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 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.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 21 November 2016.

Resolved:   That the minutes of the last meeting of the Corporate Parenting Board held on 21 November 2016 be approved and then signed by the Chair as a correct  record.

The Assistant Director of Children’s Specialist Services took this opportunity to update the Board on the Councils position on supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children since the change in arrangements.  He discussed the variety of provisions that brought children to the UK and confirmed York had joined up with all Local Authority’s within the region to support unaccompanied children through the National Transfer Scheme.

Members noted that the whole region was expected to accommodate around 600 children but the final numbers could be significantly lower. In answer to some Members questions officers confirmed that the multi-agency approach allowed each child’s needs to be individually assessed to ensure each child received the appropriate care and support.

The Board noted officers had been fully involved in all arrangements and agreed they had provided exceptional support to the agency. 

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 10 February 2017.

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

http://www.york.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/11406/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings_20160809.pdf

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

Members of the Show Me That I Matter Panel will present a children and young person’s version of the Children and Young People in Care Strategy 2016 – 2020.

The Board considered a report that highlighted how a young person’s friendly version of the Children and Young People in Care Strategy 2016 – 2020 had been designed by York’s Children in Care Council, Show Me That I Matter Panel [SMTIMP].

On behalf of SMTIMP the Children’s Rights Managerpresented the young person’s strategy. She explained how SMTIMP were asked to create a version that could be easily accessed and understood by children and young people. The Panel worked with the Children’s Rights and Advocacy Service and City of York Council’s Graphic Designers to produce a draft document that had also been presented to the Strategic Partnership for Children in Care on 7 February 2017.

The Board agreed the document presented a good summary of the priority actions set out in the Children and Young People in Care Strategy and congratulated SMTIMP for producing an exceptional document.

Resolved:  That the children and young person’s version of the Children and Young People in Care Strategy 2016 – 2020 beendorsed. 

Reason:    In order that Members’ comments can be taken into account prior to the launch of the document.  

This item will present the outcome and findings of the recent Ofsted inspection of York’s services for children in need of help and protection and care leavers.

The Board noted that the outcome and findings of the recent Ofsted inspection of York’s services for children in need of help and protection and care leavers would be reported at the meeting.

Officers gave an update and stated that Ofsted sent eleven inspectors to conduct a comprehensive inspection of all York’s services for children and the City of York Safeguarding Children Board (CYSCB) between 15 November and 8 December 2016 and published the findings on 7 February 2017.

Officers were pleased to announce that York was judged as ‘Good’ with ‘Outstanding’ aspects and that the CYSCB was judged as ‘Outstanding’ which was only the second Safeguarding Board in the county to be given the highest rating.

Officers confirmed the inspection was a no notice inspection and was one of the largest and most intense scrutinies of children’s services. They highlighted the areas the inspection team focused on including secure front door arrangements and the journey of a child in care.

Officers discussed the findings and highlighted some of the strengths reported by the inspectors, which included:

·        Social workers know their children well

·        No child was unnecessarily looked after

·        A relentless focus to find the right placements

·        The voice of a child was heard

·        Educational needs of Looked After Children were met. 

·        The Local Authority had high aspirations for care leavers

·        An established Children’s in Care strategy

·        Relationships were strong with care leavers

·        No child receiving a service  was left unsafe

·        Partnership working in the City was seen as a significant strength

·        Children Social Care development plans were considered to be well informed and likely to be effective in further improving the service.

The small areas for development were then identified and officers stated that work had already begun to improve resources.

The Board congratulated all involved and agreed the results were a testament to how York worked and were encouraged even further to note that the areas for development were already being acted upon and that the ambition from staff was now to go from ‘Good’ to ‘Outstanding’.

Resolved: That the outcome and findings of the recent Ofsted inspection of York’s services for children in need of help and protection and care leavers be noted and commented on.

Reason: To clarify any issues arising, to comment on the findings in preparation for receiving an action plan to address any areas identified for further development at a future Board meeting.

This item presents the most recent analysis of local arrangements for ensuring that the health needs of looked after children are met. This analysis is presented using a benchmarking tool developed from the most recent (2015) Statutory Guidance, set out in Promoting the Health and well-being of looked-after children.

The Board noted the most recent analysis of local arrangements for ensuring that the health needs of looked after children had been discussed and reviewed by the Strategic Partnership for Children in Care on 7 February 2017.

The Designated Nurse for Safeguarding Children and Children in Care confirmed that in 2016 colleagues from health and the Local Authority agreed to undertake a ‘benchmarking’ exercise in order to understand how the current arrangements in York were meeting the standards set out in the statutory guidance on promoting the health and wellbeing of looked after children.

The Board noted that the exercise confirmed the existing services within York were meeting health needs of children and young people well and that the areas raised for improvements had led to the development of a joint Local Authority and health action plan. The plan had been agreed by the multiagency Children in Care Strategic Partnership and was now monitored by this group.

The Board were made aware of the key issues and associated actions to develop services which included improvements within the timeliness of health assessments and improvements to ensure children, young people, including those leaving care, understand their health needs.

The Board thanked officers for their update and welcomed the introduction of a ‘Health Passport’ to all children and young people in care.

Resolved:   That the presentation of progress towards the full compliance with the guidance set out above be considered.

Reason: To clarify any issues arising, to comment on progress and in preparation for receiving an updated health action plan (informed by the findings of the Ofsted and CQC inspections undertaken in November and December 2016 and whose combined findings will be available for the April 2017 Board meeting)                                           

This report provides the Board with a ‘snapshot view’ of the current range of responses to and services available for safeguarding and promoting the emotional and mental health of looked after children, ahead of further discussion on this subject at their June meeting.

The Board considered a report from the Assistant Director for Children’s Specialist Services that provided a snapshot view of the current range of responses to and services available for safeguarding and promoting the emotional and mental health of looked after children.

Officers gave a brief overview of the current approach to supporting and responding to the different emotional and mental health needs of looked after children which included a programme of continuous training, advice and support to foster carers, social workers and pastoral school staff to ensure they were in a position to recognise and respond to a child’s needs as appropriate. To also support the frontline practitioners and looked after children a range of Emotional Literacy Support Assistants, School Cluster Well-being Workers and Primary Mental Health Workers had been created.

The Board thanked officers for their update and noted that the best way to secure children and young people’s emotional and mental health was to facilitate and secure their engagement in a ‘normal’ life and for the more serious needs early identification and timely expert help was essential. They also noted that officers should continue to develop a range of responses tailored to the unique need of each child and young person and they welcomed a full report at the June 2017 Corporate Parenting Board.

Resolved: That the report be noted.

Reason: To clarify any issues arising in preparation for receiving a detailed service development action at the June 2017 meeting.

To consider the Board’s work plan for the current municipal year.

Members considered the Boards work plan for the 2016/17 municipal year.

Resolved: That the workplan be noted.

Reason: To keep the Board’s work plan updated.