Agenda item

(To receive a report which provides the Committee with an update of the work of the Corporate Parenting Panel)

The Committee received an update from Councillor D Brailsford, Chairman of the Corporate Parenting Panel in relation to the work of the Panel.  It was reported that at the meeting held on 5 June 2014, the Panel considered a range of reports, as indicated by the minutes which were attached as a n appendix to the report.  This included a report on the outcome from the CQC Review of Health Services for Children Looked After and Safeguarding in Lincolnshire, which as mentioned in the previous update at the July meeting, highlighted a number of issues and concerns relating to health services for Looked After Children.  The Panel also considered an update on the Government's programme of adoption reform which was aimed at addressing the length of time a child waited to be adopted, the falling number of annual adoptions and the recruitment and subsequent support to adoptive parents.

The Panel also received the draft Corporate Parenting Strategy, which applied to all councillors, for comment.  The final version was brought to the meeting held on 18 September 2014 for approval.

Also at the Panel's last meeting, it considered the annual report from the Barnardo's Leaving Care Service and an update on Barnardo's "Beyond Care Campaign" to improve the accommodation and support given to young people as they left care across the country.  An update about this Panel meeting would be provided at the January meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.  The Panel also met Kieran Barnes, the new Virtual Head for Looked After Children.  Kieran's role would be to promote the educational achievement of all the children looked after by Lincolnshire County Council.

The Panel would next meet on 11 December 2014 where it would be considering an update on the response to the CQC Review of health Services for Children Looked After and Safeguarding in Lincolnshire, and the Annual Report on the Educational Attainment of Looked After Children.

Members of the Committee were provided with the opportunity to ask questions in relation to the information presented and the minutes of the Panel, and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·         It was queried whether the link to the video referred to in minute 6, which had been produced by the National Children's Bureau, could be made available to members of the Scrutiny Committee.  Officers agreed to send the link to the Committee;

·         Officers responded to a number of queries regarding Looked After Children (LAC) taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, and it was noted that Looked After Children did not have to be part of a group in order to take part, and that most would receive 1:1 help throughout.  However, a group was put together of Looked After Children from different schools for the Gold Award.  Members were advised that a dedicated LAC group was formed due to the dedicated support that was required;

·         It was clarified that the frustrations experienced by foster carers in obtaining specialist equipment for a disabled child had been an isolated incident;

·         Councillor L Wootten advised that there were a number of small errors in the minute related to her visit to the Beacon Residential Children's Home in Grantham.  It was reported that the home actually looked after 7 children and not 15 children;

·         It was queried how many children placed for adoption were returned to foster care.  Cllr Brailsford agreed to look into this and would let the Committee know.  It was clarified that the numbers of children returned to foster care after adoption were very low, and it was often during the child's teenage years that the adoption would break down.  However, it was emphasised that this was a rare occurrence.

RESOLVED

            That the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee not the work      of the Corporate Parenting Panel.