report and highlighted that there were a number of positive outcomes contained within it.

c.    The Panel queried the types of residential accommodation and the costs involved. In response, officers advised that costs for residential units were always the highest and that there were a range of costs within residential settings. The lowest costs was in-house foster care or children being placed with their family. This was true across the country. Officers set out that the Council had to procure placements that met the needs of the child, and were bespoke. The Council sought to pay the lowest price for residential payments that it could. It was commented that if a child had particularly high needs, a bespoke package would be commissioned and it was expected that the provider would work with the child to reduce need over time. The DCS advised that the service worked with health colleagues to share costs where appropriate and that the service benchmarked costs across London and Haringey was not paying the highest. It was acknowledged that the costs of residential payments were inflated due to the providers inflating those costs and that there was significant research to back this up.

d.    The Panel questioned the reasons for a drop in UASC and whether this was just a result of less children presenting for asylum. In response, officers advised that they didn’t know why the numbers had dropped, but that the authority was ready to make referrals and offer placements in the way it should. There was a drop in the number of children being referred to Haringey from the National Transfer Scheme and there had been a drop in children presenting from particular countries. In response to a follow up, officers advised that there was a general drop across some areas of London and it was speculated that this might be partially accounted for an increase in people arriving by small boats, at the expensive of other routes.

e.    In response  ...  view the full minutes text for item 108.

The Panel received a report which provided an update on work to support the mental health and mental wellbeing of children and young people in Haringey, in the context of the post-pandemic period which was characterised by increasing complexity and demand for mental health services. The report was introduced by Caroline Brian, AD Commissioning & Programmes & Dionne Thomas, AD Safeguarding and Social Care as set out in the agenda pack at pages 25-43.  The following people were also present for, and took part in, this agenda item: Colin McKenzie, Commissioning Project Manager (LBH); Tim Miller, AD Place, integration, Transformation & Delivery for NCL Integrated Care Board (NHS); Michelle Guimarin - NHS North Central London ICB; Penny Mitchell, Director of Population Health Commissioning for NCL Integrated Care Board (ICB); and Clive Blackwood – Head of CYPMHS at North London Foundation NHS Trust. The following arose as part of the discussion of this item:

a.    The Panel sought clarification over the term neurodiversity, in response NHS colleagues advised that this related to a variety of challenges faced by young people from conditions such as ADHD or autism. It was explained that this could impact the child’s ability to socialise and could also impact the wider family.

b.    In response to a question, officers advised that emotional wellbeing was a journey for young people and that various events in a young person’s life, such as bereavement or separation, could have a cumulative impact on their emotional wellbeing and could impact their ability to regulate the world around them. NHS colleagues set out that there were a number of support services available to young people to help them work through the challenges they may face.

c.    In relation to the Parent Psychology Service, the Panel queried whether mental health services were offered to new mothers. In response, the AD for Early Help, Prevention & SEND advised that this would be provided through family hubs and they would commission perinatal services that would support the mother through pregnancy and early motherhood. NHS colleagues advised that they were working closely with the Early Help service to target perinatal services and that there was a broad level of support available in this field across Haringey.

d.    The chair of SEND Power queried the extent to which services were operating holistically, and raised concerns about a lack of CAMHS appointments and those appointments being cancelled at little or no notice. It was emphasised a shortage of services in this area had a big impact on families. In response it was noted that there was more than one provider referred to in the report, but that North London NHS Trust was the primary provider of CAMHS in Haringey. NHS colleagues advised that they were working through the ICB to improve services and bring them up to the national standard. The service levels were outlined as no child should wait longer than four weeks for their first contact. Performance on this metric was at 64%. It was acknowledged that this needed to improve,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 109.

Verbal update.

The AD for Early Help, Prevention and SEND gave a verbal update to the Panel on the recent inspection undertaken of the Youth Justice service. It was noted that the final report was not due to be published until 3^rd March, so the findings from the inspection could not be given in full. However, a summary of some of the key findings was given to Members. Matthew Knights, Head of Youth Justice was also present for this agenda item. The following was noted in relation to this update:

• The inspection involved five weeks of preparation from when the visit was announced to the actual inspection on 9^th -13^th December.
• The inspectors said that they enjoyed their visit and that they particularly welcomed hearing from the children and their parents/carers.
• There was a team of nine inspectors, who spoke to 50 staff and partnership representatives about the wider youth justice system. This included: CAMHS, probation, police, social care, volunteers, SEND, children and parents.
• Across the inspection, there were 30 meetings and they looked at 40 children and held individual interviews with their case managers.
• The inspectors advised that leadership and governance was strong. It was also recognised as; child-centred, purposeful, clear on its priorities.
• Partners held each other to account.
• Data was used well and was used to drive improvements
• The leadership team were committed, passionate and working collaboratively with each other.
• Management had a good understanding of the quality of work being undertaken by staff.
• There was a key focus on empowering others to work and being truly creative and innovative.
• Staff planning was identified as being strong.
• It was identified that there was some variability in decision making in relation to assessment of practice to keep others safe.
• Work with victims needed to increase.
• Children and parents were overwhelmingly positive about the service.
• The inspectors commented that there was a real authenticity to Haringey.

The recommendations from the report will be included in the Youth Justice Plan, which will be agreed by the Youth Justice Partnership Board.

The Panel requested that the full inspection report be brought back to the next meeting of the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel. (Action: Philip).

RESOLVED

Noted

RESOLVED

That the Panel noted the work programme.

To consider any items admitted at item 3 above.

N/A

N/A

This was the last meeting of the municipal year. Dates for 2025-26 will be agreed at Annual Full Council in May.