Agenda and minutes

Contact: Ajda Ovat, Principal Committee Co-ordinator 

Items
No. Item

80.

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.

 

81.

Apologies for absence (if any)

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillor Davies and Councillor Sakina Chenot.

 

82.

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:

There were no new items of urgent business.

 

83.

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:

No declarations of interest were made.

 

84.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 192 KB

To consider the minutes of the meeting held on 15th October 2019.

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

The minutes of the 15th of October 2019 were agreed as a correct record.

 

85.

Matters arising

Minutes:

There were no comments made regarding the minutes of the previous meeting.  

 

86.

Working Together to Tackle Vulnerability, Violence & Exploitation (VVE) in Haringey pdf icon PDF 193 KB

Briefing on Working Together to tackle Vulnerability, Violence and Exploitation (VVE) in Haringey.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Beverley Hendricks, introduced this report, as set out at pages 7 to 18, which detailed the briefing on Working Together to tackle Vulnerability, Violence and Exploitation (VVE) in Haringey (Appendix 1).

 

The following was highlighted to the Committee:

·         Officers accepted more work needed to be done to tackle challenging hotspots around the borough where Vulnerability, Violence and Exploitation (VVE) were prevalent.

·         Officers proposed to create an action plan on points identified in the briefing so that the Committee could continue to have oversight and review the performance of Children’s Services in tackling this issue (Action: Beverley Hendricks).

 

The Chair praised the briefing for its thoroughness and completeness. The glossary contained in previous versions was specifically praised for being helpful.

 

Following discussion, it was noted that:

·         A member considered it might be helpful for all primary school children to be made aware of gangs and the issues surrounding them, in order to inform them of how to protect themselves from exploitation. However, it was accepted there were limited resources available to the Council and that efforts should be focussed to target areas where children were more likely to be vulnerable to exploitation from gangs.

·         The Director of Children’s Services suggested that the briefing paper be presented to the Haringey Education Partnership, which was responsible for the training of all schools in the borough.

·         Officers informed the briefing paper had been presented to the Community Safety Partnership. Additionally, there were three officers at the Council who handled matters involving the exploitation of children and they worked proactively to create as many partnerships as possible. Schools, such as Woodside, had been invited to attend the Children’s Services Department Management Team meeting to discuss how to work together to tackle VVE in the Haringey.

 

The Chair requested that the briefing be edited into a succinct and concise document  (no more than two sides) so that it could be distributed to as many different groups as possible. It was suggested that the Communications team be approached for their assistance (Action: Beverley Hendricks).

 

87.

ANNUAL HEALTH REPORT OF CHILDREN IN CARE SERVICES - WHITTINGTON HEALTH NHS TRUST pdf icon PDF 126 KB

This report is regarding the Haringey’s Children in Care (CIC) annual health report. The objective of the CIC health service is to ensure that all Haringey children and young people in care are physically, mentally, emotionally and sexually healthy and that they are able to make health choices that enable them to enjoy healthy life styles.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Lynn Carrington introduced this report, as set out at pages 19 to 32, which detailed the Haringey’s Children in Care (CIC) annual health report. The objective of the CIC health service was to ensure that all Haringey children and young people in care were physically, mentally, emotionally and sexually healthy and that they were able to make health choices that enabled them to enjoy healthy lifestyles.

 

Following discussion, it was noted that:

·         Regarding the immunisation statistic being at 88%, the Committee praised this but queried why this was not higher. Officers responded that most of the young looked after children had been immunised but some of those who formed the 12% not fully immunised were girls who had not received the HPV vaccine and older children whom it was harder to make get immunised. It was also required that flu immunisations be included in that statistic. In cases where it was the parents of young children who refused for their child to be vaccinated, doctors would talk to the parents to allay any fears or concerns they might hold.

·         Regarding whether children got the choice of what gender their nurse was, Officers replied the Council only had female nurses available, however, this had not been an issue to date. There was a mixture of male and female doctors and Officers tried to ensure that they matched with the children, but this was dependent on who was available on the day. Where doctors saw children of a different gender to them, no concerns or issues had been raised. Doctors had training to spot when children might be uncomfortable or distressed and an assessment was never pushed if it was not wanted.

The Assistant Director of Safeguarding and Social Care informed the Committee that two CAMHS practitioners would be supporting CSC from February on a part time basis. The Committee welcomed this development.

88.

Updated Action Plan on Haringey Children in Care who are also known to Youth Justice pdf icon PDF 245 KB

This report provides an updated Action Plan on Haringey Children in Care who are also known to Youth Justice.

Minutes:

Beverley Hendricks introduced this report, as set out at pages 33 to 38, which detailed an updated Action Plan on Haringey Children in Care, who were also known to the Youth Justice Service.

 

Following discussion, it was suggested that a member from the courts, potentially Highbury Court, be invited to a future meeting. The Chair suggested that the Chair of the Youth Court be approached for a meeting outside of CPAC.

 

89.

Adoption Update pdf icon PDF 1022 KB

This briefing provides an update on the Adopt London Regional Adoption Agency development programme.

Minutes:

Beverley Hendricks introduced this report, as set out at pages 39 to 44, which provided an update on the Adopt London Regional Adoption Agency development programme.

 

Responding to a question on whether the Council could compel foster carers to tell adopted children that they were adopted, Officers informed the Council could not do so as there was no legal provision for this. Therefore, it was up to the foster carer whether they wished to tell the child that they were adopted, if they were not aware that was the case. However, when checking up on the adopted children, the Council tested the openness of the foster carers and encouraged them to be as open as possible.

 

90.

Statutory School Age PEP Exception Report December 2019 pdf icon PDF 122 KB

This exception report is regarding the Statutory School Age PEP.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Nicola Morgan introduced this report, as set out at pages 45 to 54, which outlined those instances in which actual Personal Education Plan (PEP) completion performance has fallen short of the 90% target set, and to focus management attention on just those areas requiring immediate action.

 

The performance of PEPs was being closely monitored and there had been improvement with a focus on them being completed in a timely manner. It was noted that three children had not had their PEPs completed in the last term, with 31 children having completed PEPs but those were not signed off by either the schools or social workers. The Head of the Virtual School assured the Committee that all efforts were being made to improve the PEP performance percentage.

 

Following discussion, it was noted that:

·         It must not be the case that a child goes two terms without a completed PEP.

·         Officers exchanged regular emails and calls with schools to ensure that they signed off PEPs.

·         Where a looked after child engaged with education after the age of 16, the Council engaged with them fully to provide what services and guidance it could, such as apprenticeships or work experience.

 

91.

Haringey Academy Update pdf icon PDF 142 KB

This briefing provides an update regarding the Haringey Academy.  

Minutes:

Beverley Hendricks introduced this report, as set out at pages 51 to 53, and provided an update on the Haringey Academy. The Haringey Children’s Practice Academy would provide a clearly structured way for the Council’s: Social work managers; Social Workers; ASYEs; Family Intervention Workers; Family Support Workers; Foster carers; Frontline administrators; Youth Workers; and Young People Advisors, to develop with additional routine and systemized training foster best practice and ensure the best possible outcomes for the families they support.

 

The following was highlighted to the Committee:

·         The first courses at Haringey Academy had taken place in early January 2020.

·         A website for the Haringey Academy would be accessible from April 2020.

 

The Chair praised the Haringey Academy as a positive scheme for the training it provided to social workers at the Council.

 

92.

PERFORMANCE for the year to November/December 2019 pdf icon PDF 399 KB

This report provides an analysis of the performance data and trends for an agreed set of measures relating to looked after children on behalf of the Corporate Parenting Advisory Committee.

 

Minutes:

Richard Hutton, Senior Performance Officer, took the Committee through the report, as set out at pages 55 to 60, which provided an analysis of the performance data and trends for an agreed set of measures relating to looked after children on behalf of the Corporate Parenting Advisory Committee.

 

The following was highlighted to the Committee:

·         Officers corrected the report and noted that the number of unaccompanied asylum seeker children (UASC) was down from 49 to 42. This was as a result of age assessments showing some were older than they had led the Council to believe.

·         Regarding the CiC Plans, Officers noted it would not be difficult to rapidly increase the performance of those, however, the emphasis was on producing quality care plans which took time to complete.

·         It was important to continue to improve the number of children in care having dental appointments as poor dental health was a sign of neglect. Officers informed that it was more difficult to make the older children go to the dentist.

 

The Chair praised the positive report and invited the Committee to ask any questions or make observations on the report.

 

Following discussion, it was noted that:

·         Whilst Officers were not able to provide full information on what education schools provided to children about the importance of dental health, they informed the Committee that all looked after children were invited for health assessments that involved discussing dental hygiene.

·         Officers informed that, where a child moved placements three times, the Assistant Director for Safeguarding and Social Care would be notified and would look in detail at what was happening with that child. There could be a Stability Meeting held which would look at resolving any identified issues before they escalated. There could also be a Disruption Meeting which would look at learning lessons from that child’s situation to ensure that it was not repeated. Officers looked to ensure that a child was spoken to about how they were feeling wherever possible.

·         There was concern raised over whether the available services had the capacity to sustain the demand for them. Officers noted that the whole system did its best to accommodate children wherever possible, however, there was a significant pressure on certain services such as mental health.

 

A briefing report was requested on the changes that the Government had announced regarding refugee children and their rights to come to the United Kingdom and be with their family, following the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union (Action: Beverley Hendricks).

 

93.

Any other business

 

 

Date of next meeting

Minutes:

Ofsted Focussed Visit

 

Ann Graham informed the Committee that Ofsted had notified Children’s Services in November that they would carry out a focused visit. They subsequently visited the Council on 10th December 2020 and found there had been improvement from their previous visit. A letter detailing the visit would be published by Ofsted in late January 2020.

 

Date of next meeting

 

17th March 2020.