Agenda and minutes

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, prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interest they might have in relation to the business on the agenda or other general interests they might have within the remit of the Board. None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the last meeting of the Board held on 1 October 2012.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the last meeting of the Corporate Parenting Board held on 1 October 2012 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 Friday 30 November.

To register, or for further information, please contact the Democracy Officer for this meeting using the details at the foot of the agenda.

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

The Looked After Children’s Strategy 2012-15 sets out the expected outcomes for looked after children and young people in relation to their health needs. It states “The health needs of children and young people are assessed and planned for, and they have appropriate access to all the health services they require. They are well and happy, and choosing healthy and active lifestyles.” This report describes the action planning which is being undertaken to achieve the stated outcome for York’s looked after children.

Members consider a report that informed them of the Looked After Children’s Strategy for the Health of Looked After Children.

Sue Roughton, a designated nurse for safeguarding children and Dr Barbara Stewart,  a designated Paediatrician at York Hospital for Looked After Children were in attendance to update the Committee on the work they had achieved since they combined roles in January 2012. 

They were pleased to announce that the percentage of  Initial Health Assessments for Looked After Children  had increased and  were being taken within the statutory timescales. Although this was a good result officers would still be working with colleagues in Children’s Social Care to further increase this and would continue quality audits to ensure that this high standard would be maintained.

The designated doctor stated that one of the most recent developments had been to children who were medically examined due to concerns about abuse of neglect. The opportunity was taken to include information that would inform a Looked After Children Initial Health Assessment, avoiding two health assessments needed to be undertaken on the same child. Officers felt these changes were effectively improving the system.

Dr Stewart stated they were actively working on lots of initiatives to encourage more children and young people to take part in their Health Assessments and had attended the Show Me That I Matter Panel to consult with young people in relation to their experience of health provision while in care.

It was explained to Members that better arrangements had been put in place for the provision of health care to Care Leavers who were no longer at school. All Care Leavers were offered a “Health Passport”. This provided them with the sort of information that was generally held by parents of non-Care Leavers which was needed for further education and job applications as well as to enable the young person to continue to effectively address any health needs that they had. Members felt this was a positive concept.

Members thanked officers for their update and for the work they had done. They looked forward to receiving another update at a future meeting.

RESOLVED: That the progress that had been made in relation to plans to meet with health needs of Looked After Children and young people to ensure that all those involved with children and young people were collaborating to consolidate the arrangements for children’s health provision and to improve in accordance with the strategy be noted.

REASON:       So that the Board was kept up to date with progress that was being made in the health provision for Looked After Children.

The Looked After Children’s Strategy 2012-15 also sets out the expected outcomes for looked after children and young people in relation to respect for them and their involvement in service planning and development. This report identifies the areas for development and will provide the basis for a discussion with Children’s Rights’ Officers, who work with the Show Me That I Matter Panel (Children in care council) to ensure that the voice of looked after children is heard and acted upon by council officers, partners in related fields and elected members.

Members considered a report that informed them of the expected outcomes for looked after children and young people in relation to respect for them and their involvement in service planning and development.

Officers informed the Board that they were actively involved in two children and young people groups, Show me that I Matter (SMTIM) aimed at children aged 11 and over and I Matter Too (IMT) aimed at young people aged 8-11. Officers showed Members a DVD that  had recently been produced by the IMT group. The DVD was aimed at children who were new to the care system and explained everything they would need to know in a child friendly approach.

In answer to Members questions officers confirmed that:

·        The DVD was available to view on You Tube, Facebook and the YorOk website.

·        Every young person new to the care system would be sent a copy.

·        The DVD had not been distributed to any young people yet because the accompany handbook was still in print.

·        Officers would monitor the effectiveness of the DVD by consulting  with children who had seen it and listening and acting on their feedback to improve it.

Officers confirmed to Members that they stay in regular contact with all Looked After Children and as part of an ongoing consultation to widen participation had:

·        set up a Facebook page for the over 13’s to join if they wished.

·        regularly visited Wenlock and The Glen.

·        developed a children and young people’s website that would be targeted at foster carers and children in care.

·        worked with the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) to encourage children and young people to chair and/or evaluate their reviews.

Some Members questioned why childcare reviews were sometimes held in the child’s school as they had received feedback that some children do not like to hold them there. Officers confirmed that this was an evolving process and the place of the reviews was decided on an individual basis and if a child had stated for it not to be held in a certain venue this would be acknowledged by the IRO. The IRO’s were actively working to improve participation in reviews and would ensure that children and young people felt that their involvement in their reviews had made a difference.

Members thanked officers for the work they do and had achieved and agreed that an Independent Reviewing Officer should be invited to attend a future meeting.¹ 

RESOLVED:  (i)That the update be noted.

(ii)That an Independent Reviewing Officer be invited to attend a future meeting

REASON:  To continue the work of the Committee