Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 4 - Civic Centre. View directions

Contact: Helen Tambini  Tel: 01902 554070 or Email: helen.tambini@wolverhampton.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Moran and Waite.

 

2.

Declarations of interests

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest made.

 

3.

Minutes of the previous meeting - 16 March 2017 pdf icon PDF 82 KB

[To approve the minutes of the previous meeting as a correct record]

Minutes:

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 16 March 2017 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

 

4.

Matters arising

[To consider any matters arising]

Minutes:

Emma Bennett, Service Director for Children and Young People, referred to minute 5 Adoption Services Interim Report and confirmed that to the best of her knowledge the inter-agency fee would not be extended.

5.

Introduction to Corporate Parenting Board

[Alice Vickers, Corporate Parenting Officer, to give presentation on the role and responsibilities of the Corporate Parenting Board]

Minutes:

Two representatives of the Children in Care Council (CiCC) and the Care Leavers Forum (CLF) attended the meeting and led a workshop on Total Respect.

 

The Corporate Parenting Officer gave a powerpoint presentation on an introduction to the work of the Corporate Parenting Board.

 

Members of the Board referred to the importance of promoting fostering services and asked officers to ensure that all avenues were explored.

 

Officers confirmed that there was a constant recruitment campaign; however, any new initiatives, including poster campaigns at community centres and community hubs would be investigated.  Previously a message had been added to the bottom of Corporate emails and that had proved successful.  Rather than leaving the message on constantly, it had been removed; however, the possibility of adding it again would be looked into.

 

Resolved:

  1. That the representatives from the Children in Care Council and the Care Leavers Forum be thanked for attending the meeting.

That the presentation be noted.

6.

Corporate Parenting Board Work Plan 2017-18 pdf icon PDF 56 KB

[Alice Vickers, Corporate Parenting Officer to present report]

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Alice Vickers, Corporate Parenting Officer presented the Work Plan for the Board for 2017/18 Municipal Year and highlighted the key points.

 

She explained that all the reports to be considered by the Board were presented to the Children in Care Council (CiCC) first, with an opportunity for the CiCC to comment on those reports.

 

The Chair stated that this was an outline plan and items could be added where necessary.

 

Emma Bennett, Service Director for Children and Young People and Alison Hinds, Head of Looked After Children confirmed that the Sufficiency Strategy would be submitted to the next meeting of the Board.

 

Resolved:

  1. That the Work Plan for the 2017/18 Municipal Year be approved.

That any further matters be identified for consideration as necessary.

7.

Outcome of Ofsted Inspection 16 January to 9 February 2017 pdf icon PDF 66 KB

[Alison Hinds, Head of Looked After Children to present report]

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Alison Hinds, Head of Looked After Children presented the report on the outcomes of the Ofsted Inspection which had been held between 16 January and 9 February 2017 and highlighted the key points.

 

In response to questions, Alison Hinds and Emma Bennett, Service Director for Children and Young People stated the following:

 

  • Where an issue had been identified, those recommendations now formed part of the Children and Young People Improvement Plan, with some actions already completed.  The Plan would continue to be developed with the target of achieving outstanding at the next inspection.
  • There had been occasions when the help and protection received by children and young people had been insufficient.  In those cases a lower level of support had initially been given to families as it had been considered that a lower level of intervention was the most appropriate action.  Although no child had been put at immediate risk by those actions, it was acknowledged that opportunities had been missed and the recommendations in the Improvement Plan would address those issues.
  • The report had acknowledged the key role that the Board played and the commitment shown by members.

 

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

8.

Performance Monitoring Information pdf icon PDF 57 KB

[Emma Bennett, Service Director – Children and Young People, to present report]

[TO FOLLOW]

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Emma Bennett, Service Director for Children and Young People, presented the Performance Monitoring Report for March 2017 and highlighted the key points.

 

Alison Hinds, Head of Looked After Children, confirmed that the 9% of care leavers not in suitable accommodation were currently living in youth offender institutions.

 

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

9.

Exclusion of the press and public

[To pass the following resolution:

 

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business as they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information on the grounds shown below]

Minutes:

Resolved:

That in accordance with Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business as they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information contained in paragraph 1 of the Act, namely information relating to an individual.

10.

Councillors visits to establishments

[To receive feedback on any visits to establishments undertaken by Councillors since the last meeting]

Minutes:

The Chair referred to a recent unofficial visit she had made to Upper Pendleford Farm.

 

Resolved:

That the Corporate Parenting Officer liaise with Councillor Potter with a view to a visit being undertaken to the Merridale Street West establishment.