[To consider any matters arising from the minutes of the meeting held on 3 July 2014]

With reference to Minute No. 4 (Matters arising), Cllr Dr Michael Hardacre enquired as to when the access arrangements to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) would be considered by the Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel. Cllr Julie Hodgkiss reported that this matter had been discussed that morning at the Agenda meeting and was scheduled to be considered at the meeting of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel on 14 January 2015.

With reference to Minute No. 6 (Performance Monitoring – Looked After Children), Cllr Paula Brookfield enquired as to the latest position with the production of a Briefing Note in relation to the age at which LAC / Care Leavers and Young Offenders on remand remained the responsibility of the local authority. Emma Bennett outlined the position and undertook to arrange for the Briefing Note to be circulated.

With reference to Minute No. 6 (Performance Monitoring – Looked After Children), Cllr Dr Michael Hardacre referred to the multi- agency “edge of care” meeting and as to whether any children were slipping through the net. Emma Bennett assured the Board that in the current climate it was highly unlikely that any children were overlooked and that 22 cases had been reviewed during August and September 2014. The assurance was accepted by Cllr Dr Michael Hardacre.

With reference to Minute No. 6 (Performance Monitoring – Looked After Children), Cllr Dr Michael Hardacre questioned the current position with discussions between both the Council and the Wolverhampton City Clinical Commissioning Group (WCCCG) and the WCCCG and the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust with regard to health checks for Looked After Children. Lorraine Millard reported that this issue had been discussed at a meeting held the previous day and that a division of responsibility had been agreed. RWNSHT would be responsible for undertaking health checks on those Looked After Children who lived within 20 miles of the City with the WCCCG taking responsibility for those who lived further away. A resolution to this particular issue was not easily identifiable but was being treated as a priority. As an interim measure the WCCCG would take responsibility for co-ordinating all health checks for Looked After Children until 31 March 2015 albeit that the matter was to be reviewed on a weekly basis. Alison Hinds advised that during the intervening period a long term arrangement would be identified. Lorraine Millard undertook to arrange for a Briefing Note on this matter to be circulated to Members of the Board. Cllr Paula Brookfield requested that the Board be notified as soon as the long term arrangement had been agreed. Emma Bennett reminded the Board that this issue was monitored regularly and formed part of the Performance Monitoring Information considered by the Board.

With reference to Minute No. 8 (Children in Care Council), Cllr Rita Potter enquired as to whether the Council was working in partnership with the Police and Schools in connection with safeguarding issues, especially with regard to Sexual Exploitation of Children (SEC) . Emma Bennett reported that there were strategic and operational groups addressing SEC, that a report on this subject had been considered at the meeting of the Strategic Executive Board held the previous day where an Action Plan for Wolverhampton and the Region had been presented. The West Midlands Metropolitan Chief Executive’s had commissioned Stephen Rimmer from the Home Office to undertake a piece of work across the West Midlands on this topic. She advised that in the light of the Rotherham case awareness of the issue had been highlighted to schools. The Chair, Cllr Val Gibson, reported that all agencies were alert to the issue and it had been raised recently at the Children’s Safeguarding Board. All agencies had identified lead officers and that Wolverhampton had a good record on joint working to identify and address the issue and was held as a national exemplar. Cllr Dr Michael Hardacre welcomed the report on the actions being taken but reminded the Board that the Council had been in a much stronger position previously to influence schools when they had been under the control of the local authority. He suggested that with the increase in number of academies and private schools that communication was more problematic. Emma Bennett advised that this was not the experience of the local authority and that the Assistant Director, Education and Enterprise was preparing for the roll out of a Communications Plan. She reminded the Board that Safeguarding was a critical element in Ofsted inspections. Cllr Paula Brookfield sought an assurance that the issue of female genital mutilation was also being addressed. Emma Bennett advised that this was included in the piece of work which had been commissioned from Stephen Rimmer.