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 interests 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 meeting held on 7 March 2013.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the last meeting of the Corporate Parenting Board held on 7 March 2013 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 Wednesday 1 May 2013.

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

The Board will receive a short presentation setting out the changes to the arrangements for the delivery of children’s social care services in the City.

This presentation will focus on the vision for these services and how this will safelysupport a continued reduction in the number of children who become looked after and improve the quality of provision for those children and young people who are looked after.

This agenda item necessitates a short pause in the Board’s forward plan; however, it will set the policy and practice landscape for the City’s future work to achieve the best possible outcomes for its Looked After Children.

Members received a presentation from the Assistant Director (Children’s Specialist Services) entitled “Keeping Families Together – Keeping Children Safe” which set out changes to the arrangements for the delivery of children’s social care services in the city in response to the social work reform challenges. It focused on the vision for these services and how they would safely support a continued reduction in the number of children who became looked after and improve the quality of provision for those children and young people who are looked after. The presentation provided Members with the following information.

·         National drivers behind the changes include:

o   The Munro Review of Child Protection – Final Report – this began a comprehensive process of shifting children’s social work from compliance to a learning culture.

o   Changes to the regulation of social work – all social workers are now required to register with the Health and Care Professions Council.

o   Introduction of the College of Social Work – responsible for quality of social work programmes and promotion of high professional standards

o   The work of the Social Work Reform Board (SWRB)

o   The new Ofsted Inspection Framework - shifting the focus from process to outcomes

o   Family Justice Review – speeds up public law process and emphasises the voice of the child and the role of professionals working together.

o   Revised Working Together 2013 – streamlines previous guidance documents

o   Further Action on Adoption – sets out our proposals for the next steps in tackling dely.

o   Early Intervention – The Allen Review

o   Our local learning - will shape our approach to delivering our service vision

·         The vision for the service and how it would be achieved

·         Summary of the new style of delivery – changing the way things are done and agreeing what the new “style” will be.

·         Two new roles have been created. These are Principal Officer Strategy and Performance and Principal Social Worker

·         Flow chart detailing the structure of the service under the Assistant Director (Children’s Specialist Services), Head of Early Intervention Services, Head of Service Safeguarding and Head of Service Resources. (Majority of resources and energies are directed close to the front line by removing layers of hierarchy.)

·         A suite of services has already been developed to support the outcomes sought. These include the following:

o    Single Front Door – a single point of contact for all referrals to CSS for advice and for safeguarding concerns for children and young people.

o   Integrated Family Service – a family support service (incorporating York’s “Troubled Families” Programme) which seeks to provide early help and support to families across the city.

o   Looked After Children’s Support Service – a dedicated support service to looked after children including addressed and supervised contact and direct work with looked after children. This team will move into a new, specially designed, facility in September 2013.

o   Review and Re-procurement of Children’s Home Provision –The provision of children’s home beds has been contracted to Northern Care. This includes the block  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

This report sets out the proposed timetable of reports for the Corporate Parenting Board for 2013-14.

The Board’s scrutiny of progress against the Looked After Children’s Strategy will continue at the August 2013 meeting. The key areas identified for this meeting include:

Fostering in York – A New Deal for Foster Carers

Further Action on Adoption – York’s response

These items will include a biannual report from both services.

Future agenda items agreed but yet to be timetabled include:

·        the health and emotional well being of looked after children;

·        respect and involvement;

·        the education of looked after children;

·        promoting and maintaining positive relationships and identity.

Members considered a report which set out the proposed timetable of reports for the Corporate Parenting Board for 2013-14. Members noted that the aim of the work plan was to ensure that there was overview of each of the areas of the City of York Looked After Children’s Strategy 2012-15 during the forthcoming municipal year.

Members discussed the proposed timetable as set out in the agenda papers, and agreed the timetable as follows:

4 July 2013               Good and Safe Placements

                                    Annual adoption report

                                    Quarterly fostering report, including inviting a representative from the York Area Foster Carers Association

3 October 2013         Health of Looked After Children

                                    Moving into Adulthood, including Care Leavers Charter

5 Dec 2013                Respect and Involvement, including a report from the Children’s Rights Officer

                                    Education, with a report from the head teacher of the virtual school of Looked After Children. (Virtual Head Teacher for Looked after Children be invited to attend the meeting)

6 March 2013            The emotional well being of looked after children (slot in dependent on when it comes through scrutiny)

                                    Maintaining and promoting important relationships for looked after children

1 May 2014               Respect and involvement including the annual report of the independent reviewing officer service

Promoting a positive sense of identity for all children.

Board Members thought it would be useful to hear back from those Members who had responsibility for visiting children’s homes and agreed to receive a report from the service manager and member visiting. Officers noted that it would be beneficial to hear feedback from the Glen in the context of wider short breaks.

RESOLVED:             That the work plan and timetable of meetings outlined above be agreed.

REASON:                  To ensure the Council’s commitment to undertake its role as a responsible Corporate Parent in line with the desired outcomes in the Looked After Children’s Strategy 2012-15.