Agenda item

This briefing updates the Panel on the relevant provisions of the Act and actions that have been taken or are being taken locally as a result.

The Corporate Director introduced this report to the Panel. He stated that the Act was wide ranging but that the main purpose of the legislation was to:

·  Improve decision making and support for looked after and previously looked after children in England and Wales.

·  Improve joint work at the local level to safeguard children and enable better learning at the local and national levels to improve practice in child protection.

·  Promote the safeguarding of children by providing for relationships and sex education in schools.

·  Enable the establishment of a new regulatory regime specifically for the social work profession in England.

Councillor Matt Cochrane asked what the proportion of care leavers was that retain engagement with the Council.

The Corporate Director replied that 94 care leavers were contacted and of that figure 26 have taken up engagement.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked how the ‘Local Offer’ would be approved.

The Corporate Director replied that the Council will be asked to sign up to it.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked if there are the resources to deliver a Personal Advisor for care leavers up to age of 25.

The Corporate Director replied that the Council is in receipt of £7,292 of new burdens funding for this work. He added that roles within the team have flexibility to provide assistance when necessary.

The Chair asked the difference between the roles of the Personal Assistant and the Personal Advisor mentioned in the report.

The Corporate Director replied that they are in fact the same person.

Chris Batten commented that the funding from Government was not sufficient.

Councillor Paul May agreed that it was not enough and said that he was due to meet with a Government representative to discuss the issue further. He added that keeping contact with these young people until 25 was so important and that he would be happy to report back on any progress made.

The Corporate Director added that new duties have been assigned to the Head of the Virtual School and new national guidance has been issued strengthening the requirements in respect of Looked After Children as well as previously Looked After Children and with additional emphasis on ensuring their mental health needs are met.

He said that the Council has received £30,000 for this additional work which has enabled the role to become full time.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked how will the local authority, police and CCG work together in the absence of the LSCB and can we have assurances that reviews of safeguarding will take place during the transition process.

The Corporate Director assured the Panel that the LSCB will not cease until new arrangements are in place. He added that he felt that having these three agencies retain oversight of this work was a positive message as they already worked together within the Board.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked what are the resource implications for the police who are overstretched anyway and can we be assured that the police have the resources to engage in the new arrangements.

The Corporate Director acknowledged that the police are stretched in terms of their boundaries and that conversations were ongoing as to the detail of the footprint that they would have to cover.

Kevin Burnett asked what challenges / benefits were there to the potential new ways of working.

The Corporate Director replied that a real strength was the joint working arrangements already established through the LSCB, LSAB and their respective Sub-Groups. He added that there would be a challenge in terms of resources, but said that a pooled budget currently exists for both Boards.

Kevin Burnett asked if the Virtual Head had written new guidance relating to exclusions and whether this document had been presented to the School Standards Board.

The Director of Education Transformation replied that it has been written, all schools have received it and it was due to be discussed by the School Standards Board on 2^nd October 2018.

Kevin Burnett asked if the Panel could see it.

The Director of Education Transformation replied that they could.

The Chair asked if the Panel could be given a role structure chart identifying which officers report to who and the various working groups / bodies that exist across the People and Communities Department.

The Corporate Director replied that they could attempt to do this on behalf of the Panel, but said that it could be quite a complex diagram.

The Panel RESOLVED to note the update.