Agenda item

(To receive a report from Ben Lilley, Team Manager Quality and Standards, which gives a summary and overview of two key elements of participation and engagement work within Children's Services over the last quarter period of the year)

Consideration was given to a report which provided a summary and overview of two key elements of participation and engagement work within Children's Services over the last quarter period of the year:

1.    Tell Us Survey: This was an annual survey designed to capture the views of children in the authority's care about various aspects of their care experience with the intention being to identify how services could be improved and ensured that children and young people had a forum to raise issues and concerns about their experience in order to help Children's Services develop support further where needed.

2.    The Big Conversation: These events were held three times per year (February, May and October) and provided an opportunity for children in the authority's care to share their experience and help shape and improve care services.  The Big Conversation meetings enabled children and young people from the four locally based Voices 4 Choices groups (Lincolnshire's  Children in Care Council) to come together, also with care leavers to share their views on a range of topics and issues.

The Panel was advised that the Tell Us Survey had been undertaken in 2019 and had received 38 responses, and it was acknowledged that this was not a large amount of responses.  Any responses which included 'I could do better' would be forwarded on to a social worker to follow up.  It was reported that there were some very positive responses.  The number of responses was lower than officers would have liked, but work was on going to improve responses in the future.

Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the report and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·         It was highlighted that there that been four responses answering 'could do better' to questions about 'your education' and 'your future' and it was queried whether it was possible that it was the same four young people responding.  It was acknowledged that this was likely and would be flagged up to the social workers.

·         It was suggested that next time the length of time the survey was open could be extended.  Social workers had tried really hard to encourage young people to complete the surveys. 

·         There had been a suggestion of whether future survey's should just focus on a particular theme, and just ask four or five questions.

·         In terms of the language used, it was noted that progress was being made, and the Council would be dropping use of the term 'Looked After Children' and replacing it with 'Children in Care'

·         Members were concerned about the lack of responses, and it was queried whether there was an issue with the responses not being anonymised.  However, members were advised that on the survey there was an option to make the responses anonymous.

·         Members were encouraged to hear that any negative responses to survey questions were followed up by social workers.

·         Concerns were expressed regarding the responses about not being aware of the virtual school, and the Panel was advised that this was being followed up with the Head of the Virtual School. 

·         It was highlighted that children in care would have meetings which included their social worker, designated teacher and other professionals, and they may not know what everyone's role was.

·         A discussion took place regarding the importance of designated teachers and the role they played for children in care, and it was acknowledged that although all children in care would have a designated teacher, the child may not recognise that term.  It was suggested it was more important that the child had someone outside the home they felt they could go to for support or advice.

·         It was suggested that the language used with children should be changed, as officers were confident that children in care knew their designated teacher as a teacher.  It was suggested that it would be better to ask children if they had someone at school they could go to if they needed help rather than asking if they knew who their designated teacher was.

·         The LCHS representative advised that when children came for an assessment, they were asked if they knew who they could go to at school if they needed to speak to someone. 

·         It was noted that some services would send survey's out via text message, asking for a view by responding between 1 - 5 on a particular question.

·         It was reported that the recent Big Conversation had followed on from the one held before Christmas 2019, where discussions about reviewing the language used had been taking place.  Young people had highlighted that that 'Looked After Children' and 'respite' were terms that they did not like.

·         It was queried how much input the young people would have in influencing the terms and the it was noted that they were able to feed in their views via V4C.

·         Page 18 of the agenda pack, set out some suggested changes to terminology and it was noted that both the 'Care Plan' and 'Pathway Plan' would be known as 'Future Plan'.  It was noted that a young person's view was they did not see a difference between them.

·         In terms of the bullying aspect which had been recorded, it was queried what the current situation with this was, and if it was know why they were being bullied.  It was noted that these responses has been escalated to the appropriate social workers.  It was also suggested that the responses could have been referring to existing bullying situations which had not yet been resolved.

·         It was highlighted that the 'Caring Promise' did not place any obligations on the child.

·         It was noted that Barnardo's had a Leaving Care Charter, which was a two way responsibility between Barnado's and the young person, of what could be expected.  However, it was noted that this was in need of refreshing.

·         One member commented that the care they gave their children was unconditional, and they would like the Care Pledge to also be unconditional, this was particularly important for younger children.  However, it was acknowledged that clear boundaries, and each foster family would have their own boundaries which needed to be adhered to. 

·         It was highlighted that there could be a big difference for young person from being 17 to turning 18.  It was known that some 18 year olds did struggle with the transition to being an adult. 

·         It was highlighted that the Corporate Parenting Panel recognised the good work of the Participation Officers Rebecca Crooks, Andy Garbutt and Graham Reeve in relation to the Big Conversation.

·         Page 25 of the agenda pack provided data on the type of house a young person lived in, and it was queried what the 8% 'other' would include.  The Panel was advised that this was likely to be 16-18 year olds living in supported accommodation, secure accommodation or they may have been placed out of county.

RESOLVED

            That the comments made in relation to the Tell Us Survey and Big Conversation be noted.