Issue - meetings

This report provides information on the key aspects of the Independent Review service and a progress report following the local implementation of the new regulations and guidance.

Members considered a report which provided information on the key aspects of the Independent Reviewing Service.  These included that:

·         The service carried out statutory reviews of care plans for looked after children which were used to highlight and progress priority concerns

·         The service was responsible for investigating and resolving problems in relation to complaints made by looked after children

·         In the case of a child at risk, the service was responsible for the production of a good quality, multi agency child protection plan through the involvement of all parties including the child and family. 

·         The service was responsible for chairing, minuting and administering child protection conferences for all children placed on the Child Protection Register

·         Through transitional planning meetings, the service aimed to provide a consistent approach for children as they passed from the 0-10 social work teams to the 11+ social work teams. 

·         The service had recently introduced a new system to ensure the stability of placements for looked after children up to the age of 11yrs with the intention of extending that to include children up to 14yrs.

The report highlighted the number of reviews, protection plans and conferences arranged over the past three years  and gave a progress report on local implementation of the new regulations and guidance.

It was noted that the new Adoption & Children Act 2002 guidance had provided a much clearer framework for developing the service and enabled the team to focus attention on improving all aspects of planning and reviewing activity.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to note the contents of the report and request further reports on an annual basis.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:   That the advice of the advisory panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:            To inform the Executive Member.        

Members considered a report which provided information on the key aspects of the Independent Reviewing Service.  These included that:

·         The service carried out statutory reviews of care plans for looked after children which were used to highlight and progress priority concerns

·         The service was responsible for investigating and resolving problems in relation to complaints made by looked after children

·         In the case of a child at risk, the service was responsible for the production of a good quality, multi agency child protection plan through the involvement of all parties including the child and family. 

·         The service was responsible for chairing, minuting and administering child protection conferences for all children placed on the Child Protection Register

·         Through transitional planning meetings, the service aimed to provide a consistent approach for children as they passed from the 0-10 social work teams to the 11+ social work teams. 

·         The service had recently introduced a new system to ensure the stability of placements for looked after children up to the age of 11yrs with the intention of extending that to include children up to 14yrs.

The report highlighted the number of reviews, protection plans and conferences arranged over the past three years.  Members were pleased to note the high number of reviews in which the child had taken part but noted they were not always held within the agreed timeframe.  It was reported that the service took a pro-active approach to ensuring that timescales where met but that it was not always possible.  

The report detailed the role of an IRO including a new power that where a child’s human rights were considered to be in breach, the Children Act 2002 regulations allowed them to refer a case outside of the local Authority to CAFCASS, and bring legal proceedings in order to achieve a resolution.

The report also included the progress made on local implementation of the new regulations and guidance which gave a framework for IROs to work independently from the Local Authority.  It was noted that the new Adoption & Children Act 2002 guidance had provided a much clearer framework for developing the service and enabled the team to focus attention on improving all aspects of planning and reviewing activity.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to note the contents of the report and request further reports on an annual basis.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:   That the advice of the advisory panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:            To inform the Executive Member.