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City of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
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Meeting |
Corporate Parenting Board |
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Date |
19 January 2021 |
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Present |
Councillors Orrell (Chair), Fitzpatrick (Vice-Chair), Heaton, Hunter, Musson, Rowley, Runciman and Baker |
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30. Declarations of Interest
At this point in the meeting, Members were invited to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in relation to the business on the agenda or any other general interests they might have within the remit of the Board. None were declared.
31. Minutes
Resolved: That the minutes of the last meeting of the Corporate Parenting Board, held on 18 February 2020 be approved and then signed by the Chair as a correct record at a later date.
32. Public Participation
It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak under the Councils Public Participation Scheme.
33. Revised approach to the Corporate Parenting Board
The Board considered a report detailing the revised approach to the Corporate Parenting Board. This included information on the Corporate Parenting Legal Duty, the three levels of Corporate Parenting Responsibility, the Children in Care and Care Leavers Strategic Partnership and role of the Corporate Parenting Board. An updated Terms of Reference for the Board was also included.
The Interim Group Manager Achieved Permanence was in attendance to present the report and he outlined the report noting that the revised approach reinforced the feedback Children in Care Strategy. He explained the proposed changes to the membership of the board to be expanded to include co-opted members to allow the Board to become more interactive. In response to questions from Members he confirmed that Foster Cares would be represented in the membership.
Members discussed the proposed changes to membership and access to meetings. It was confirmed that the board meetings were public meetings. Members welcomed the new approach, including the inclusion of Looked After Children, although concern was expressed about the balance of membership in the context of the Board’s decision making.
Resolved:
i. That a further report would be brought to the next Board meeting detailing how the Board would move forward.
ii. That the Chair, Vice Chair, Corporate Director Children, Education and Communities and Assistant Director Children’s Services would meet to discuss how the Board would move forward.
Reason: To update and revise the approach taken by the Board.
34. Children and Young People in Care (CYPIC) Strategy
The Board considered a report that updated them on City of York Corporate Parenting and Children in Care Strategy 2020 – 2023 and plan. The Interim Group Manager Achieved Permanence presented the strategy and plan highlighting the eight objectives. The Assistant Director Children’s Services confirmed that the plan presented covered the period November 2018 to March 2020 and the strategy from 2020 to 2023. In answer to Member questions they clarified that:
· The visits to Wenlock Terrace were undertaken by the Independent Reviewing Officers (IROs) and were not a requirement of officers
· The mechanism for members of the Board to engage with Looked After Children (LAC) would be facilitated through the Assistant Director Children’s Services. It may be interesting for members to visit the Beehive, which was commissioned by the council
· The process for the appointment and role of the IROs was explained.
Resolved: That the report be noted.
Reason: To keep the Board updated.
35. Independent Reviewing Officers (IRO) Annual Report 2019-20
The Board considered the Independent Reviewing Officers
(IRO) Annual Report 2019-20 and IRO Service Plan for Children in Care 2020-21. The Service Manager Independent Reviewing Service was in attendance to give an update and as set out in the report explained how the recalibration of services had a positive impact of wide reaching reform of Children Social Care Services undertaken in York during 2019-20. In answer to Members questions advised that she could provide Members with the data on children out of area and placed in a temporary bridging placements outside of York.
Resolved: That the report be noted.
Reason: To keep the Board updated.
36. Highlight report from last CYPIC Strategy Group
The Board considered a highlight report that gave them an update on Children in Care and the Care Leavers Strategic Partnership. The Interim Group Manager Achieved Permanence outlined the report, which included a Leaving Care Service Plan update on the Pathway team, Children in Permanent Placements update, Court Team update, Foster Service update, Placement sufficiency, Reducing Costs Board, Covid-19 response, recruitment update and Fostering Panel update. In response to questions raised he explained that:
· The process for step parent adoption remained the same during the pandemic. It was noted that there were different procedures regarding whether adoptions were made in public private law.
· Recruiting foster carers for teenagers remained a challenge.
· The data for foster carers in York was detailed
Resolved: That the report be noted.
Reason: To keep the Board updated.
37. Update from VOICE
The Board considered a report providing them with an Update on Voice. This updated Members on the work of and impact of COVIS-19 on the Children in Care Council and Care Leavers Forum, Advocacy and Mind of My Own (online platform that enables children and young people to express their views, wishes and feelings).
The Children’s Rights Manager was in attendance to present the report and she updated Members on the current areas of interest identified by I Still Matter (ISM) and Show Me That I Matter (SMTIM). In response to a question concerning digital inclusion, she explained that it had been difficult to engage with some young people with online work. Following discussion on the impact of COVID-19, the Board was advised that a COVID risk assessment was done on every child accessing a service, which was undertaken on a two week basis.
Resolved: That the report be noted.
Reason: To keep the Board updated.
38. Work Plan
Members considered the Board’s work plan for the 2020-21.
Resolved: The Chair, Vice Chair and Corporate Director Children, Education and Communities would meet to discuss the work plan.
Reason: To keep the Board’s work plan updated.
Cllr Orrell, Chair
[The meeting started at 5.00pm and finished at 6.37pm].