Agenda item

(To receive an update from Councillor D Brailsford, Chairman of the Corporate Parenting Sub-Group)

The Committee received a verbal update from Councillor D Brailsford, Chairman of the Corporate Parenting Sub-Group, which provided an update on the work undertaken by the Sub-Group since the previous meeting on 6 July 2017.

Appendix A to the report provided the Committee with a copy of the draft minutes from the last meeting of the Sub-Group held on 21 September 2017 for information.

The Committee was advised that at the meeting on 21 September 2017, the Sub-Group had received further training on a number of areas, which included:-

·         Residential Services in Lincolnshire – This item provided the Sub-Group with an overview of residential provision for Looked After Children in Lincolnshire;

·         Role of Visiting Members – The Sub-Group had received an overview of the role of elected members in children's safeguarding including the Lead Member and the Visiting Members who conducted visits to the seven residential homes;

·         Independent Visiting Service – The Sub-Group had received an overview  of the children's homes regulations; and the Regulation 44 reports which were completed following visits to children's homes by the Independent Visiting Service; and

·         Barnardo's Leaving Care Service – This item had provided the Sub-Group with a summary of the Leaving Care Service in Lincolnshire, which was provided by Barnardo's.

The Committee was advised that the next meeting of the Corporate Parenting Sub-Group was due to meet on 7 December 2017, when it would be receiving in-depth training on Legal Services care proceedings; and private fostering.  The Sub-Group would also be considering the revised Looked After Children Placement Sufficient Strategy.

During a short discussion, members of the Committee raised the following issues:-

·         One member enquired whether visiting members could have a breakdown of the children as some of the children's issues were very complex.  The Committee noted that this information had been made available previously to visiting members.  Officers agreed to raise the matter with the Assistant Director Children's, Safeguarding;

·         One member advised that page 39 had made reference to the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain, rather than the Showmen's Guild, (East Midlands); and 

·         The timescales for leaving care – Officers advised the Committee that the local authority had responsibility for young people in care up to the age of 21 (25 years old if they were in education or training).  It was noted that the Government was currently consulting on extending this support to the age of 25 years.  It was highlighted that there were some care leavers who were able to live independently, but were unable to find suitable accommodation in some parts of the county in multi-occupancy homes.  It was agreed that this needed to be discussed with district councils.  It was highlighted further that new legislation might place additional statutory duties on district councils and Officers agreed to share the consultation with district councils.

One member advised that dual hatted members could also assist in this matter by speaking to their respective district councils asking them to exempt care leavers from council tax.

RESOLVED

That the work of the Corporate Parenting Sub-Group be supported and that the draft minutes from the Corporate Parenting Sub-Group held on 21 September 2017 be received.