Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chair for this meeting

Members were given the opportunity to nominate a Chair to the Board.

Resolved: That Cllr Brooks be elected as the Chair of the Corporate Parenting Board.

At this point, Members are asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests,

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

  At this point in the meeting, Members were asked to declare any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests they may have in relation to the business on the agenda or other general interests they might have had within the remit of the Board. None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 2 February 2015.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the last meeting of the Corporate Parenting Board held on 2 February 2015 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Board’s remit can do so. The deadline for registering is 5pm the working day before the meeting, in this case 5pm on Monday 7 December 2015.

Filming or Recording Meetings

Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting.  Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officers (whose contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting.

The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present.  It can be viewed at

https://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/file/6453/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_council_meetingspdf

It was reported that there were no registrations to speak under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Further to a briefing paper presented to Group Leaders on 1 October [Annex A], the Board is invited to receive a short presentation which describes the work of the Multi Agency Looked After Partnership [MALAP] group to develop a new vision and approach to caring for the City’s Looked After Children.

The Board considered three presentations that highlighted the work of the Multi Agency Looked After Partnership (MALAP) group and the findings from the 2015 U Matter Survey.

The presentations described how City of York Council and its partners proposed to improve further outcomes for all Looked After Children (LAC) and asked Members to consider the most effective processes, practices and ways of working to achieve a strategic and cohesive approach in delivering and maintaining their corporate parenting responsibilities.

The Strategy Author of the draft revised Looked After Children’s Strategy was in attendance to highlight the key findings from his consultations with Looked After Children, their parents, carers and with the wider community of children’s services providers across and beyond the City.

The Strategy Author highlighted his areas of work and confirmed:

·        York had made good progress over the last 3 years which included a significant reduction in the overall numbers of LAC, better health and educational outcomes, excellent work with those leaving care and the establishment of a virtual school.

·        That although the new strategy was good and the performance from Children’s Services was very effective, everyone who had been involved with the development of the new strategy believed, ‘good enough is not good enough’ and wanted to continue to raise ambitions through the strategy to ensure that children who were looked after achieved the very best possible outcomes.

·        The vision and strategic goals had not changed but the way to approach them would be different and included six new strategic themes; ambition, personalisation, normality, trust, accountability and efficiency. These themes would support a child through to adult life and were also intended to challenge and inspire everyone who worked with Looked After Children.

·        A new vision, roles and responsibilities for foster care in York had been considered and would include new protocols and support arrangements to give delegated decision making to more experienced foster carers.

·        The remodelling of the support arrangements would ensure improved support was available.

·        Every arrangement where a child or young person was placed outside of the city was under review and (as part of the Make York Home initiative) where it was in their best interest such children/young people would have the opportunity to return to York for their care.

·        All children would have a health passport which would support both their and their carers understanding of their ongoing health needs.

The Assistant Director of Childrens Specialist Services stated that York had a good record of placing and keeping children within the city. He discussed the innovative work that would significantly strengthen the Councils fostering offer and allow more children and young people to stay in York for their care. 

Members noted that the following would need to be attained to achieve these outcomes:

·        Changes to the way foster carers were involved in the wider planning arrangements for the children they looked after.

·        A review of the various professional roles involved in the care of looked after children.

·        Changes to the recruitment, professional development and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.