Agenda and minutes

Venue: Remote meeting

Contact: Angela Bielby  Democracy Officer

Items
No. Item

30.

Declarations of Interest

At this point in the meeting, 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.

 

Minutes:

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 pdf icon PDF 131 KB

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 18 February 2020.

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

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. Members of the public may speak on agenda items or on matters within the remit of the committee.

 

Please note that our registration deadlines have changed to 2 working days before the meeting, in order to facilitate the management of public participation at remote meetings. The deadline for registering at this meeting is at 5.00pm on Friday 15 January 2021.

 

To register to speak please visit www.york.gov.uk/AttendCouncilMeetings to fill out an online registration form. If you have any questions about the registration form or the meeting please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting whose details can be found at the foot of the agenda.  

 

Webcasting of Remote Public Meetings

 

Please note that, subject to available resources, this remote public meeting will be webcast including any registered public speakers who have given their permission. The remote public meeting can be viewed live and on demand at www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

 

During coronavirus, we've made some changes to how we're running council meetings. See our coronavirus updates (www.york.gov.uk/COVIDDemocracy) for more information on meetings and decisions.

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

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 pdf icon PDF 298 KB

This report presents Members with a revised approach to the Board. [To follow]

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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 pdf icon PDF 522 KB

This report presents the Children and Young People in Care (CYPIC) Strategy for approval by Members. [To follow]

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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 pdf icon PDF 789 KB

Members will be presented with the Independent Reviewing Officers (IRO) Annual Report 2019-20. Every child in the care of the City of York Council must have an allocated Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO). This is a legal requirement under s.118 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002. An IRO is an experienced Social Worker employed by the Council but independent of Children’s Social Care. Their role is to have oversight of a child’s case and ensure that a child’s interests are protected throughout their time in care.[To follow]

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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 recaibration 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 pdf icon PDF 409 KB

This report updates Members on the last CYPIC Strategy Group meeting. [To follow]

Minutes:

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 Crae Service Plan update on the Pathway team, Children in Permananent Placemens update, Court Team update , Foster Service update, Placement suggiciency, 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 pdf icon PDF 359 KB

This report provides Members with an update on VOICE.

Minutes:

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 pdf icon PDF 225 KB

To consider the work plan for the remainder of the municipal year.

Minutes:

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.

 

 

 

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